Barnes & Noble Inc. and Microsoft Corp. are teaming up to create a new Barnes & Noble subsidiary that will house the digital and college businesses of the bookseller and include a Nook application for Windows 8. The companies said Monday that they are exploring separating those businesses entirely. That could mean a stock offering, sale, or other deal could happen.

In early 2011 the Gilfus Education Group provided advisory services, strategic vision, market positioning, and implementation services to CourseSmart. In addition the group socialized and facilitated implementation conversations with 12 premier institutions like ASU, Case Western and others. We are excited to see the progress they have made after developing a solid foundation utilizing Gilfus Education Group resources and expertise. The Gilfus Education Group continues to support a variety of publishers in their eTextbook efforts.

By Lyndsey Layton and Emma Brown, Published: November 26, 2011 WashingtonPost.com A Virginia company leading a national movement to replace classrooms with computers — in which children as young as 5 can learn at home at taxpayer expense — is facing a backlash from critics who are questioning its funding, quality and oversight. K12 Inc. [...]

CourseSmart, the world’s largest digital course materials provider, today announced the first group of colleges and universities that have been selected to participate in the company’s Faculty Instant Access program. The program provides instructors with convenient, instant access to more than 90% of core higher education textbooks as eTextbooks from within the campus systems they use every day. The select higher education institutions, which are widely-regarded as innovators, span a diverse array of public, private, four-year, two-year, large and small institutions across the U.S. including Arizona State University, Auburn University, Case Western Reserve University, LeTourneau University, Minnesota State University – Mankato, Savannah College of Art and Design, Texas A&M University, the University of Central Florida and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

NOOKstudy, announced July 12, is Barnes & Noble’s (BN) bold new effort to gain a foothold in the nascent etextbook market. The product was pre-released to a small group of college campuses this summer. BN expects the general release of the product for free, open use in August-to coincide with the beginning of the new school year. The software application promises to enable students “to manage all their digital content-etextbooks, class materials, and notes-on the computing device they rely on most, their PC or Mac.”

—– In an effort to track the eTextbook marketplace the Gilfus education Group will be providing continuous updates -—— Barnes & Noble announces NOOKstudy eTextbook college program Regular readers know that the Barnes & Noble Nook is my preferred ebook reader device for a number of reasons I have written about in various articles. One [...]

—- The Gilfus Education Group is tracking progress in the eTextbook marketplace and will be posting updates as various vendors make headway in providing education institutions with new capabilities.  —– CourseSmart Partners with Select Higher Education Institutions to Provide Instant Access to eTextbooks — Faculty at Universities Across the Country Will Have Direct Access to [...]