About the Institute (topics on the agenda) Planning Your Trip (key dates and times, details, flight plans, driving directions) Speakers & Participants Registration Information (costs, hotel and cancellations) Register online Seats remaining: 0   conference brochure

THIS INSTITUTE HAS ALREADY BEEN HELD. THIS PAGE IS FOR ARCHIVE PURPOSES ONLY, AND CONTENT HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED. Please visit the current Dust or Magic Institute page for information on the next institute. View a Movie (in QuickTime), with highlights of the first Institute. The participants are pictured below. "Definitely a landmark conference." "So grateful for a forum like this. Thank you." "Opinionated speakers are great." "Thank you CSR for an excellent conference. Great results for your first one." "Attention to details was noticed and appreciated. Great job." "Phenomenal!" ------------------------- The 2001 Children’s New Media Design Institute With Shelley Day, Bernadette Gonzalez, James Oppenheim, Mark Schlichting and Aleen Stein  Date: January 20-22, 2002 Sunday (5:00 PM) through Tuesday (1:15 PM) To be held at: The Inn at Lambertville Station 11 Bridge Street Lambertville, New Jersey Sponsored by: Active Learning Associates, Inc. Publishers of Children’s Software & New Media Revue 44 Main Street Flemington, NJ 08822

ABOUT THE INSTITUTE top

Designers of children’s interactive products (software in any form, children’s web sites, videogames and smart toys) are invited to come to Lambertville, NJ for the Dust or Magic Institute. This three-day meeting will bring together a small group of product managers, educators, reviewers, digital artists, interface designers and researchers--Individuals who are crafting the next generation of interactive products for children. UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES The tone for this engaging institute will be set by some of the leading pioneers in children’s interactive media, including Mark Schlichting (the Living Books), Bernadette Gonzalez (Knowledge Adventure), Aleen Stein (Voyager/Organa/Scholastic) and Shelley Day (Humongous). • Relax and take notes in a luxurious setting as you get smart on the latest interactive children’s products by way of fast, critical demonstrations. • Contribute your own vision of a product that represents either “dust” or “magic.” • Freely browse in the “demo room”-- a special collection of the most significant CDs, videogames and smart toys. • Leave inspired to create better, more engaging products that work with children, with practical techniques and specific design ideas that you can apply immediately. PRELIMINARY AGENDA Notes: The Sunday night banquet is located in the restaurant (the building closest to Bridge Street with the train cars attached). The conference Monday morning will be held in the Riverside Room, which is part of the Inn. Participants and speakers will have access to the following demonstration stations for Monday and Tuesday, each capable of large screen projection: 3 Win, 1 Mac, PlayStation 1 (chipped), PlayStation 2 (chipped), Dreamcast and N64. There will also be a Game Boy Advance available to pass around. You are welcome to use this hardware during discussions, and are encouraged to bring along any software or smart toy examples to share. DAY 1: SUNDAY (January 20) Time Location and Event 3:00 to 4:30 PM Hotel check in 5:00 PM Check in and refreshments at the Lambertville Station Restaurant Lower Level (the building close to the street, with the train cars attached) 5:30 PM Last van arrives from Newark airport 6:00 PM Dinner in the Delaware Room at the Lambertville Station Restaurant (upstairs) 7:00 PM 1. Welcome (Warren Buckleitner, Pat Sevchuk, Ellen Wolock and Ann Orr). It is rumored that there may be a special appearance from "The Picky Teacher" (not confirmed). 2. Shelley Day presentation (7:15 to 8:10) 3. Mark Schlichting presentation (8:15 to 9:00) "Creating the Experience--Monkeys, Media, and Magic" 9:00 PM (or so) Return to hotels DAY 2: MONDAY (January 21) Time Location and Event 9:00 AM Start of Institute at the Inn's Riverside Room Bagels and speaker: Bernadette Gonzalez 9:50 Break 10:00 Introduction to workshop (CSR staff) Lessons from child development Demonstrations 12:00 Lunch / Group Photo Speaker -- James Oppenheim "Macromediocrity" 1:15 Individual testing and experimentation 2:00 Measuring variables related to engagement 1. Ten best, ten worst products. 2. Fishbowl evaluation with the instrument. 3. Rules for increasing child engagement 4. Leveling 5. Virtual manipulatives and amazing techniques 4:00 Break Out Groups 5:00 Console Technology: where it is, where it is going, most common mistakes 5:30 Dinner (on your own) 7:30-10 PM Optional Evening Testing Lab 10:00 PM Wine by the fireplace DAY 3: TUESDAY (January 22) Time Location and Event 8:30 AM Confirm van seats to airport Bagels with Aleen Stein 9:15 Market Overview A Hardware-centric perspective: 1 year, 2 years, 5 years 9:45 Smart Toys: What we picked for magazines like PARADE, and why. 10:15 Dust or Magic-- Participant demonstrations and ideas. Brainstorm for future products--what needs to be done. Evaluation 11:40 Lunch (Vans depart for airport at 1:20) (Trans-Bridge Bus leaves at 1:55)

When The Institute will start at 5:00 PM Sunday in the lower level of the Lambertville Station Restaurant and will end at 1:15 PM on Tuesday. Planning Your Trip If you're scheduled on the CSR van, plan to arrive at Newark airport no later than 4:00 PM. To take the bus to Lamberteville, plan to arrive at Newark airport no later than 12:15 noon on Sunday, January 20. After you pick up your baggage, go to the Trans Bridge/Olympia Trails ticket counter located in the claim area of Terminal A (Newark has three terminals that are connected by a monorail). Purchase a one way ticket on the Transbridge line for $24.50. Go out the door to the left, to the public bus stop, #10. There are two bus options to Lambertville, but please check the schedule for updates. 1. 10:15 AM (depart Newark) 11:40 AM (arrive Lambertville) (Hotel check in time is 2:00). 2. 1:30 PM (depart Newark) 2:50 PM arrive Lambertville -- Best choice) The bus will drop you approximately two blocks from the Lambertville Station parking lot. COMING FROM THE WEST COAST? Limo service will be provided from Newark airport. You must call Pat (908-284-0404) for reservations and have your flight information ready. If you have a mobile phone, please provide the number. Return Trip Please check out of the hotel on first thing on Tuesday morning (bags ready to go). The formal checkout time is 11:00 AM. The conference luncheon will end at 1:30, and the bus will depart to Newark at 1:55 PM, arriving at Newark at 3:15 PM. To allow enough time, plan your flight to leave after 4:30 PM. We will also have a van going to Philadelphia airport. Driving Directions From New York City: (approximately 90 minutes) Holland or Lincoln Tunnel to NJ Turnpike South to Exit 14. I-78 West to I-287 South, to Route 202 South in Sommerville (careful, don't get off too early. Watch for signs to Flemington). Take the last exit before the toll bridge into PA (Rt. 29) turn LEFT to downtown Lambertville. Watch for BRIDGE street. The Lambertville Station is 11 Bridge, located just before the bridge into PA. From Philadelphia: (approximately 50 minutes) I-95 North to New Hope Exit 31. Left at stop sign onto Taylorsville Road. Go 5 miles, through 2 stop lights. At stop sign, go left onto Route 32 North for 4 miles. Find your way to the downtown. The Lambertville Station is on the left just before the bridge.

SPEAKERS & PARTICIPANTS Shelley Day Mark Schlichting Aleen Stein top

Your Sunday banquet speakers will be Shelly Day and Mark Schlichting. Monday morning will start with Bernadette Gonzalez; lunch will feature James Oppenheim of the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio/Child Magazine/NBC Today Show. Aleen Stein will be the closing speaker on Tuesday morning. There may be a very brief talk to be given by the Picky Teacher. Shelley Day, CEO of a Hulabee Entertainment, brings 16 years of game industry experience to the table. She has spent the last eight years as the President and CEO of Humongous Entertainment, successfully growing the company to more than $60 million in revenue. Prior to co-founding Humongous, Shelley spent seven years producing titles for various software companies including Electronic Arts, Accolade, Taito, and LucasFilm. She was voted “Producer of the Year” in 1997 by the Game Developers Conference. Mark Schlichting is the head macaroni at NoodleWorks (www.noodleworks.com), a highly experienced and wildly creative design group. Schlichting has worked on over 40 CD-ROMs and hundreds of educational and entertainment activities, including Marc Brown's "Arthur", Dr. Seuss, Nickelodeon's RugRats, LEGO, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Ranger Rick, Highlights for Children, SI Kids, Weekly Reader, The Berenstain Bears, and others. a nd oth e rs Bernadette Gonzalez and thersJames Oppenheim Monday morning will start with Bernadette Gonzalez, the Executive Producer of the JumpStart Learning System at Knowledge Adventure. In 1994, Gonzalez led the team that helped launch the entire genre of grade-based software with the groundbreaking JumpStart Kindergarten. Her production experience includes multimedia, television, video, theater and film. She has worked as a production coordinator, writer and story editor for PBS, and has studied at Harvard and the MIT Media Lab. Monday's luncheon comments will be given by James Oppenheim, the Technology Editor for the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Child Magazine, a contributor to NBC's Today Show and a Bologna New Media Prize juror (representing the United States). Oppenheim will offer his perspectives on the current state of children's interactive media. The closing remarks on Tuesday will be given by Aleen Stein (co-founder of Organa and Voyager and the founder of the Criterion collection). Stein is one of the foremost pioneers in new media publishing. Your Conference Facilitators are Warren Buckleitner, Dr. Ann Orr and Dr. Ellen Wolock of Children’s Software & New Media Revue. Conference Support & Registration: Pat Sevchuk Phone (908-284-0404, Fax: 908-284-0405) PARTICIPANTS (as of January 11, 2002) Carsten's Studios Children's Software Revue Disney Interactive Dolphin, Inc. Evan-Moor Educational Publishers Fisher-Price Her Interactive Highlights for Children Hulabee Entertainment Knowledge Adventure Macon Programs for Progress, Inc. The Markle Foundation Miss Maggie's Earth Adventures Legacy Interactive Noodleworks Design Oppenheim Toy Portfolio PREL (Pacific Resources for Education and Learning) Reel Creative Scholastic Software Group School Zone Interactive Riverdeep/The Learning Company THQ Vivendi Universal Warren Robinette

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The title of this institute comes from Bob Hughes’ book Dust or Magic: Secrets of Successful Multimedia Design (Addison Wesley). The book makes excellent reading, either pre- or post-conference. Visit www.dustormagic.net. top

PHOTOGRAPHS & INFORMATION DISCLOSURE A photographer will be present during the conference and section of the dialog may be recorded or used by a graduate student. If you wish to have the use of your photograph or voice restricted in any way or do not want your opinions on public record, please notify us in advance. INTERNET ACCESS Dataports are available in all hotel rooms. WHAT TO BRING 1. Literature to share (optional). Participants are welcome to bring papers (see “literature” below). 2. A notebook computer (optional). There will be a large library of products for testing, as well as a video projector and sound system for large group demonstrations. 3. One product to demonstrate (optional). There will be opportunities for the demonstration of one product or project that could be classified as “magic”, with feedback opportunities from the group. LITERATURE If you wish to have material available for distribution at the conference, please send 35 copies at least one day prior to the conference to Pat Sevchuk, CSR, 44 Main Street, Flemington, NJ 08822. Note that participants will be given a three-ring binder, so we recommend drilling copies if possible for easy storage. ATTIRE Dress is generally informal (slacks, sweaters or whatever is appropriate to the season).

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT Register online   top

Tuition is $1450/person which includes all meals but one, transportation to and from Newark airport (if needed) and workshop materials. In order to insure quality of discussion, group size is limited to 35. Seats are available on a first-come, first-serve basis in the order in which the tuition payment is received. No more than five people from one company are permitted. Other restrictions may apply. STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS One student scholarship is available (Tuition costs are waived). To apply please send your vita along with an essay describing why you should attend to the conference coordinator. To register by phone, call 800-993-9499 between 9:30 and 5:00 PM EST, or send an e-mail to pat@childrenssoftware.com. You can also register online with a VISA or Mastercard.Your credit card will not be charged until your space is confirmed. Seats remaining: 0 as of September 19, 2001 (call 908-284-0404 for waiting list information). CANCELLATIONS Tuition is 100% refundable up to November 23, 50% refundable from November 23 to January 10, and not refundable after January 10. Your hotel room can be cancelled up to 48 hours prior to the start of the event. In the event that the Institute is postponed due to unforseen circumstances, you will have the option to receive a tuition refund or to keep your seat for the next proposed date. HOTEL RESERVATIONS We have reserved a block of rooms at the Inn at Lambertville Station, 609-397-8461 www.lambertvillestation.com) for $85/night (one queen bed) and $90/night (two queen beds). Participants are encouraged to stay at the Inn. COMING IN EARLY? If you make your reservation soon, there may be space at Lambertville Station for Saturday evening, although the rate is higher. If it fills up, try this list of local inns, B&Bs and hotels. If you choose to stay in New York City the night before, you can catch the Trans-Bridge bus to Lambertville, which leaves from Gate 12 of the New York Port Authority terminal at 10:15 AM, arriving in Lambertville at 12:40. The bus will drop you about 4 blocks from the hotel. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket counter at Port Authority for $24 (round trip)

Copyright 2002 Active Learning Associates, Inc.