The World is Open in China:
I am still recovering from jet lag from the Korea trip. This is especially apparent at the end of the week. Of course, it is doubly difficult to be gone at the start of the semester and there is much catching up to do now. However, yesterday, I got some excellent news that I have been waiting on for months. Here it is...announcing ta da da daaa...The simplified Chinese version of The World is Open book is out. It is already sold out on Amazon China. Cool. And sold out on other sites as well.
I like the cover a lot (more than the original here in the USA, in fact, though the USA one is improved in the paperback version which just came out with blue lettering). The Chinese publisher picked the book cover that I preferred. And they are using 6 Amazon-like sites to sell the book. You can check out their book cover selection at one of the first 3 links below. You can also order the book if you so choose. I guess it costs roughly $6 US dollars.
Online bookstore sites for World Is Open book in Chinese:
1. 300 buy
2. Dangdang
3. Amazon China
4. 99 Read
5. Beifa Book
6. China-Pub
Here's Johnny:
The translator was Dr. Jiao Jianli from South China Normal University in Guangzhou. Dr. Jiao (also known as "Johnny") is famous for his blog on educational technology. He is a Professor of Educational Technology and Director of Future Education Research Centre. In addition, he is Deputy Dean of School of Information Technology in Education at South China Normal University. Sounds like a great person to work for or with. Dr. Jiao had a team of graduate students help with the translation efforts. I spoke to them a couple of years ago from a Webcam in my basement office in mid July. It was quite fun. For a few months in the early part of this year and late last year I was responding to questions about the book on a daily basis. Some of my American humor and English terminology was apparently quite difficult to translate. But it is done now.
The publisher is East China Normal University which apparently is known in the field of educational technology. Apparently, it is more prestigious to have a university publisher in China than it is in the USA.
My former student, Dr. Subude at California State at Monterey Bay taught a course with Dr. Jiao this summer at Beijing Normal University (see pics of Subude teaching it and their students). Subude told me that “Dr. Jiao is a highly productive professor and his blog has many followers in China. He is certainly playing a leading role in Educational Technology in China. I highly appreciated the opportunity to work with him and learned a lot during our collaboration.”
The Godfather?
A number of my former students are sending me emails today telling me what the promotional materials are saying. Interesting...first, they say that my name translates well in Chinese. "Bonk" definitely does not translate well in the UK or Australia. Smile. But it does in China. They also menton that the book has already sold out in Amazon China. That is certainly wonderful news.
Next, I was also told that the promo materials refer to me as "The Godfather of Educational Technology." Or Godfather of Instructional Technology. I find this hard to believe since I doubt I could even pass the qualifying exam in my own department or any educational technology department or program for that matter. But if I am considered the Godfather, I want to meet the Godmother sometime. My students better watch out since Monday night I am coming to class dressed as Al Pacino or Marlon Brando. Back to listening to the Who on my iPod and the Quadrophenia song comes on: "The Punk And The Godfather." Ta da da daaa...ta da da daaa...ta da da da.
Anyway, I hope some people can explore the Chinese version of the World is Open book and let me know how well my jokes translate. Soon the Arabic version should be out; in fact, it might already be out. I am checking. More soon.Labels: China, Dr. Jiao Jianli, East China Normal University, South China Normal University, translated to simplified Chinese, World is Open book |
