Lately, StrataLogica--a product I helped create and one that's close to my heart--has been getting some recognition. A few months ago it won Best Education App from the Mobile WebAwards. Last month brought the news that StrataLogica was a finalist for a prestigious SxSW Interactive Award in the Educational Resource category.
Though I've typically never put much stock into awards, the SxSW recognition truly is an honor. As a contact at Google said to me upon learning about our award status, "Wow! That's the only award left that actually means something."
I'm terribly proud of the people who have made StrataLogica what it is. They include cartographers, editors, marketers, product managers and developers from the Herff Jones | Nystrom teams in Chicago and Indianapolis. I'm also immensely grateful to the incredible team at Isobar (formerly Roundarch) for their inspiring work. They are a truly world-class agency.
Win or lose StrataLogica is great for educators and students. There's nothing else like it. Anyone interested can help vote it the People's Choice at SxSW here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SX14PeoplesChoice. Voting ends Sunday night, March 2.
See the Herff Jones | Nystrom blog post below to learn more about StrataLogica and SxSW:
The South by Southwest (SxSW) Interactive Awards are all about recognizing the most creative and innovative projects. With 15 categories and five finalists in each category, the finalists represent the best of their kind in 2013. We’re excited to share that the Herff Jones | Nystrom StrataLogica iPad app is a finalist in the Educational Resource category.
In an interview with Don Rescigno, VP of Marketing & Product Development at Herff Jones | Nystrom, Rescigno states, “The whole team that works on StrataLogica—from cartographers and editors, developers, and marketers—is tremendously honored to be a finalist for the SxSW Interactive Award. SxSW has a history of recognizing amazing achievements in technology so having StrataLogica named as a finalist makes our team very proud. I’m looking forward to attending the Interactive Awards in Austin with our development partners at Isobar who do amazing work.”
Ukraine & Russia: The Basics...new on StrataLogica.StrataLogica, powered by Google Earth, uses multilayered maps and e-book atlases to let educators and students get hands-on in an environment where they can create, collaborate and share content all on one platform.
According to Joan Pederson, Director of Product Development at Herff Jones | Nystrom, StrataLogica is an effective way to help students learn. “The interactivity is something that provides new surprises and new opportunities every time you get into StrataLogica.”
The recent release of the free StrataLogica iPad app has made it possible for educators to take learning one step further. “Our history has been built upon hands-on learning,” Rescigno says, “Studies overwhelmingly show that hands-on learning is very effective. We see the iPad app as the next iteration of hands-on learning. I’ve watched educators, students and my own children use StrataLogica on an iPad not just to learn but to share their own content and ideas in a unique and active way.”
StrataLogica uses interactive map layers to let students explore the world around them. Chris Bosacki, Director of Cartography at Herff Jones | Nystrom, says it’s important for students to be aware of the geo-spatial world around them. “Where we live, where we go, and what we see, in various ways, shape who we all are. We all tend to view the world through the lens of our own experience. The more we can experience other places through maps of all kinds, the better we can understand the mutual connections we have with others around the world.” Bosacki leads a team of cartographers to create the maps used in StrataLogica.
On March 11, SxSW will announce the winners of the Interactive Awards held in Austin. Finalists also have the chance to win the coveted People’s Choice Award, presented to the finalist who receives the most votes. If you haven’t tried StrataLogica yet, sign up for a free trial today, download the iPad app and don’t forget to vote for the People’s Choice Award!
