Nature Education's Scitable goes mobile to bring science education to all
Nature Education — the educational arm of Nature Publishing Group — launched a mobile version of its open-access science library Scitable today — bringing its extensive library of science articles and social networking features to any student, teacher, or researcher with a mobile device.
Mobile users are automatically directed to the appropriate mobile site for their device when they visit Scitable.com.
The site, which launched in January 2009, is a social network for science education that also offers course management capabilities for professors. It allows users to read about a wide variety of scientific subjects, collaborate with others, publish their work to the world, and more. It also offers groups — such as public discussion groups, and private groups that professors can use for courses — which can function as virtual study spaces.
The site has gone on to reach 500,000 science students across 165 countries, reports Vikram Savkar, senior vice-president and publishing director at Nature Publishing Group. But despite its success, he wanted a versatile mobile version of Scitable to better reach students in developing countries who don’t have easy access to computers or broadband internet.
“With the launch of our mobile site, any student with a cell phone, even a very basic device, has access to a simplified version of the site that includes a wealth of quality, citable information, ” Savkar said.
The mobile Scitable site will give iPhone, iPad, Android, and BlackBerry users a built-in glossary, and some will also have access to its social networking features.
Scitable is the sort of digital stab from old-guard publishing companies that I suspect we’ll see more of. Nature Publishing Group was founded in 1869, and is a division of the publishing behemoth Macmillan Group. If it can manage to create a compelling social network for a niche audience, I imagine many other publishers will give it a go as well.
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About the Author, Devindra Hardawar
Devindra Hardawar is VentureBeat's National Editor and lead mobile writer. He has been writing about technology since 2004, worked in IT support for several years, and studied philosophy at Amherst College. He now lives in Brooklyn, New York. You can reach him at devindra@venturebeat.com (all story pitches should also be sent to tips@venturebeat.com), and on Twitter at @Devindra.
