VTech® Adds New Experts to Advisory Council as Key Resource for Parents

CHICAGO, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The creator of the electronic learning category and a world leader in developing age-appropriate learning toys, VTech Electronics has forged partnerships with leading education and child development experts to serve as the newest members of its Advisory Council. This panel of experts serves as a resource of knowledge and insights for parents, with extensive expertise in childhood language and reading, infant cognitive development and platform learning and educational gaming systems.

"The Advisory Council gives VTech access to expert and independent voices that can play an invaluable role in helping us innovate and expand the developmental benefits of our toys," said Tom McClure, director of marketing, VTech Electronics North America, LLC. "We welcome their knowledge, creativity, insights and vision."

New members to the Advisory Council include Dr. Lise Eliot, an Associate Professor of Neuroscience at The Chicago Medical School of Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science and an expert on early childhood mental development. Also new to the panel is Eric Klopfer, an Associate Professor and the Director of the MIT Scheller Teacher Education Program, Director of The Education Arcade and an expert on platform learning and educational video games. Returning to the panel is Dr. Deborah Sharp Libby, who retains her role as an expert on reading and language.

The Advisory Council's roles include:

• Provide critical insights on new product development
• Discover, interpret and integrate early learning trends and research
• Craft articles distilling their latest research findings for parents
• Provide expert tips for moms and dads on ways to boost early learning and positive playtime

Parents can visit www.vtechkids.com, to find new and archived articles and tips written by members of the Advisory Council, with topics ranging from helping your child love learning to read, spurring infant development, and more. Parents can also sign up to be a Club VTech member and receive an exclusive monthly e-newsletter filled with timely and fun learning activities, as well as updates and savings on their favorite VTech products.

Meet the Advisory Council

Deborah Sharp Libby, Ph.D

Early Childhood Language & Reading Expert

A leading expert in reading, Dr. Libby graduated from The University of Pittsburgh with a Doctorate in Reading, Language Arts and Children's Literature. She has her Masters in Reading, a Reading Specialist Certificate and a Bachelors degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from The Ohio State University. While working in higher education for 17 years, Dr. Libby taught elementary education courses at The University of Pittsburgh and both undergraduate and graduate courses in topics such as early childhood and elementary reading, language arts and children's literature at Slippery Rock University.

Dr. Libby has worked as an elementary teacher, and as a freelance writer creating teaching guides to accompany reading and science material for elementary classrooms. Currently living outside of Pittsburgh with her husband and three daughters, she works with students in literature groups focusing on comprehension skills and conducts workshops for teachers.

Lise Eliot, Ph.D

Early Childhood Mental Development Expert

Dr. Lise Eliot is Associate Professor of Neuroscience at The Chicago Medical School of Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science. A Chicago native, she received an A.B. degree from Harvard University, a Ph.D. from Columbia University, and did post-doctoral research at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. In addition to teaching and writing, Dr. Eliot lectures widely about children's brain and mental development.

In addition to more than 50 published peer-reviewed journal articles and magazine pieces, Eliot is the author of two books, "Pink Brain, Blue Brain," which examines sex differences and children's gender development and "What's Going On In There," which charts babies' brain development from conception onward and its relationship to children's emerging mental abilities.

Eric Klopfer, Ph.D

Platform Learning Expert

Eric Klopfer is Associate Professor and the Director of the MIT Scheller Teacher Education Program (http://education.mit.edu) and the Director of the The Education Arcade (http://educationarcade.org). Klopfer received his B.S. from Cornell and his Ph.D from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. His research focuses on the development and use of computer games and simulations for building understanding of science and complex systems. His work combines research and development of games and simulations, from initial conceptualization, through implementation, piloting, professional development and end-user research.  He is the creator of StarLogo TNG, a platform for helping kids create 3D simulations and games using a graphical programming language, as well as several mobile game platforms including location-based Augmented Reality games, and ubiquitous casual games. He is the author of "Augmented Learning," a book on handheld games and learning from MIT Press, and is co-author of the book, "Adventures in Modeling: Exploring Complex, Dynamic Systems with StarLogo." He is a founding member of the Learning Games Network (www.learninggamesnetwork.org).

ABOUT VTECH

VTech, the creator of the Electronic Learning Products (ELP) category and the award-winning V.Reader and MobiGo, is a world leader of age-appropriate learning products. Since 1980, VTech has been developing high-quality, innovative educational products that enrich children's development, from birth to preteen, through fun and smart play.

VTech Electronics North America, LLC is based in Arlington Heights, Ill. VTech is headquartered in Hong Kong and is the world's largest manufacturer of cordless telephones and provides highly sought-after contract manufacturing services, with distribution throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

For more information on VTech's additional product lines, visit www.vtechkids.com on the Web, www.facebook.com/VTechToys on Facebook or follow @VTechToys on Twitter.

SOURCE VTech