Ideas Calendar: Dec. 1-7

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Taking videogames to the next level: A Los Angeles panel will look at their use in education.

Dustin Hoffman in New York

With "Quartet," a tale of retired musicians that opens Dec. 28, the star of "The Graduate" has directed his first film—at age 75. Mr. Hoffman will talk about his experience and working with such stars as Maggie Smith and Michael Gambon. Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. Tickets from $48. 92y.org.

The Big Ideas Fest 2012

The focus will be on transforming education as teachers, policy makers and others meet. Sample topics: "At the Nexus of Art History and Education Reform" and "The Art and Science of HIV Education." Sunday-Wednesday, the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, Calif. Registration: $730 per person. bigideasfest.org.

Will Gaming Change the Way We Learn? A Panel in Los Angeles

Looking at the rising use of videogames in education will be linguist James Gee, game designer Richard Lemarchand and Kaveri Subrahmanyam, associate director of the Children's Digital Media Center@Los Angeles. Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., Museum of Contemporary Art. A Zócalo Public Square event. zocalopublicsquare.org.

First International Summit of the Book

Among the speakers at this event at Washington's Library of Congress: publisher Nan Talese, Shakespeare scholar James S. Shapiro, financier David M. Rubenstein and law professor Emily E. Kadens. Thursday-Friday, Coolidge Auditorium, Thomas Jefferson Building. Registration free but required. loc.gov.