While Rheingold originally examines the nature of technological innovation in his 2012 novel Mind Amplifier: Can Our Digital Tools Make Us Smarter?, it is his exploration of technology and its relationship to the power of literacy serves as a powerful educational reminder. The ability to combine sound and symbols to then create over a million different words (currently in English) has transformed human existence. We have evolved from small bands of hunting and gathering societies to sprawling cities. The development of language led to increases in knowledge, thus leading to improved outcomes for abstract thought and experiences. In addition, if one has words to give an experience, one also improves that ability of his or herself being able to recall that experience, communicate it to another person (thus strengthening it again), and to add it to a larger collective set of knowledge used to govern a community of people. With language, people can think more abstractly, therefore increasing their ability to problem-solve, which is the great driver of technological innovation. Also, with language, people can communicate with one another and build upon one another’s ideas, furthering innovation through collaboration.
One fact that struck me from Rheingold’s work was the explosion of books after the invention of the printing press. From 30,000 books in the world to 30 million. Will or have we seen such an explosion of linguistic works since the introduction of things such as eReaders? How will this increasingly effective and accessible mode of literacy improve our ability of a species to innovate and problem-solve? Even in my own life, I can consider all of the information that I have been exposed to by virtue of the diffusion of technology and literacy.
With regards to my own learning, a lot of the book’s conceptualizations around innovation, literacy, and their marriage together relates to the state of education now. Teaching literacy is currently a hot topic. In fact, the field is now calling for all content areas to teach literacy rather than simply in English class. Additionally, research has demonstrated that students must learn a second language at school in order to fully engage: academic language. This is the language of school and it is a significant predictor of academic success. Ultimately, literacy is one of the most significant skill sets educators can provide their students, and it is one I intend to provide, too.
Therefore, when considering how to structure classroom lessons, additional attention must be given not only to basic literacy skills but also the emerging need for technological literacy. Students will need to develop skills that allow them to navigate computing devices and the Internet in increasingly complex and intelligent ways in order to be successful. Lessons that have less to do with technology may also have to be reframed in ways that capitalize on the structure and formats of technology in order to continually reinforce these skills. And much like academic language has its own specialized dialect within content areas, technology skills will have its own formal and informal language that students will need to learn in order to be successful. This is no more evident than in the idea of online speak versus formal speak—students will need to be taught how to engage in the academic language of technology and when it is appropriate to use less formal forms.
My familiarity with the eReader has increased since my last post, although I have determined that I am unable to use it on my PC computer. Part is this is due to the strain it seems to put on my eyes compared to using an iPad (better designed for such reading intentions, I believe), but it also due the general clunkiness of my laptop. If I was in possession of a laptop that was able to fold into a tablet, I suspect I would be more comfortable using my laptop. Regardless, I find that I am improving my ease of use with the program and feel like I can read a little bit faster than I felt I was able to do last week. I have not found use with the dictionary function. I also wish that there was a print function, although I can, from a business perspective, certainly understand why this is not an included feature (and my desire for it is in opposition to the point of the eBooks: adjust and using new technology!).
Rheingold, Howard. (2012). Mind amplifier: Can our digital tools make us smarter? [Kindle DX version]. Retrieved from Amazon.com
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