Hello. My name is Thom Gillespie. I write for a magazine called

[Barbara Jennings]

Thom,

  You must not have kids of your own. Has literacy changed? No, but the
tools have. 6 years ago my son was in elementary school creating his
book reports on word processors, using electronic encyclopedia's and the
web as resources for research projects. What kids have learned is that
they can learn just about anything on their own! And to that degree, I
believe that to keep up with them, we need to consider instructional
methodologies that incorporate constructivist learning theory, case base
learning, the Internet and computing as much as possible. Even my son
"the artist" has moved to using tools such as Adobe Illustrator and
digital cameras. Educators need to continue to tap the natural interests
and instincts of the students. These kids are technology savvy far
beyond most of their instructors and parents. We need to teach
instructors and parents not to be intimidated by the technical
competence of these students. We should encourage them to become masters
of the information!

--Barbara Jennings
  Doctoral Student University of New Mexico
  Organizational Learning and Instructional Technology Program

Thom Kevin Gillespie wrote:
> 
> Technos. I've been following Squeak for a few months.
> 
> I'm working on a column for Technos magazine which I'm calling 'new
> literacy.' I'm wondering if the tools available for kids to express ideas
> today include not just traditional writing tools but tools such as word
> processors, html, Flash, Director, Blender, Boxer-like tools, Squeak, and
> all sorts of non-linear editing tools such as Premier, FinalCut and
> AfterEffects, has literacy changed? If literacy has changed has education
> kept up? Considering that kids are different depending upon their skills
> how do you educate a literate population today?
> 
> I realize you all are busy but I'd appreciate your thoughts on these
> matters and I think others would also appreciate your thoughts? I'll be
> asking these questions of others for the magazine.
> 
> If you are too busy I also understand.
> 
> Sincerely,  Thom Gillespie
> 
>  \\\\////   tHoM gIllEsPiE, maitre d'Igital, CafeTechnos at ait.net
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> 6 (*][*) ?       1229 E 7th St      Radio & TV Bldg
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>   ( --')       thom at indiana.edu     812-855-3254 (v)
>    WWWW         The MIME Program in newMedia Design
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>   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Since permanent change is here to stay, to accomplish anything bold and
> beautiful in the firmament of time we must learn to change directions and
> fall gracefully   -- Sam Keen in Learning To Fly

-- 
Barbara Jennings
Sandia National Laboratories
jennings at sandia.gov
Phone (505)845-8554 FAX (505)844-2067

"The great paradox of the 21st century is that, in this age of powerful
technology, the biggest
  problems we face internationally are problems of the human soul." 
  -- Ralph Peters, former U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and author of
Fighting for the Future