Picture a World without Pens, Pencils, and Paper: The Unanticipated Future of Reading and Writing

Abstract

This article discusses the fixture of reading and writing. It includes a brief history of reading and writing, shows the reader how digital text has quietly evolved and threatens to take over traditional notions of what it means to be literate, and suggests that speech will emerge as a dominant way of communicating. The three ideas developed here are: (a) Pens, pencils and paper will soon be artifacts of the past; (b) Electronic reading and writing will be pervasive, collaborative, and social events; and (c) Speech will replace most writing.

“kindle”- to excite; stir up or get going; animate; rouse; inflame Amazon's Kindle is a handheld wireless reading device with a six inch screen that looks like a book and has sparked a firestorm of interest in readers and investors (Gunnison, 2008; Klein, 2008; Levy, 2007). It is a bone-white 5 in. × 8 in. plastic device that costs $359. and can access over 185,000 books, magazines, newspapers and blogs. In 2008, Amazon announced the Kindle2 which can store 1,500 books. In 2009, the KindleDX was introduced (Wildstrom, 2009). It holds 3,500 books, supports PDF files, newspapers and textbooks. The unveiling of these e-readers and others, kindled my imagination, causing me to think about the changes reading and writing have undergone historically. * (Author's Note: Since this article went to press, Amazon unveiled the Kindle3 which costs $139., comes with Wi-Fi, can access 630,000 books, and underscores the rapidly changing nature of technology and literacy (http://nyti.ms/cB2t2D).

Recently, while thinking about the impact of technology on writing, I stopped short of predicting the future of literacy (Bromley, 2006, 2008). I wrote about how technology is changing our ways of writing and communicating as we combine paper and pencil with technology. I wrote about how electronic journals were augmenting paper journals and texts. I wrote about how technology affects written conventions. But, I did not explore the future of reading. This article goes beyond that earlier work to offer three ideas to kindle your interest and explore some of the challenges related to the future of reading and writing.

Pens, Pencils, and Paper Will Soon Be Artifacts of the Past

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Karen Bromley

Karen Bromley is a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor in the School of Education at Binghamton University where she teaches courses in the master's and doctoral programs. Her research interests are vocabulary development, literacy instruction and assessment, and writing. Her most recent books are Writing for Educators: Personal Essays and Practical Advice, Stretching Students' Vocabulary and 50 Graphic Organizers for Reading, Writing and More.