by Jennifer Coote
Introduction
The Futurist, Mar-April 07, offers a range of perspectives from UK and US experts in trend watching, education and media developments. J. Naisbitt concludes that the written word will survive but education in technology and the arts will lead to new languages. Digital storyteller J. Lambert sees a strong future for the inherent values of textual communication’. Visual cultures will bring people back to the written word. Journalist/futurist M. Rogers envisages 2025 where only leaders and long-term planners will need literacy in ‘long-form’ text. Everyone else will use this only for signage and short emails. Media writer W. Crossman foresees the written word becoming obsolete as talking computers facilitate an oral culture. This he considers is the essential hardwiring in early childhood development. Literacy skills will become the four Cs:- critical thinking, creativity, computer skills and calculators. (continue…)