Are we in, or entering, a post-literate society?

August 25, 2026

I know that there are people who think that Tik-Tok videos and other (very) short-form content is a kind of literacy that’s on a par with reading, but I have my doubts.

Recent book reviews

Quick look: (Un)educated: My Life as a Teacher, and Why You Should Never Become One

“Some of it is laugh-out loud funny, but some of it, about his reference being spiked, made me angry …”

A Heads-up: Hot Type: The Magnificent Machine that Gave Birth to Mass Media and Drove Mark Twain Mad

This is about the invention of linotype, and its consequences.

Are we in, or entering, a post-literate society?

I know that there are people who think that Tik-Tok videos and other (very) short-form content is a kind of literacy that’s on a par with reading, but I have my doubts.

Review: Amazing Worlds

A very good showcase for what can be achieved from a partnership between imagination and AI.

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Review: The Batsford Book of Chess for Children New Edition: Beginner’s chess for kids

This book doesn’t have any education technology, but I think the game of chess is a worthwhile activity for kids for developing strategic thinking skills.

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Review: Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds: Move to Global Collaboration One Step at a Time (Pearson Resources for 21st Century Learning)

The authors of this book, ran several projects which entailed collaboration between students in classrooms in different countries.

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Quick look: Transforming behaviour in the classroom

There is plenty in this book to like, and it will provide you with more ideas and strategies than you may already be aware of. But …

Review: Understanding the digital world: What You Need to Know about Computers, the Internet, Privacy, and Security

Although the subject matter sounds as dry as dust, the author has managed to make it really interesting. Everything is described and explained in plain English.