My problem with this piece is that we don't see the hard data to back this up. It's true that kids are flooded with new electronic media, but it's not entirely obvious how book-reading is effected by this. I've seen a lot of contradictory reports on this issue but nothing conclusive.

Interesting commentary about the cultural shift from books to digital media, and how it impacts the ability of young generation to learn in a "tsunami of technology." An important debate, which is barely outlined in its simplest form here, and deserves more investigation.

The article hits on the most important issue facing education today: how to involve students and get them interested in really learning. The centuries old techniques–lecture, books, essays, tests, curriculum developed once by teachers and used for years–are failing miserably. Far from being motivated, students are bored and truculent. Why not develop educational tools like digital games and texting that not only reach today’s youth, but actively involve them in the process?

A great article with a ton of differing idea's, and they got these idea's from reading books. Ever since I was a Kid, the thought police have said everything from Rock n Roll to video games would stop people from reading, and maybe even turn them into Charles Manson. Reading takes you into worlds that you don't even know exist, and in a lot of places, they don't.

The piece seems basically to quickly summarize what various pundits and learned journals say is happening. I suspect that home and school atmosphere play a really large role in whether young people grow up reading. There is, after all, no reason why people can't play video games and read later on, no?