by Vengrai Parthasarathy

Created on: June 30, 2008

THOROUGHFARE FOR THOUGHTS

Imagine a student world without pen, paper and text books! Are we ready for it? This is the question that arises in one's mind on reading a slim volume, in which the author Dr.Thiru, envisions a world in which skills in Reading, Writing and Arithmetic would no more be considered as preconditions of literacy.

How about THOUGHTERACY? he asks. One is tempted to ask WHAZZAT? The word-blend obviously refers to thought' and literacy' THOUGHTERACY FOR ALL is authored by Dr.M.O.Thirunarayanan (Thiru, for short) and sold through Landmark Ltd., It is also available on the internet. Dr.Thiru's argument is that alphabet-based definition of literacy is slowly being edged out and replaced by modern tools of information and communication technologies. The "computer, cell-phone, video cameras, text scanners and language translation technologies" etc., are making the traditional methods of learning, gradually obsolete. Already, students have started doing school work on their computers. Information is at their fingertips. Dissemination of knowledge and skills even to illiterates by a technology-aided process is what Dr.Thiru is advocating. .

Dr.Thiru says that in this modern universe of Technology which has broken many molds, the inability of illiterates to read or write should not sideline them from the fruits of traditional education. He has a path-breaking solution which sort of boggles the mind. His concept of what he calls a Personal Thoughteracy Assistant (PTA)' a "portable and even wearable device' will be able to translate, read, write and perform various functions to help illiterate people.

Dr.Thiru's brain-child will help tackle problems of writing essays, dealing with grammar, math problem solving, human anatomy, health lessons and so on. A world without pens, pencils and books ! That is exciting.

The author does not hesitate to admit the irony in his having to propagate his revolutionary idea of doing away with books by means of a textbased print format which still rules the world of disseminating ideas. For the present, at least, that is one
of the better means available.

Dr.Thiru has written several papers on the use of Technology in Education. It includes one which is a web' challenge carrying a substantial reward. The challenge, in brief: The first person (only the first person) to publish an article in a newspaper or scholarly publication to show that the WWW has enabled human beings to do things that they have not been able to do in other ways before the invention of the web or will not be able to do without its existence. For full terms and particulars Dr.Thiru can be contacted at mothiru@yahoo.com.

He is an Associate Professor in the College of Education and a fellow of the Honors College at the Florida International University, Miami, Florida and welcomes queries and comments. This maverick Educationist is a keen golfer too and has published Quiz Books on Golfing.

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