Loading...
TL;DR - why gen z can’t even: Understanding post-literacy and communication in the digital age
Smith, Jessica Nicolet
Smith, Jessica Nicolet
Citations
Altmetric:
Files
Loading...
t25033_Smith.pdf
Adobe PDF, 1.01 MB
Authors
Other Names
Location
Time Period
Advisors
Original Date
Digitization Date
Issue Date
2025-05
Type
Thesis
Genre
Keywords
Subjects (LCSH)
Electronic dissertations
Citation
Abstract
This thesis explores the evolution of human communication from orality to literacy and into the current digital era of post-literacy. Drawing on the frameworks of media ecology and orality-literacy studies, it analyzes how digital technologies have reshaped not only the way information is transmitted, but how knowledge is processed, retained, and understood. Central to this inquiry is the claim that contemporary media environments have created a form of “secondary orality,” characterized by image- and sound-based communication that often undermines deep, reflective thought.
The historical foundation of the study contextualizes these changes by tracing the cognitive transformations that accompanied prior media shifts, from oral storytelling and early writing systems to the printing press and the rise of print literacy. The thesis then argues that post-literacy - an environment dominated by ephemeral, fragmented, and emotionally charged digital content - presents unique challenges to traditional models of education and communication.
Ultimately, this study offers a nuanced understanding of post-literacy, arguing that the communication crisis attributed to younger generations stems not from intellectual decline but from the disorienting effects of media evolution. It calls for a more intentional, critical approach to education that recognizes the cognitive needs of Gen Z while retaining the value of deep reading, analytical reasoning, and historical literacy.
Table of Contents
Description
Thesis (M.A.)-- Wichita State University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Elliott School of Communication
Publisher
Wichita State University
Journal
Book Title
Series
Digital Collection
Finding Aid URL
Use and Reproduction
© Copyright 2025 by Jessica Nicolet Smith
All Rights Reserved