An “Active Essay” is a new kind of literacy, combining a written essay, live simulations, and the programs that make them work in order to provide a deep explanation of a dynamic system. The reader works directly with multiple ways of representing the concepts under discussion. By “playing with” the simulations and code, the reader gets some hands-on experience with the topic.

Squeak’s design makes it easy to display functioning code alongside other text, graphics, animations, and simulations, so that the code and its outcome can be observed simultaneously. A window can contain any kind of object, and endusers can examine any object and the code that runs it. Learners who know the user interface can examine objects in an Active Essay to find their names and scripts, and can easily redesign objects and their programs.

The Evolution Essay - Ted Kaehler on nature and evolution.