A concise quote about what Web 2.0 can and can't do

In my many conversations about technology and literacy over the past few years – and especially since the Web 2.0 (or read/write web or whatever we are going to call it) phenomenon has taken off – I have heard about the wonders and wickedness of wikis, the boon and bust of blogging, and the power and puff of podcasts.

Also, there is much talk of digital natives and immigrants and what each one of these demographics can or can’t do with technology. Despite the general idea that this dichotomy creates – that kids “get” technology and adults don’t – there is more to it than that.

Thus, this quote tidily sums up the good, and bad, about these technologies as they relate to education.

“Kids automatically teach each other how to use technology,” says Howard Rheingold, author of the influential Smart Mobs and long-time Web observer, “but they’re not going to teach each other about the history of democracy, or the importance of taking their voices into the public sphere to create social change.”

Can Web 2.0 change the world? – The Practical Futurist – MSNBC.com

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