I wonder if among the entrepreneurs and vc’s gathering for the feeding frenzy that’s become Web 2.0 Summit, there are people thinking about what Web 2.0 means for education. Facebook grew out of a university, and they were able to do something that the university IT department wouldn’t or couldn’t do. However, is Facebook or MySpace thinking much about ways to impact the future of education?
Image: Robin Dude on Flickr, a picture of McGuffey’s Eclectic Spelling Book, which was published in 1879.
Is it possible for education to be transformed by Web 2.0 thinking, if not Web 2.0 technology? How could it disrupt the entrenched educational bureaucracy and offer new, potentially better, ways for self-directed learning and exploration? Can we break down the walls of the classroom to make it possible for students and teachers to re-connect in more meaningful ways?
I’m not at the Summit (because Maker Faire takes place this coming weekend in Austin, TX) and I’d appreciate hearing from anyone who sees any fruitful discussion on this topic. I can’t think of anything more important.