Cluetrain Manifesto

I must admit that I had never before heard of the “Cluetrain Manifesto”.  When I googled it I found several entries on the web and it is basically a group of theses that describe what impact the Internt may have on business.  It basically claims that walls are coming down and communicaiton is increasing.  Online communication and sales between consumer and companies will increase.  The opposition to the ideas in the book claim they are idealistic and too simplistic in describing what happens on the web as a “conversation”. 

What does all of this have to do with education?  Well, I suppose you could replace business with schools/universities/teachers and replace consumers with students.  If you do that, then you come out with the Internet creating an open classroom style.  This is something that is already happening.  The Internet is allowing teachers and students to communicate differently and in many cases more freely.  Students can talk daily to students in other states or countries.  Teachers can communicate with other teachers around the world anytime they want.  In fact, nearly anyone in the world could be reading this after it is posted online.  The Internet has totally changed how somethings are done in the world.  It will continue to do so.  Education is one of the things it will change.  I don’t know how exactly and I think it will take time, but Education will be totally changed by the Internet.  I would say that Education in the year 2030 will be near unrecognizable to those who were teaching in 1980.  Just 50 years, but so much will have changed.  So much has changed in less then the near 30 that has passed since then.  Education will be more fluid and individualized most likely.  Both of which seem like very good ideas.  Lesson plans will no longer be something shared within just a school or district, but the entire world.  It seems strange to me that I may be teaching in 20 years and using none of the tools I was given while earning my Bachelors.