I am fascinated by the concept of lifelong learning when contrasted against the formal education system. Much popular text on the two concepts tends to polarise these ideas within fixed frames, where lifelong learning is advertised to fill the gaps of the established system.
This is very similar to popular discourse on blogs in their challenge to traditional media systems, via the promotion of multiple voices rather than that of the news anchor or journalist.
While the existance of these concepts and technologies do challenge the established systems of education and communication, they also open up a series of new issues.
The first major issue is that over half of the world's population does not have access to a telephone line, let alone a computer. So, although information (or stories) no longer lays in the propriety of three or four pairs of hands, it doesn't extend to the several billion people living outside developed nations.
Another issue is, after reading several news blogs by citizens, will the authority of the journalist really weaken, or will it strengthen? Although we are exposed to a wider range of opinions, at the end of the day, we may feel the need for a solid, well researched point of view. That's not to say that citizen based journalism is less accurate, just that a barrage of multiple voices all saying slightly different things can become a bit confusing.
On top of that, the information that we blog about is not often 'new' information. We could create a dicussion amongst bloggers about yesterday's attacks in Mumbai, for instance. Unless they were all first hand accounts from the area, alot of the 'facts' from these stories would have come from traditional news outlets.
Blogging and new media are thus not completely distinct from established media. Both forms work together in their use and impact on/in society. This can also be said about the concept of lifelong learning.
It is fascinating and very important to consider all of the possibilities that this society's transition between technologies could leave us with. Which is why, for me, the platform for conversation that blogging has to offer is the most significant aspect of learning 2.0.
So, with that in mind, I look forward to hearing what everyone else has to say about these issues.
