Open your mind to technology

I find it funny and interesting (and disturbing) that a large amount of the population are still only using their computers for email, computer games, and online dating.  As a society, we are so fortunate to have such a powerful tool in our corner to spark interesting and passionate conversations with people all over the world.
Never before have humans had the opportunity to see current events and world issues from such a varied perspective.  Today, the world is literally our oyster, and we have the opportunity to see, interact, and learn from others both in our back yard and across the planet.  This fact alone tends to helps us understand and empathize with one another.  Modern day technology has changed the way we think, feel, and react.  It is a very powerful medium in shaping decisions and opinions.
So, I ask you...what aren't we using the world wide web to its fullest potential?  Why are so many people not taking advantage of the voice they now have?  Why isn't everyone blogging?
I am writing today to encourage people to use their voice to help teach and educate others next door and around the world.  Share your experiences, ideas, and life stories.  What better way is there for a country boy to learn about city life than by reading the blogs of someone living in New York City.  What better way is there to get the word out that you created a better mousetrap.  What better way is there to understand other cultures than to read about their trials and tribulations first hand...many times we find we are not too different from one another, we all bleed red.
How else can the world of blogging be used to make us better.  Teachers require students to create blogs and respond to their classmates.  This will foster peer-to-peer tutoring and also help to improve writing, spelling, and grammatical skills.  Educators can also use it as a way to keep the class on the same page by posting assignment, their due dates, and any special criteria needed to complete the task.  How many times have we left a class only to find we forgot our notebook or didn't write the assignment down correctly.
The opportunities are endless for the impact that blogging in education can make.  It can provide students with a creative outlet in designing their pages.  It can also help improve computer and keyboarding skills.  The opportunities and potential for greatness are endless.
I now call on all educators to create a blog and let their students experience all the positives of this type of medium.  I realize most kids have blogged on various peer web services but they are all very informal and do not challenge our children to find excellence.  Educators have to teach our kids that there is more to blogging than who is dating who or who said what about who.  We need to help them to experience all the greatness the web provides and try to keep them steered away from the trash.