Hendrons article (2008) raises some interesting points, especially when discussing the Read/Write Web in schools. Hendron offers a variety of reasons why the Read/Write Web should be used in schools and classrooms. Firstly this is where both "business and society have turned to learn". No matter what tool you use, be it Google, you-tube, Wikipedia or any other number of search engines, people now have a staggering amount of information available at the click of a button. Schools need to acknowledge this by embracing the opportunity to expose (with precautions of course) children to this information and allowing them the chance to interact and add to this global knowledge. I can now understand why many employers have banned the use of Ebay and Trademe from the workplace! Its astounding to think that one million people (in 2006) quit jobs and now make a living selling items on auction sites full time. (Tapscott & Williams, 2006, p.100 cited by Hendron)
Hendron also offers that many schools promote "life long learning" where students go on to self education and using the Read/Write Web has become a more desirable skill to have in the future, whether it be in business or further education (take this blog for example). To be honest I had not really thought of the use of blogs, podcasts or Wikis as being part of what should be a large component of what children should be taught, but having read Hendron I can now see that these tools are an important way for children to express views, obtain information and generally open themselves up to the world.
Away to think about possibilities!
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