Has the internet changed what it means to to be educated..?
Yes, in a word in which we are able to access any amount of information, from almost any source, one realistically, any topic, the world of education has become fundamentally different. What is the importance of school based learning when we no longer need to master, nor can we master everything there is to know. This has not been the case since the 17th century, but more to the point, we can no longer rely on schools to prepare us for the complexities of life. It is true that we must rely on it to some extent for guidance and social experience, but there is no conceivable way for the institution to prepare us adaquitly based on the pool of information available.
In response to this, i would argue for an apprentishship based system. An institution that models individuals who are suited for certain roles (doctors, lawyers, engineers) into valuable and critical thinking students. Apprentiship in this context would be highly competitive and selective, thereby creating a generation of highly skilled individuals who are qualified in every respect for the task. The down side to this, of course, are those left behind. We would need a system in place to train those who do not move into apprentiship programs for their future careers: what ever they may be.
Lastly, on the integration of modern conventions, i believe that our efforts as of late are working towards a better system. We can only move forward by accepting the conventions open to us: ie. social media and technology to further our education and personal learning goals.
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