Summary: Stephen Downes has much to say about the web and education. The list is just about too long to try enumerating. As examples, however, he provides free website management advice and software and an extensive "online education" news service. There's much more. But my reason for writing today is to mark an extensive overlap between his and my ultimate educational ends ... yep, the realization of potential.

Stephen notes this end and then outlines social systems' qualities that would, he believes, make such a realization to be likely.

I want and visualize and aspire toward a system of society and learning where each person is able to rise to his or her fullest potential without social or financial encumberance, where they may express themselves fully and without reservation through art, writing, athletics, invention, or even through their avocations or lifestyle. Where they are able to form networks of meaningful and rewarding relationships with their peers, with people who share the same interests or hobbies, the same political or religious affiliations - or different interests or affiliations, as the case may be. This to me is a society where knowledge and learning are public goods, freely created and shared, not hoarded or withheld in order to extract wealth or influence. This is what I aspire toward, this is what I work toward.[Stephen Downes at Stephen's Web ]

My hat's off to anyone who can help us think about and build such a world.