Anyone for the internet delivering on moral purpose?

I was inspired by yet another experience on the internet yesterday. I came across an article talking about a remarkable Harvard University political philosopher - Michael Sandel. He has one of the most popular coursed at Harvard called Justice, where he hones students' understanding of moral philosophy. He is also a strong exponent of open learning, and the Justice in moral reasoning web site is has years of his lectures in video and text, for all the world to see. There is another very good example of Sandel in full flight in a TED talk last year, The Lost Art of Democratic Debate  (20 min)


The article that led me to Sandel was one by Tom Friedman in the NY Times which featured the huge following Sandel has in China and Japan, where his lectures are widely translated and viewed. So there is clearly a demand for discussion of moral issues, which is what partly inspired me about this story, but the more important inspiration for me, for this blog, is how the great teaching of this man is so widespread and accessible all around the world at quite modes cost. The internet makes this extraordinary communication reach possible, at a relatively low cost. I think one would need an educational heart of stone not to be moved by this story. Partly because helping young people develop a sense of morality is so important, partly because Professor Sandel involves the a thousand students in a genuine discussion, and partly because I, like anyone else in the world with a computer, could locate and enjoy this experience in a matter of minutes. At the end of the TED talk Professor Sandel was asked what his goal with this technology is, and he said to have American, Chinese and other young people engaging in these discussions simultaneously, no doubt exposing fascinating cultural similarities and differences.

This is at the high end of internet communicating, but it is not different in kind with what we can do with students in school. That's impressive.