Good conduct has always been a matter of education, a matter of character, not a matter of legislation.

I am all for civility, reasoned discourse, and coherent and respectful discussion in the blogosphere, as I am on discussion boards, in email, chat rooms, and even in real life. But I don't control the world, I can't tell you how you should be phrasing your sentences or conveying your thoughts, nor would I want to. Yes, there are certain views that are beyond what I will tolerate in my hosted discussion space, but <b>I still support your right to have those views</b> even if I occasionally click that "delete" button and kick your comment into the ether.

Indeed, blogging acts as an important motivational tool for learning, said Dean Shareski, head of digital learning for the Prairie South School Board. Students are more motivated when they realize hundreds of people can view their work, Shareski said, noting interest in writing has increased since the blogs began.

"People think that kids today somehow grow up magically knowing how to use new technologies," he adds. "They don't. The difference with this generation is that if students don't know how to use a technology, they aren't afraid of learning."