In re-reading stuff I printed some time ago, these paragraphs jumped out at me. There is no reason why blogs and podcasts, digital storytelling can't meet the 3 factors Carr refers to below in the first paragraph. What is also fascinating is the differing viewpoints between determinists, who regards technology as the cause of social change, and instrumentalists that assert that the causes of change are in social conditions and human aspirations. To be honest, I'd prefer to fall into the instrumentalist camp, because it involves social change that is begun with humans, and less a phenomenon of the technology being the cause.

...three important ways in which the adoption of interactive communications differs from that of previous innovations. 1) A critical mass of adopters is needed to convince the "mainstream" teachers of the technology's efficacy. 2) Regular and frequent use is necessary to ensure success of the diffusion effort. 3) Internet technology is a tool that can be applied in different ways and for different purposes and is part of a dynamic process that may involve change, modification and reinvention by individual adopters.

But there is one other adoption/diffusion theory dichotomy that is relevant to the discussion of Internet innovation. The distinction is between a determinist (developer-based) focus and an instrumentalist (adopter-based) one. Determinists regard technology as the primary cause of social change. The process is seen as a series of revolutionary advances that are thought to be out of direct human control. Consequently, focus is on an innovation's technical characteristics. Successful adoption/diffusion is the assumed result of an innovation's technological superiority. The innovation's developer is viewed as the primary change agent.

For instrumentalists the process is evolutionary, and the causes of change are in social conditions and in human aspirations for change and improvement. Thus their focus is on the user (adopter) of a technology and its value as a tool to bring about desired change. Human control over the innovation is a key issue, and it is considered essential to understand the social context in which it will be used and the function that it will serve.
Source: Carr, V.H. on Technology Adoption and Diffusion.

So, what does this mean for blogs and podcasts?

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