By K.V.Deore [28]
The Internet offers a world of information in one place. It is a helpful tool in communicating and researching all different subjects. It is also a great way for students to use computers with proper supervision. Yet using the Internet in an educational system can be controversial. Some of the disadvantages include students giving out too much information about themselves, sites too commercialized with little educational value, and access to material that parents might not want their children exposed to. However, teachers and students have seen many benefits.
The Internet helps students develop their computer skills. It can also help students with their writing skills. In some forms, the Internet can help students with critical thinking skills. Students are faced with more information than they could ever use or need. This requires them to sort through the information and decide what is most important and relevant. With e-mail, students can have contact with other students around the world studying the same things they are.
The Internet can be a huge source for student trying to look up information for a college project or do homework. It also eliminates barriers for handicapped students who may have trouble getting to a library. It allows all students to have access to information whether or not their family has a set of encyclopedias.
The Internet allows students to read the latest news of a certain subject they are studying. If they are studying Indian politics they can do a news search and find out what is happening in the world of politics at that very moment. This can help them connect what they are learning to the real world. It can also keep them interested in a subject. Students may have longer attention spans with technology than with other forms of traditional learning.
Students will have to use the computer for research in college, in their jobs and their everyday lives. The Internet is a way of life for almost everyone now. Using it in a classroom is one of the best and safest ways to help them learn about this tool. The Internet is an added bonus for teachers looking for more information on subjects for giving lectures. It allows them to efficiently communicate with teachers through email. The Internet is a powerful tool for assisting students and educators with conducting research. Going to a library and searching through a card catalog by hand can be laborious and inefficient compared to searching for the same information on a computer. Many college offer online library systems which allow students to find information on books using lab computers, or to access databases of scholarly articles that they can read online.
One of the most powerful benefits of the Internet in higher education is its role in e-Learning. E-Learning uses course materials that exist entirely on a computer or the Internet. Some schools offer courses that are entirely e-learning based, meaning all texts, assignments, quizzes and tests are accessible online and no face-to-face meetings are required. E-learning allows students with limited mobility or inflexible schedules to take courses and study at times that are convenient for them. E-learning also allows students to learn at different rates; one student could go through a certain course and finish it in half the time of another student. Many brick-and-mortar colleges and universities offer online courses or have courses with aspects of e-learning, such as online quizzes and exams.
Hence we conclude that, Internet is a most powerful educational tool for teaching Learning; Internet is useful for self-study to student; Internet gives to student a lot of information for student to achieve goal; Internet could also be used for assignment and the progress of student.
Assignments
1. Find an abstract in which the author informs about the role of Internet in e-Learning.
2. What does the term ‘e-Learning’ mean?
3. Describe the figures below.
Fig. 4.3 E-learning
Fig. 4.4 21st Century Learning
4. What does the term ‘educational advantages’ mean?
5. How does Internet help students to learn?
6. Find 5 words in the text which reflect the main idea of the article.
7. How often do you use Internet to prepare your home assignments?
8. Name pros and cons of using Internet for educational purposes.
9. Do you use Internet to be in touch with your educational institution?
10. Summarize the text.
Text 5
