The prevalence of the internet and online technology has made its way into various areas of our lives, including education. Gone are the days of the chalkboard, notepad, and pencil – today’s students aren’t just using computers to help them with their education. Studying in the digital age means that you have access to information and research materials right at your fingertips, whilst teachers can enhance classes using technology.
The internet has enhanced and revolutionized learning experiences in a way that education has needed for a long time. It can offer a number of benefits to a range of people that can fit different learning styles. With so much debate around traditional school models (public, private or charter?), whether a university degree is even needed for the workforce anymore, and how college can even be affordable in the face of changing economic policies, the world wide web has single-handedly driven change that has pushed the conversation around learning further than traditional methods.
Here are three main ways the internet has influenced education for good:
#1. Online Education
In years gone by, one would need to enroll at a college and then commit to years of daily classes to earn a college degree. Today, the situation could not be further from this. Although classroom-based education is still the preferred option for younger students looking to get the ‘full college experience’ at any cost, online degrees have provided postgraduate students, those in full-time employment, and even parents with a means of achieving their academic goals.
With many college-age students across the United States struggling with massive student loan debt, and the thought of going to a higher learning institution seeming like a less likely option the face of such costly tuition, online education is increasingly becoming a much more feasible option, offering flexibility to a number of different lifestyles.
Programs such as the masters in social work online from Rutgers Online allow students to have full control over their learning; this total flexibility means that there’s no need to worry about missing class. You can learn from wherever you are – it could be your sofa one day and Hawaii the next, and that is precisely why online learning has become so popular.
#2. Cloud Collaboration
Maybe you’ve recently seen the viral tweet about a group of students who used Google Docs to take notes together during a lecture, collaborating in real-time. As they took notes, the students could ask each other for advice on the parts that they didn’t understand without disrupting the class.
This is just one example of how students can use the internet to improve their learning experience. Thanks to easily accessible cloud services such as Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, it’s never been easier for students to come together and study in a group – no matter where they are. When you use the cloud to work on a project, it doesn’t matter if you are seated physically together or at other ends of the globe, studying on-campus or taking online MSW programs.
With digital tools like cloud storage, students have access to data, resources and notes that doesn’t necessarily require the physical carrying of textbooks or even writing tools like in previous eras. Cloud storage and collaboration makes for a much more streamlined process of sharing information between students and teachers, and it means the learning experience does not have to occur in one particular physical place.
#3. Educational Games
In the classroom, a bit of fun can work wonders for getting everybody alert and paying attention. Educational games can be found in abundance online and they work well for students of all ages and academic levels. For example, games can be used in schools to help younger kids learn basic math or English, whilst university lecturers often use interactive quizzes to get everyone in a large class involved.
One very important way digital games is changing education and learning for the better is how it is improving the lives of kids with disabilities. Historically, this demographic has been marginalized and discriminated against when it comes to school policies as there is a lack of knowledge about how best to help these students. Common Sense Media lists 5 ways that video games especially become a vital tool in helping kids with disabilities (including autism) develop motor skills, social interaction, communication and even basic reading and writing skills.
Even at home, apps and games can be used to help students revise and take in more information when studying. Thanks to the internet, it’s never been easier for students, teachers, and parents to access engaging, informational resources designed to aid with learning.
The internet has massively impacted a huge number of areas in our lives. Whether it’s shopping, working, dating, or studying, there’s no denying that the web has helped us to evolve massively.
