High school and college students use the internet in some of the same ways as well as in some different ways. Every type of student can use the internet for communication which can result in a way of collaborating on project work, studying for tests, and trading notes. Another major use of the internet is for looking up research material. Before the invention of the internet, students had to use hardcopies of books, newspapers, journals, and encyclopedias. While using hardcopies is still encouraged by teachers and professors, most of these resources are available to students without ever having to leave your chair.

While computers and especially the internet are very useful tools, not everyone has the same opportunities to use such technology. Whether it is factors such as location and availability or factors such as income, age, and race, there is a digital divide that exists. The digital divide refers to those who have access to digital information and those who do not. The digital divide is also implied to those who do not have the sufficient knowledge to use information technologies which can result from a lack of education on how to use them.

Even if families do not have computers and internet access at home, schools are pushing students more than ever to become fluent with information technology. A quote of a high school student in The Digital Disconnect says “our teacher is telling us not to work out of books. She actually requires us to do our stuff on the Internet. There’s this one web site that we usually go to.” Most students have accepted the use of technology, but not all. There are those who struggle to learn and those who have no desire to have technological skills. Although there are people of this nature, society is growing in such a fashion that there is a certain amount of pressure created. This pressure can often drive and sometimes even force people to learn technology.

 With the many positive effects of using the internet for research come negative aspects as well. Even with the decreased prices of computers over the years, they still are expensive to some families. The cost of the internet, while relatively cheap, can still be over a family’s spending budget. These are factors that are hard to escape when referring to the digital divide. As prices continually fall, the distance of the digital divide between low-income families and those who can afford these technologies decreases.

While it has been found that current college students have good study habits, they are easily distracted. The internet is a great source of information, but the vast amount of content online can be very distracting. With the internet being such a strong research source for people who were born in the 80’s and 90’s, people of this generation often use the internet for other aspects as well. These aspects include popular applications such as instant messaging, Facebook and MySpace. Along with social interactions, the internet can facilitate nearly any hobby. With things like this at a fingertip away, internet users can quickly become distracted. The internet provides a wealth of access to things other than simply education purposes. It is a strong source of other content such as entertainment and music.
 
 Computers provided with word processing software such as Microsoft Word help in a student’s paper writing ability. Software such as this is easy to use, but it is highly recommended to have good typing skills because this alleviates a lot of time. Typed papers are easier for students to edit and easier for teachers to grade. Word processing software has replaced traditional typewriters. But along with typed papers comes the ability to plagiarize. Plagiarism has become a major problem due to the “cut/paste” tools provided. Although, while students can simply copy stolen content from the web and hand it in as their own, teachers now have software that can track plagiarism. Other forms of cheating can also be found on the internet. Students are capable of downloading “solution manuals” off the internet which can help in subjects such as math. Cheating has slightly been facilitated by the internet but it is the student who needs to learn how to use technology for the right reasons.

 Although there are positive and negative impacts from the internet, the positive ones far outweigh the negatives. The internet has become the student’s friend because of its relative ease and vast library of content. It has taken much of the pain out of research papers, but it has also created more “out of the classroom” homework assignments such as online quizzes. As the digital divide decreases, more and more people will become fluent with information technology. Although this will take time, we live in a society that makes computers and the internet a part of life. These technologies are becoming a necessary skill to have for many jobs and it can make daily life more enjoyable.

Read the rest of this entry »