Print versionEducational benefits of the internet
The internet provides a powerful resource for learning, as well as an efficient means of communication. Its use in education can provide a number of specific learning benefits, including the development of:
- independent learning and research skills, such as improved access to subject learningacross a wide range of learning areas, as well as in integrated or cross-curricular studies; and
- communication and collaboration, such as the ability to use learning technologies to access resources, create resources and communicate with others.
Access to resources
The internet is a huge repository of learning material. As a result, it significantly expands the resources available to students beyond the standard print materials found in school libraries. It gives students access to the latest reports on government and non-government websites, including research results, scientific and artistic resources in museums and art galleries, and other organisations with information applicable to student learning. At secondary schooling levels, the internet can be used for undertaking reasonably sophisticated research projects.
The internet is also a time-efficient tool for teachers that expands the possibilities for curriculum development.
Learning depends on the ability to find relevant and reliable information quickly and easily, and to select, interpret and evaluate that information. Searching for information on the internet can help to develop these skills. Classroom exercises and take-home assessment tasks, where students are required to compare and contrast website content, are ideal for alerting students to the requirements of writing for different audiences, the purpose of particular content, identifying bias and judging accuracy and reliability. Since many sites adopt particular views about issues, the internet is a useful mechanism for developing the skills of distinguishing fact from opinion and exploring subjectivity and objectivity.
Communication and collaboration
The internet is a powerful tool for developing students’ communication and collaboration skills. Above all, the internet is an effective means of building language skills. Through email, chat rooms and discussion groups, students learn the basic principles of communication in the written form. This gives teachers the opportunity to incorporate internet-based activities into mainstream literacy programs and bring diversity to their repertoires of teaching strategies. For example, website publishing can be a powerful means of generating enthusiasm for literacy units, since most students are motivated by the prospect of having their work posted on a website for public access.
Collaborative projects can be designed to enhance students’ literacy skills, mainly through email messaging with their peers from other schools or even other countries. Collaborative projects are also useful for engaging students and providing meaningful learning experiences. In this way, the internet becomes an effective means of advancing intercultural understanding. Moderated chat rooms and group projects can also provide students with opportunities for collaborative learning.
Numerous protocols govern use of the internet. Learning these protocols and how to adhere to them helps students understand the rule-based society in which they live and to treat others with respect and decency. The internet also contributes to students’ broader understanding of information and communication technologies (ICT) and its centrality to the information economy and society as a whole.
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