The Internet as a Learning Tool Essay -- Technology Web Essays

The Internet as a Learning Tool The Internet has a universal appeal for most people. We (in the United States) have become dependant on it for our daily routines. We shop, send mail, read the news, look up movie reviews, etc., using the Internet. We depend on this service, because we have told ourselves that "It" has made our lives easier. We advocate the use of similar technologies within the classroom, because we are convinced that the use of computers and having access to the Internet is the best way to educate our children so they can have an equal chance to reach their potential and accomplish their goals. It is true that the Internet is a great source of information. Its value as a resource is immeasurable. Unfortunately, to get this benefit we have to pay a price. In some cases this comes as loss of privacy. The Internet and the digital world are a part of the public sphere; therefore, our speech has to be measured and revised to be appropriate for this realm causing our free speech to be limited. Access to the Internet is also restricted to a certain group of people. One has to own a computer, or have access to one to be able to make use of its benefits. Internet access is uneven, therefore unfair. The other potential problem with the Internet is the access that people with shady intents or with low morality have to it. Anyone with the means to a computer can be online with our innocent children. Are their intents innocent also? In the realm of education, I think that the Internet can be a great resource for information. Research can be easily planned and implemented for the benefit of both students and educators. Unfortunately, this brings us back to the issue of limited access. Some students are more readily... ...ose to a multimedia / interactive classroom as we think we are. The school district (LAUSD) has spent several millions on purchasing computers and hooking them up to the Internet. The emphasis is on acquiring technology instead of implementing it. I still think that the novelty of computers and its tremendous appeal to students of all ages should be utilized to teach. Works Cited "Fast, Easy and FREE Webpages." http://www.webspawner.com/ (1 Nov. 2001). "How to Publish Web Pages." http://itsweb.hartford.edu (1 Nov. 2001). "How to Publish Web Pages to an Internet Server." http://www.surfwise.com/support/publish.htm (1 Nov. 2001). "Personal Publishing." http://www.utexas.edu/ (1 Nov. 2001). "Publishing Your Page for Free." http://home.san.rr.com/artbytes/publish.htm (1 Nov. 2001). "Yahoo! GeoCities." http://geocities.yahoo.com (1 Nov. 2001).