Over Looked Much?

Lets start with a little riddle. This is something that an estimated 25% of the world uses on almost a daily basis, and almost every single school has access to? It's the Internet! I feel that the Internet is one of the most overlooked pieces of technology used in schools today. Students access the Internet at school on a daily basis. It seems that every class now days incorporates computer technology in the class, whether it be by online activities, research papers, or just looking up info for assignments.

Photo attribution to gerhardlazu


But there are so many different benefits to using the Internet for students. First students can access more information on one computer than all the area libraries combined, not to mention that the information can be updated more often than the most recent text books available. When students use search engines it stimulates creative thinking and questioning skills because the students must know what they want to search for. And the students seem to be more likely to do homework that involves the Internet because it seems to "hide" the homework factor. But there are also some dangers associated with Internet usage in schools. First and most obvious is the abundance of information. Students need to properly learn how to narrow down their searches. Next is graphic sites, info, or pictures. This is a worry for all teachers and parents, they do not want their students looking up explicit materials. Overall the Internet has been a great tool for students to use as long as they use it properly!