As we know the internet is the basic need of today’s technological world. The Internet has a lot of benefits for people in every field. If you want anything you can get it on the internet. Any kind of content is available on the internet.

Coming to the field of education. Internet is very beneficial in the education field. It has a lot of benefits for the students and also for the teachers. The Internet is known as the world of knowledge. Everything or any kind of content related to your interest in the study is available on the internet.

Broadband has had a powerfully transformative and positive impact on education. As the internet advances and technology innovates, the forward momentum continues. Beneficial changes are still happening as a result of technological innovations and advancements in internet deployment, bandwidth, and speed.

This article aims to discuss the different ways that the internet helps in education.

• How can the Internet Enhance Education?
• What is the Role of the Internet in Education and Learning?
• How the Internet has Influenced Education?
• Do you Think Internet is an Important medium of Education Essays?
• What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of the Internet For Students?
• How does the Internet Affect Education Negatively?
• What are the Pros and Cons of Technology in Education?
• How can the Internet be Used for Education?

How can the Internet Enhance Education?

What lights up the laptops, turns on the tablets and switches on the smartboards in classrooms big and small, districts rural and metro and benefits students young and old? High-speed internet.

Respondents to a Pew Research study found that 92 percent of teachers said the internet has had a major impact on their ability to access content, resources and materials. Improved access to information is just one of the many trends being observed in education.

Read Also: Top 11 Sites for Free Online Education

Here’s a deeper look at four ways the internet has enhanced the educational experience.

The student-teacher connection is stronger

One of the internet’s greatest strengths in the classroom is the ability to connect teachers and students. With a lesson plan that integrates technology, teachers can open up their classrooms to a wealth of knowledge and educational resources. As students have access to personal devices, study materials, interactive lessons, educational quizzes and tutorials all can be enhanced with digital resources.

Class websites give students the ability to download assignments, study materials and watch supplemental videos. A classroom blog can serve as a study guide, homework aid or resource for a lesson recap. With email and messaging apps, students can interact with class members, share their work progress, ask questions and access additional learning resources.

Interaction improves student engagement

Internet-enabled technology makes learning a more active process. Rather than sitting back and passively listening to a lecture, (though this teaching method is valuable in its own way) technology encourages students actively engage in a lesson.

With a laptop or tablet at their desk, students can interact with digital models and videos, navigate websites and browse the internet for deeper research. When students take an active, hands-on role in learning, it leads to better information retention and inspires the desire to explore topics in greater depth.

Students are better prepared for the digital world

A student’s future employer is going to value teamwork, problem-solving and collaborative skills. Students who advance through school with a real-world understanding of technology—the basics of Wi-Fi, conducting online research and how to use apps and software will be better positioned for success in the professional world.

Online and distance learning wouldn’t be possible

The e-learning industry has been growing for the past decade. During the pandemic, it rose sharply. Even before Covid-19 sent students online for school, Research and Markets forecasted the online education market to reach $350 billion by 2025.

People want the opportunity to gain new skills on their own time. Not only is the cost structure more convenient for some students, but working professionals also have the opportunity to gain training, certifications, and valuable career-enhancing skills on a schedule that suits them.

Federal help for broadband access

Here’s an additional benefit that districts should know about. The federal E-Rate program provides reimbursements for the cost of providing high-speed internet services in eligible schools and libraries. The program, administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) subsidizes various telecommunications infrastructures for schools and libraries, including network equipment, hardware, and IT support.

What is the Role of the Internet in Education and Learning?

The availability of high-speed broadband internet coupled with the rise in demand for E-learning alternatives in recent years has led to a spate of changes in the education sector.

The usage of the internet for education has undoubtedly revolutionized the landscape of the traditional education sector. It has encouraged remote and seamless learning while also opening up avenues for sharing resources and data without inhibitions.

Proper use of online learning can improve the quality of educational resources while also allowing educators to prepare lessons and letting students broaden their scope of learning. It lets educators analyze a student’s individual needs and tailor lessons to match them accordingly.

A substantial benefit of using the internet for education is that it makes lessons accessible even in remote settlements and rural areas where girls often face educational inequalities. In addition, the use of the internet for students made it possible to continue educational pursuits during the Coronavirus pandemic, which brought the world to a standstill.

The use of the internet for education helps to streamline the sharing of information and communication. It lets students access lectures online and refer to relevant study material in various multimedia formats.

It also helps teachers by letting them use various tools in their curriculum.

Access to the internet also allows retired teachers or volunteers to offer educational services to children in poor communities or even in different countries.

The importance of the internet in education is made evident through the following points:-

1. Higher interactivity: The internet has provided a large boost to interactivity in student-teacher interactions. With the inclusion of social media apps and online learning platforms that provide real-time assistance, teachers and students are now able to engage in dynamic interactions whenever the need arises.
2. Flexibility of learning resources and location constraints of conventional modes of education do not apply to online learning and its platforms. Access to the Internet allows one to learn their study material online remotely and at their own pace.It also serves as a 24×7 support system for students and teachers to interact. It also allows working professionals to enroll in courses that fit their schedules.
3. Cost-effectivenessPurchasing books and study material is usually an expensive affair. However, with online courses and other sources of information, accessing study material online has become cost-efficient.
4. Dynamic and actively updated: A large number of online websites and data archives are able to receive real-time updates. This allows users to download information that is up to date, verified and ready for distribution.
5. Multimedia-integration: Studies have shown that we usually consume data faster and more efficiently through audio-visual format. These formats include multimedia, infographics, slideshows etc. These multimedia formats can be actively used in courses and lessons thanks to the use of the internet.

Now that we’ve had a look at the importance of the internet in education. Let us now examine how the use of the internet in education in recent years has benefited students.

Benefits of the internet for students

1. Improvements in communication: Communication between teachers and students used to be linear. However, the internet has added a new level of interactivity to this relationship. Using the internet allows for interactive communication between the two parties irrespective of time and distance constraints. The process is made more seamless through various social apps or digital platforms.
2. Higher acceptance of online certification: Online learning and certifications were not considered competitive or reliable up until a few years ago. Associated universities and colleges with online programs usually lacked adequate accreditation. However, that scenario has undergone a shift, with many universities now offering distance learning programs and subsequent online certification courses.
3. More students opting for online education: A testament to the success of the internet’s improvement of the educational field lies in the fact that more are opting for online mediums of learning than ever before.

How the Internet has Influenced Education?

The widespread use of the internet has opened up education in poorer countries and distant learning opportunities for a broader range of people. In fact, it can be claimed that the internet has erased any boundaries in education.

It is hard to overestimate the role of the internet in the modern education process. The contribution to the improvement of education can be described with the help of the following comments:

1. Lesson enhancement. Teachers have made good use of the internet to enhance lessons. They use the internet to give students extra resources, study materials, and educational games. Therefore, the quality of the educational process gets much better. Many colleges today use the ‘hybrid’ model, where courses are done online. It saves the students from commuting to a brick-and-mortar campus. Research materials are available online, and students can comfortably complete their homework, and tests with much ease, no need to visit traditional libraries to carry out research. With vast knowledge on the internet, a student can easily gather relevant information upon any search.  The availability of specific websites and online encyclopedias has allowed students to pursue different subjects in much greater detail.
2. Communication. The internet has allowed instantaneous connection of teachers and students. With improved communication, teachers can now assist students after classes through the use of live chats and video conferences.
3. Convenience. Some universities like Harvard, Stanford, and Yale have opened up free online courses which everyone can access and undertake for free. Another example is “Granny cloud”. It is an application used on Skype that has enabled retired teachers and other volunteers to teach children in developing countries such as India how to read. In general, thanks to the internet, it is now much more convenient to find any information since you do not even have to leave home. What you need is just to have a device and access to the world wide web.

The Internet is a solution to numerous modern students’ problems. Today, they are forced to combine work with studies to get money for their living. To such students professional help is inevitable. Very often, students get assignments that they cannot complete due to a lack of time, energy and knowledge, and this is where the internet can come in handy.

Nowadays, there are a lot of online writing services that help students to deal with their school, college or university tasks. One of such services is Ozessay which can be easily found and accessible on the internet. Now it is no problem because you can easily order college admissions help and have your work done.

In fact, it is hardly imaginable how people could do it in the past when such services didn’t exist, and students had to complete their tasks on their own.

Do you Think Internet is an Important medium of Education Essays?

The importance of the internet in education to the students means that it makes it easier for them to research things, and relearn the content taught in school. People use it according to their needs and interests.

There are many benefits of the internet in the field of education when it comes to essays. Some of these are:

1. Cost-Effective and Affordable Education

One of the largest barriers to education is high cost. The Internet improves the quality of education, which is one of the pillars of the sustainable development of a nation. It provides education through Videos (like youtube tutorial videos) and web tutorials which is affordable to everyone and cost-effective.

2. Student–Teacher and Peer Interaction

The internet has allowed students to be in constant touch with their teachers or with other fellow classmates with the help of social media, messaging apps and chat forums. Parents can interact as well as communicate with teachers and school authorities about their kid’s performance in school. Interaction with the like-minded people on forums can help students to explore new ideas and enrich their knowledge.

3. Effective Teaching and Learning Tool

The Internet has become a major tool for effective teaching as well as a learning tool. Teachers can use it as a teaching tool by posting their teaching materials (notes and videos) on the school website or forum . The learning process becomes interesting and diverse with the use of tutorial videos and notes. Teachers can teach with the use of animation, PowerPoint slides, and images to capture the students’ attention.

4. Easy Access to Quality Education

Students can easily access quality education materials like tutorial videos on youtube for free or pay fees online for more quality study materials. Teachers can also make use of the internet by proving the students with extra study material and resources such as interactive lessons, educational quiz as well as tutorials. Teachers can record their lectures and provide it to the students for revisions which is better than reading from notes.

5. Interaction with Digital Media

Regular use of digital media is one of the most basic parts of our lives. Digital bulletin boards save paper and allow displaying of videos and audio to attract the attention of students. Nowadays, there are many paid sites that provide education resources that are rich in quality and easily understandable to the masses.

6. Keeping you updated with Latest Information

Information is the biggest advantage which the internet is offering. There is a huge amount of information available for every subject. It keeps us up to date with the latest information regarding the subjects in which we are interested.

7. Learning with Multimedia

It helps the students with the learning process as it helps to simplify the knowledge. Also, it helps to visualize what is being taught by the teachers in school. If you want to prepare for final exams, you can access Video Tutorials and other resources online on the Internet.

The Internet is a boon to the people, which is used all over the world. Hence, it should be used for good purposes. It has had a great impact on imparting education to children. If this is used in appropriate ways that meet children’s development level, they can benefit and learn from the Internet.

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of the Internet For Students?

Pros

1. Information
The significant advantage of the internet is the information that it offers. A huge amount of information about various subjects are presented near your fingertips. It is not just about one single subject. This cannot be achieved without the use of search engines. 

Through this ease of information, students are benefited for their data research. Students today heavily rely on the internet since they longer need to waste time by going to a library or finding books from a respective author.

2. Accessibility
Internet is accessible 24×7 which means that it never closes. As long as the students are having a computer and an internet connection, they will be able to access the internet by any means. 

The accessibility of the internet has made it convenient for students to understand their subjects better. Therefore, unlike a library students don’t need to wait for an opening and closing time. The information is accessible whenever they need it. 

3. Communication
Students irrespective of their nations, races, religions and cultures will be able to communicate and express their opinions with other peer students. This type of communication is more convenient compared to other traditional ways such as telephone calls and letters. 

For the communication part, students can choose various forms like email, chatrooms, messenger services and videoconferencing. 

And also students can use forums to discuss about their subject matters with teachers and students in various parts of the world. For the students who are hesitant to express their doubts, could use forums and remain anonymous.

4. Entertainment
Apart from studies, students can also use the internet for the purpose of entertainment. From videos, music to games everything is made available on the internet. In recent years, online gaming has become popular, particularly among teenagers. For students who study for prolonged hours, this internet entertainment is a great way to relieve stress.

5. Job Opportunities
Gone are the days when people prefer to apply for jobs using letters. Since the digital era, people started seeking job opportunities through the internet. In most parts of the world, job opportunities are made available for students via the internet. 

Through this, the students could find other career opportunities as well. And also during the study process, students will be able to stay updated regarding the job market based on their field of education.

6. Online Education
With the internet, students can also use the opportunity for online education. Certain universities offer virtual courses for students all around the world. This is especially beneficial for students who are located in a different country and willing to participate in the respective course. 

And for working students, this is even more convenient since they could follow the course without any hindrance to their regular lifestyle.

Cons

1. Anti Social
Children these days have lost their communication skills mainly due to the usage of the internet. Rather than interacting with people in real life, children are more interested in computer communication. 

Interacting with people online differs massively from real-life interaction. The number of feelings and thoughts that is expressed in social interactions can never be achieved by a computer.

2. Addiction
The internet can also be extremely addictive to students. The students could spend too much time wasting on the internet and neglecting their studies. There are so much of entertainment options on the internet that can make a student distracted from their studies. For example, students could play online games prior to an examination where they should spend studying. This could seriously affect a student’s academic performance.

3. Vulgarity
While using the internet, students could be exposed to various forms of vulgarities such as Violence and Pornography. Adult contents are easily made accessible to underage children. Even though adult websites try to limit access t show their contents to an 18+ audience, there is no trusted way to verify the user’s age. 

And some online games involve lots of violence that can be disturbing to children. Therefore, students particularly teenagers could be exposed to such content affecting their mental health.

4. Misuse
Even for a student’s education, the internet can be misused to promote laziness. Unlike a library where information could just be read, the internet allows contents to be copied. In case of a university assignment or school homework, some students simply copy paste information from the internet. From such an action students will never learn the key concepts behind the internet information.

5. Reliability
Not every content posted on the internet is from reliable sources. The information posted on the internet could be fake or exaggerating. Some contents are just created purely for the sake of misguiding visitors. Hence, it is the responsibility of the teachers to guide students to find reliable and trusted information on the internet.

6. Health Concerns
Students need to use a computer or a smartphone for accessing the internet. Using the smart devices for a prolonged period of time could contribute to various physical problems such as neck pain, back pain and eye pain. 

How does the Internet Affect Education Negatively?

The Internet has proven to be a double-edged sword for education. Teachers and students benefit from the unprecedented access to information the Internet provides, as well as from the ability to share knowledge across the globe. However, reliance on the Internet also has many negative effects. Educators must be aware of the dangers the Internet poses so they can avoid potential pitfalls.

Work Ethic

Children growing up in the Internet age expect instant gratification. They can easily get online and find anything they want, from their favorite TV shows and music videos to troublesome homework answers. The Internet means no waiting and instant results with minimal effort.

These traits don’t translate to the classroom, where teachers expect students to work for their grades. As a result, students are often unable to work through problems. They also fail to manage their time efficiently.

Attention Span

Everything about the Internet is fast. Web sites streamline information and deliver it in quick bursts, making it easy to digest and understand. Even popular video clips seldom last longer than a minute or two, ensuring visitors don’t get bored and explore the competition that’s only a mouse-click away.

This constant supply of available entertainment has reduced the average attention span. Students may struggle to follow in-depth discussions or to stay focused throughout a normal classroom period, making it more difficult for teachers to work through their lesson plans.

Cheating

The Internet archives the world’s knowledge. Students can find essays or test answers for any subject imaginable. Knowing that the correct answers are readily available online can prove far too tempting for some students, which leads to academic fraud, plagiarism, and rampant cheating. Educators have taken steps to counter such practices.

They have developed sites that check essays and research papers against published content to detect pilfered material. Determined students may attempt to circumvent such safeguards by using social media and message boards to share class information. This contributes to a culture of cheating that didn’t exist on such a scale before the Internet.

Physical Development

A full education enhances the mind and body. Hours spent surfing the Internet, playing online games, and engaging on social networks can drastically hinder a child’s physical development. Such technological distractions place an even greater emphasis on the need for regular exercise and physical activity. Schools unable or unwilling to provide a physical education component run the risk of contributing to their students’ sedentary lifestyles.

What are the Pros and Cons of Technology in Education?

Pros

Looking back over the last hundred years, introducing technology into the classroom has been a blessing only for younger students and teachers. In other words, with a sudden introduction of a wide range of devices and the Internet, students got the opportunity to make the learning process much easier and more interesting. Key benefits of technology in education include: 

Provides a better interactive experience during the learning and teaching process 

With the introduction of mobile phones, tablets and computers, students are now able to do something they should have been able to do long ago – to learn actively and productively. For the first time, students can access a subject/teaching unit with enthusiasm thanks to applications, videos, simulations and digital books that make the learning process much more engaging.

Moreover, having the opportunity to dig deeper into an area that interests them allows them to potentially recognize their interests and talents, and maybe even their future profession.  

Provides access to an unlimited amount of current information and data from a variety of sources 

In addition to the fact that students approach learning with more enthusiasm and productivity, they also have the opportunity to access the most current topics and research, which is something their ancestors could only dream about.

Instead of going from library to library, dragging a pile of books with them, they are just a few clicks and well-defined queries away from accessing information that can give them additional insight into the topics they are covering at school. So, this practice not only enables students to have modern education, but it also teaches them how to approach the search for information and read complex professional literature. 

Teaches them digital literacy 

We all know that young people cannot acquire the level of skill demanded by today’s corporate world in computer science classes. By implementing technology as an integral part of education, students are given the opportunity to keep up with learning trends and acquire technological/digital skills that are highly sought after in the 21st century.

This form of learning is most helpful for students who don’t have access to modern technology at home, which could also potentially reduce the social gap between digitally literate and illiterate people.   

Reduces educational costs  

With the introduction of technology in education, resources have become more accessible, which resulted in declining tuition fees, the need for books and their price, as well as the reduced need for school supplies.

The introduction of e-books has made things easier for low-income families and helped students to approach learning on equal terms with their peers, without parental pressure for high performance arising from large investments into their child’s education. 

In addition, another positive side-effect of using e-books in education is the fact that they indirectly contribute to the reduction of deforestation, which is one of the major environmental problems.  

Provides better insight into student performance thanks to metrics 

In the past, teachers had to spend considerable time evaluating the overall academic performance of each student, which proved to be very impractical, especially in large classes with over 20 students. Unfortunately, many students never succeed in correcting the wrong steps in learning that can help them improve their performance, and potentially discover their talents of affinities. 

However, with the introduction of digital technologies and the Internet in the classrooms, a teacher’s job of analyzing student performance and providing guidelines and advice has become much easier, which is a win-win situation both for teachers and students.

Specifically, thanks to platforms that collect data on student performance in class, tests, and assignments, teachers have clear insight into the areas students struggle with, or excel at. Moreover, teachers are now able to modify lessons based on insights into the performance of individual students, or class as a whole. 

They can choose between real-time learning or learning at their own pace 

Technology in education has allowed students to gain control over their learning, but it also provided flexibility to teachers in transferring knowledge to students. Namely, this practice is only possible in schools that support hybrid (blended) learning, i.e. a combination of synchronous real-time learning, and asynchronous learning where students can listen to a lecture when they choose.

Listening to a teacher giving a lesson in real-time provides students with a stronger sense of belonging, and allows them to socialize with their peers, same as face-to-face interaction with the teacher. On the other hand, more independent students who are confident in their own time management and commitment management skills can learn whenever they feel like it.

Cons

It is great to be optimistic and believe in the continuous advancement of technology, however, it is equally important to not lose sight of the negative sides of technology in education, and how it can cause long-term problems for young people.

Namely, many skeptics from the domain of social sciences and humanities often point out several potential disadvantages of technology in education, and how it can negatively affect certain aspects, and the quality of children’s life and development: 

It is distracting both in the classroom and outside of it 

Proponents of technology in education often forget that students continue to use their mobile phones and tablets throughout the day, long after they’ve completed their school activities. Namely, with the daily dosage of social media and video games, children’s brains are accustomed to entertaining, intensive, and short-term content that can quickly stimulate their dopamine system. 

The biggest problem here is the fact that daily interaction with technological devices reduces attention span, and research shows that the attention span of children from Generation Z is about 8 seconds.  Although teachers may have good intentions, the use of applications that have nothing to do with the teaching process itself should be restricted, and technology should be used in class only when absolutely necessary.  

Potentially diminishes cognitive development and reduces problem-solving skills 

Technology always has a good intention, to reduce time and make it easier to perform certain mechanical activities. However, technology has automated almost all school activities. Why would a child need to learn the basics of math, when they can use a calculator on their phone, or why would they need to learn to spell, when they have to autocorrect software? 

So, what was originally a positive intention has led to the situation that new generations will be unable to perform everyday cognitive activities without technology. In addition, it should be noted that when children use technology to solve every problem at school, they gradually lose their problem-solving abilities, which is a highly sought-after set of skills.

The only solution to this problem is to have teachers and educational institutions as a whole impose restrictions on the use of technology in education. 

Reduces direct peer interaction 

Although digital technologies have been shown to improve student advancement and project collaboration, they, however, disregard our biological need for interaction in real-time. Namely, we have lived as social beings for over tens of thousands of years, and we now think that we can trick our genetic predisposition so easily. 

Although young people interact with their parents, teachers and peers, the percentage of adolescents with a diagnosis of some form of depression has been growing and has now reached a staggering 20%. The only solution that teachers and educational institutions can offer is to encourage young people to engage in face-to-face interaction with others. 

Maintaining modern technology is very expensive 

The cost of upgrading or maintaining technology is often overlooked. In a world where new innovations in the field of digital technologies appear almost every month, and where upgrading software and applications continuously require more powerful devices, relying on the belief that technology in education is the only solution sounds overly confident. 

Namely, teaching and learning can be done without technology, but the question is – how useful the acquired specific skills will be after a few generations of technological backwardness. So, in order to not regret the purchase of new technology, educational institutions are obligated to estimate the actual long-term costs of that investment, and how it will reflect on tuition fees that students and their parents need to pay. 

It is easier to cheat in exams 

A huge problem that teachers face is cheating on exams, and not having an insight into student knowledge of a lesson. This is also the biggest problem with online tests, because teachers often don’t know if students have access to another device while taking the test.

This problem could have long-term consequences, primarily due to the inability of educational institutions to guarantee that the student actually possesses the knowledge needed for higher levels of education, or to do their job.  

Reduced number of teachers due to automation and reduced salaries 

With the introduction of technology in the curriculum, the role of the teacher as an authority figure and mediator is slowly fading. It should be noted that automation in education and the introduction of certain applications have led to a decrease in the number of teachers in modern schools.

However, the remaining teachers have even more responsibilities than before, and their income is not increasing in proportion with their responsibilities, so many have had to give up their job. 

As we said earlier, describing the advantages of technology in education, children have the opportunity to access a wide spectrum of information that makes lessons more engaging, but the question is, how long does it take to prepare and integrate that content into a meaningful whole?

So, increased responsibilities mostly refer to the preparations for class, the importance and complexity of which are underestimated by many, primarily because it is not visible to parents. 

The problem that needs to be addressed is that educational institutions should stop approaching teachers as manual laborers, and the first step toward that goal is increasing their salary and treating them with the respect they deserve, otherwise, we will have unmotivated teachers who don’t care about transferring knowledge to their students, and the consequence is a generation of individuals incapable of becoming useful members of society.   

How can the Internet be Used for Education?

whichever age group you are working with, it is your primary goal as a teacher to make the environment student-friendly. The good news is that you can easily achieve this effect even on a small school budget. The Internet, in particular, can be a handy and affordable learning tool in every classroom. Here are some ideas on how to make the most of the internet in your lessons:

1. Take advantage of video lessons

Videos offer a great way to make education fun, no matter which subjects you are dealing with. Plus, the days when you had to book a separate room for any video class are long gone — you can now use software to project films from your phone/tablet directly to the classroom screen.

Another huge perk is that you can easily find plenty of free, educational channels on YouTube. Simply subscribing to a couple of video blogs in your subject area might save you a lot of trouble when preparing for the next lesson — after all, most of these videos are short, funny and visual.

This is simply a win-win situation both for the students and the teachers! (If you are a student and accidentally came across this article, this is the part when you start thinking of sharing it with your teacher. No, seriously — just make sure to pick the most liberal professor).

2. Invite remote speakers

Another great idea that will give any lesson a refreshing vibe is to invite remote speakers. Once again, this solution is suitable for all age groups and subjects, but, of course, you will have to choose your guests accordingly.

For the youngest ones, for example, it can be a remote type of ‘who I want to be when I grow up’ lesson, where representatives of different professions attend virtually instead of coming in person to the classroom personally. For older students, you can invite subject matter experts — here, the engagement will mostly depend on your own connections.

Plus, the number of apps to choose from is enormous. From Skype and FaceTime to Viber and WhatsApp, these apps come with no fees or complications — a stable Internet connection and a screen are all you need.

3. Create collaboration groups

Some projects are all about collaboration. All of the messaging apps mentioned above allow users to create groups where members can discuss project-related topics. Another example of a similar app is Slack, which is widely used in a variety of companies that work in teams.

Creating dedicated chat/discussion groups can be very useful for many subjects, allowing the whole team to work towards a common goal. Whether it is a lab report or a training marketing project, the use of the Internet and technology in this example teaches students to collaborate, brainstorm, and contribute their share of effort towards the end result.

Another great perk is that these forums prepare students for the real-time work environment, stressing the value of teamwork, and potentially reducing the learning curve in the workplace.

4. Share public files and documents

Speaking of working together, Google suite has made it simpler than ever. Google allows creating shared access to text documents, spreadsheets, and even entire folders. Apple docs also feature the same functionality, but the Apple product has its limits since it is very unlikely that all of your students will be Apple/Mac users.

Google, on the other hand, hosts its programs on a cloud, using a web browser to access all of the files; so, the user operational system makes no difference here.

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There are dozens of ways to use Google Docs to increase productivity. The simplest one is to share all of the new assignments in class. Shared files will also become a perfect addition to shared study boards — instead of simply discussing one project or another online, students can actually work together on documents, presentations, graphs, reports, etc. They can even improve their college essay writing by having access to other papers from their class.

Plus, Google docs features the ability to add comments to a document, so it is possible to choose a couple of sample works and share your insight using this feature. Giving specific paper examples and commenting on what is right and what is wrong with each of the papers is the surest way to teach students writing or any other subject in that matter.

5. Make your lessons more visual

Finally, the Internet gives teachers a chance to make each and every one of their lessons more visual. Pictures and photos are the surest way to achieve this effect. However, the sky’s the limit when choosing visual materials. For example, when teaching geography, you can make use of online maps, taking your audience to remote locations.

Maps can also prove useful when teaching culture and history (for example, an old photo of the location vs. a present-day street view). This approach creates a sense of connection, which is the surest way for the information to make its way into the student’s long-term memory.

Another idea, obvious as it may seem, is to use slides in your lessons. This is not a new concept — slides have been used in lectures for years. But, using the internet can give your old visuals a new vibe. By ‘visuals’ we do not necessarily mean pictures and graphs. Those could also be text fragments with the essential information, quotations, and practically any other written information you want to stress.

Summary

As you can see, using the Internet in a classroom does not necessarily mean that students will go through their Facebook feed (well, some of them will). Still, making the Internet a part of your education process has more pluses than minuses. Put some effort into your lectures, try to walk in your students’ shoes, and speak their language — this is the best way to engage your maturing audience.