While the Internet has a growing impact on our every day lives, one of the most profound changes is in the area of education. In fact, many believe it's an essential part of today's learning experience.
A recent study indicates that by 2005, approximately 44 million students will be online at home. As more and more students use computers for their schoolwork, it's not surprising to hear that their work is easier to read and there are fewer mistakes thanks to spell-check. Today, high-speed connections like DSL aren't just for online gaming and downloading music; they are increasingly used for homework assignments, too.
And, according to Keith Krueger of the Consortium of School Networking, the results are paying off. “Both parents and students are quickly realizing the impact of the Internet on education with 23 percent reporting better grades since using broadband access. Now, through the Internet, teachers and children have virtual access to almost all the libraries in the world. And, through the capabilities of broadband, it's not just text, but pictures and multimedia providing a richer learning experience.”
So if you have school-age children, a broadband Internet connection may be just what the teacher ordered.
Don't forget to work with your children when they are surfing. Programs such as Parental Controls and Spam filters can help protect children while they are online, but there is still nothing as good as a parent who is right in the same room working along side the student.
