The internet has changed just about everything, particularly education. Based on a recent survey, 1 in 4 college students were taking at least 1 online class. Online learning is much more economically and environmentally friendly. Not only do students save money on gas and textbooks, but they also pay less tuition. Bill Gates said recently in a conference in Lake Tahoe, CA that in five years anyone will be able to find the best lectures in the world on the internet, thereby rendering universities obsolete.
Bill Gates has even helped sponsor Khan Academy which offers “a free world-class education for anyone anywhere.” They have got over 2,100 videos online that vary from simple algebra to the Vietnam War. The internet provides opportunities for any individual able to make time to learn. Financial resources are becoming less important whereas time and access to internet are all anyone needs to learn important and important information. While it can be a powerful and destructive force to society and our planet, the internet is helping bring to pass great advances in education and instruction. They also have financial aid programs available for students and minorities. For example, they offer African American scholarships that help them fund their educational needs.
Now more than ever, individuals are in the position to lift themselves out from poverty to become influential and important in their neighborhoods. Before, you had to travel long distances to have access to the world’s best books and professors but now they come to you. For this reason giving poorer children in 3rd world countries internet access has become extremely important. At some point everyone will have a way to obtain a quality education for pretty much no charge. In early American colonial times, the only individuals who could get a top quality education were people who had lots of money and power. A whole lot has changed since that time.
Together with the internet, tablets also are significantly changing the way in which we learn. As an alternative to big bulky textbooks students now have interactive ebooks that allow them to watch videos, play games and listen to audio clips. As opposed to working with papers and broken pencils, students now have the opportunity to write, edit and send their projects all wirelessly. Education has changed more over the last couple years than it did over the whole last century. Not enough people know about the changes in education and even fewer people are actually using them. Everyone who has access to the internet can use these tools but not enough people know about them.
Education possesses a bright future, same as people that will utilize the changes that are going on. Education is changing for the better and giving everyone equal opportunities to learn and grow. Sadly, the opportunities that lots of individuals have in education aren’t being taken advantage of. Online classes really are the future of education, not only because they are environmentally and economically friendly but also because they give their students flexibility.