Is the Internet a blessing or a danger in our schools?

As a student enrolled in the University of Maine at Augusta Library Information Technology Program I have been increasingly been exposed to the information technology exciting and at the same time can be addictive.

However, the Internet has become more of a necessary tool to teach our children on how to find information, instead of spending countless hours "searching for meaningless data

In the library field today, the technology information has become more demanding, in terms of finding what the patron or student is really searching for. Like most computer programs, the systems and techniques can become obsolete in a short time. A librarian must know the best and sometimes the quickest ways to help find navigate the information for the patron or student.

However, the real issue is whether computer technology will overrule the basic skills of reading, researching and writing? As a society we need to have basic understanding on how to handle information that sometime s can be overwhelming if we do not have the tools to begin with?

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According to a recent article, "Speaking Out," by Jo Cavallo from the PC World Online Computers Made Easy", there are over, 40,000 schools on line here in the US, 38 million homes have computers and 10 million children surf the net. However, the real question is "Does high-tech Teaching" help students learn better? What are the advantages vs. disadvantages of learning on-line, CD and other technology techniques?

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Example, at Mount Holyoke College there is a course called " Computing Applications in History and Humanities," that uses computers to help student s learn about these subject areas. In 1997, a survey concluded that one-third of all college courses use e-mail and one in eight use some form of technology resources. A recent presidential task force report, that 60 percent of all jobs will require computer skills by the year 2000.

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Many professors have abandoned textbooks, opting for putting courses on

The web. However, there is an argument of whether student s learn better? Some critic’s say that not all technology is bad but the main real question does the student will know how to write clearly or sate an argument? In addition, some students may lack the basic research skills of looking up information on the web. Also, some students can become so addicted to the computer from using the chat room to playing games, that Alfred University in New York offers counseling to the dangers of Internet usage.

While most of today’s homes and school shave quality computer technology, while there is a percentage of those who do not own or have access to a the computer.

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In 1997, the Muncie Public Library in Indiana launched a program to teach disadvantage children from first to eighth grade s the basics of Internet skills and writing techniques. The first step is to teach children how to access a site that is of interest to them, then write a brief report of what they learned. By looking at the different appropriate web sites, the city of Muncie began to work on the school curriculum.

During this process for preparing for this project, there had to be prerequisites for students. In order to use the Internet, the children first are able to read; secondly, the children must have some writing ability to be able to record the information on the net. Thirdly, children should have the ability to find and evaluate the information that is out there.

The goals of teaching of teaching Internet skills include basic keyboard function/ usage, ability to gather and record, the ability to write a report and lastly to organize the information in a concise manner.

In conclusion, this pilot program demonstrated how the Internet could enhance or stimulate the child’s learning ability. In the future, projects will continue from the library’s cybermobile, which will bring computers and Internet usage to the child’s neighborhood. The goal is to have children the well-designed web based information order to grow, learn, and not be left out in the 21^st century.

Today, many libraries and schools do offer free classes on the Internet. Because these two institutions realize that many people do not know where to begin to look and so as teacher or librarian job not only how to look but where and the best way to look without spending wasted time searching for the information.

Like the old method of researching information through book, people must know the distinction between " good information and " bad information."

Because the Net contains large labyrinth of information, one must be able to have the ability to equipped with this knowledge or will eventually lose their way in it.

1.

Jo Cavallo, "Speaking Out." Family Circle PC World (December, 1998)

Family Circle PC World Online, online, Internet, 31, July 1999. http://www.pcworld.com/computers_made_easy/article/

2.

Herbert Wray, "high –tech teaching: Do wired computers help students learn"? U.S. News (no date), U.S. News Online, online, Internet, 31 July 1999. http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/find/cowired.htm

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4.

John E. Drumm, Frank M. Groom, " Teaching Information Skills to Disadvantaged Children," Computers in Libraries May 1998, Volume 6,

54-56.

Works Cited

Cavallo, Jo. " Speaking Out." Family Circle PC World (December 1998)

3pp. Online. Internet. 31 July 1998.

Drumm, John E., Frank M. Groom. " Teaching Information Skills to Disadvantage Children." Computers in Libraries. May 1998: pp.54-56

Herbert, Wray. " High –tech teaching: Do wired campuses help students?"

U.S. News Online (no date) 4pp. Online. Internet. 31 July 1999