Exploring the Importance of the Internet in Higher Education: A Report

This report delves into the crucial role of the internet in higher education, emphasizing its impact on learning, research, and communication. It highlights the benefits of internet access, including flexibility in course delivery, enhanced research capabilities, and improved communication between students and educators. The report provides several examples, such as the use of online platforms for distance learning and the availability of online resources, showcasing how the internet supports student success. It also offers recommendations for leveraging the internet effectively in the 21st century, such as utilizing online tools for critical thinking and exploring adaptive courses. The report concludes that the internet has become an essential component of modern education, offering numerous advantages for students and institutions alike. This report is available on Desklib, a platform offering AI-based study tools for students.

The importance of the
Internet in Higher
Education

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Presenting the importance of internet in higher education..........................................................1
Examples.....................................................................................................................................3
Recommendations.......................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Internet comes with endless possibilities which includes from connecting with people to
accessing information. Even, it assists education sector by providing online classes, submitting
assignment via email and download lecture notes etc. Moreover, there is a positive relationship
between internet and education because it generates different opportunities for students to
enhanced the learning capabilities. The purpose of the present study is to highlight the
significance of Internet within education sector. The current report provides relevant examples
that shows how internet is important for higher education students and then it will have
recommended the ways through which Internet can be better used by students in order to meet
the importance within 21st century.
Presenting the importance of internet in higher education
The internet has introduced many improvements in technology, communication and
online entertainment. However, Internet also has an immense potential in order to improve
quality of education especially during Covid-19. It also opens doorways to a wealth of
information, knowledge as well as educational resources by increasing the opportunities of
learning. It can be stated that Internet in Education has been incredibly useful because it
facilitates both information and communication. Through Internet, students of higher education
also increased access free video lectures online and refer to many online materials which in turn
enhanced their knowledge level (Wang, Wang and Wang, 2020). Apart from this, Internet also
acts as a platform for retired teachers in order to reach out children in poor countries and educate
them as well. Thus, Internet support a new culture of learning among students which in turn
benefits to build socially rich environment. Hence, the Internet is therefore, portrayed as
allowing education to take place any time and place by students. Its importance within higher
education is as mentioned below:
Flexibility: Internet offer learners to increased freedom from the physical limitation to a
real world. It also provides range of education courses or class that allow much more flexibility
as compared to traditional classroom courses. Along with this, students learn online from
anywhere at any time. This in turn also reduce constraints of place, space, time and geography.
Students of higher education can also use Internet as their 24*7 support system and may ask
questions from their teachers at any time (Advantages for using the Internet in University
Education, 2021). Therefore, teacher can further make use of Internet by giving extra resources
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material which assists to enhanced their knowledge. Also, during Covid-19, all Universities and
schools are completely based upon Internet in which institutions offer entire material through e-
learning, where students can access at any time.
Study and research: Another importance of Internet is relied upon research because it is
a powerful tool that assists students and educators to conduct study by gathering information
through online materials. In this era, going to library and searching relevant books is much more
difficult as compared to searching for the same information on a computer. That is why, many
institutions offer online library systems which allow students of higher education to find data
(Abdi-Ali, Radhi and Raoul, 2020). It is due to having variety of sources which enable students
to conduct in-depth research and enhanced their knowledge as well. Internet is considered as a
must faster medium than traditional mediums. It also cost less relatively and easily accessible by
students. Therefore, it is not only a huge storehouse of knowledge, but also allows students to
keep updated with regards to their relevant courses as well.
Communication: Internet has also allowed students to be in touch with their teacher
regularly. Earlier, when students missed their lectures they take help of their peers to understand
topics. Now, they attend their lectures as per their convenience because Universities upload
lectures online which can be access by students. However, it allows instantaneous connection to
classmates and also improve communication between students and teachers. Apart from this, it
is also analyzed that email further allows students and teacher to contact each other without any
physical meet. Further, with the help of Internet educators also send out many announcements
which includes assignments, course syllabus without any hard copies (Importance of Internet in
education, 2020). Whereas, students can also submit their own assignments via email or other
online application systems which can cut down time they wasted in classrooms. It also supports
a mass connectivity between people and information which in turn assists to save time and other
resources. Thus, it is to be stated that Internet plays an important tool to communicate with
anyone at any time.
Enhanced knowledge and skills: There are ample of skills developed by students while
study through Internet which includes time management, communication skills (raise during
discussion), decision making skills etc. Online learning is considered as one of the best tool to
share information between students and teacher. Moreover, there are range of materials available
on Internet which also assists students to raise knowledge by conducting in depth research
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(Ahmad, Rafiq and Ahmad, 2020). So, it is stated that by study on Internet, students learn how
to manage their time along with ability to meet deadlines.
Admission: It is another and one of the most important aspects for the University
because Internet also serves to streamline the admission process within colleges. Majority of the
institution offer online admission to their students which can be easily accessed by students. In
this, University also uses digital marketing tools that assists to attract range of students to get
enrolled within their defined courses. Also, most of the colleges offers discount in the admission
forms which in turn helps to encourage individuals to filled the same immediately (Jabbour and
et.al., 2017). Thus, it is reflected that Internet is also work as a marketing tool for Universities in
which they can broadcast important announcements and alert the students for further admissions.
From the above, it is examined that Internet is not only helps to improve the student's
learning but also enhanced their interpersonal skills as well. Further, it can be stated that Internet
changed the education systems in the terms of attending classes, develop opportunities of growth
etc. However, due to unreliable information also lead to cause opposite impact upon the
student's performance. So, most of the University prefer to offer face to face education to their
students because of having many loopholes which include, technical problems, fraud and
cheating. Therefore, using Internet in education sector provide better experience to students than
traditional medium because it is quite flexible and students get many advantages by study online
i.e. improve communication, accessibility, 24*7 interaction with teachers. That is why, more
than 90% of the higher education institutions uses Internet and offer online courses which can be
accessed by students as per their convenience.
Examples
In recent era, importance of Internet among higher education student's is increases
because after pandemic, entire system is shift into Internet only. In this, different applications
are used that helps to conduct online sessions for students which can be accessed by them at any
time such that Skype. For example, a students enrolled for distance learning Master's program
and due to having any family issues, he is not able to attend today session at defined time. So, a
person will review the session afterwards (as per their convenience), as lectures can be
downloaded at any time. This is possible due to study through Internet, and because of its
flexibility. On the other side, there are many institutions who did not take any charges for
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enrollment in any specialized or diploma courses. However, they have limited courses only and
that is why, students do not register themselves. This type of services is beneficial for those
individuals who do not have enough financial resources to get admission on higher Universities
(Büchi, Just and Latzer, 2017). Therefore, it is identified that Internet offers wide ranges of
courses and also students get benefited from the same in order to enhanced their knowledge.
Further, Internet assists many colleges because many of them uses 'hybrid' model where
lessons are done online along with few in-class meetings. This saves time of commute to campus
with their textbooks every day. Even for non-hybrid classes, the Internet is also used as an
additional to normal studies that also benefited students. It reflected that due to its flexibility in
nature, students attend classes online without wasting time to commute in the buildings.
Moreover, after online session by a teacher, if any student faces difficulties to understand the
term, then they either search online by using keywords or else, connect with teacher at any time
(BAO and WANG, 2017). It is so because Internet provide 24*7 connectivity service to people
where they can come at platform and discuss the things accordingly.
In addition to this, during Covid-19, Universities offered online materials to their
students and assigned homework which needs to be submitted to defined deadline. Also, due to
lockdown situation, students submit their work online or via email that also shows the
importance of Internet in higher education. Internet also assist to enhanced the knowledge and
skills among student. For instance, most of the post graduate students only read lesson on week
end days (Lee and et.al., 2020). For that, they have to developed strategy that in turn improve
their time management skills. On the other side, through discussion in the online sessions,
students also enhanced their communication skills which will further benefited in their future
career.
Recommendations
In current era, education is all about giving students the skills which they need to succeed
in this competition which assists them to grow the confidence and enhanced knowledge. There
are many ways through which Internet can be better used by students in order to meet its
importance in 21st century. These are as mentioned below:
 It is to be recommended to the students to use Internet for their own interest as well. In
this competitive environment, individuals show their caliber by presenting different
innovative idea (Gültekin and et.al., 2020). In the same way, Internet not only serves as a
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reservoir of information but also assists to connect with people across world. Thus, they
may use forums which is considered as a best platform for students to discuss any topics
and share their knowledge as well. That is why, students must have encouraged
themselves in order to actively participate in such forums that helps to stay in touch with
others and also learn new things too.
 Moreover, it is also suggested to students to use online tools because it contribute
significantly to develop critical thinking skills among them. Along with this, they can
also use rewarding aptitude development tools that assist to let them learn independently
and proactively. Also, it assists to enhanced their knowledge and skills which further
helps in future (Gui, 2021). That is why, teachers and experts advised students to use
digital tools that not only help them to keep engaged towards study but raise their ICT
and time management skills as well.
 In 21st century, it is analyzed that everything is depend upon internet and by comparing
education from 20 centuries it is clearly examined that technology changed everything
form living standard to the medium of education. That is why, it is suggested to the
students to search for adaptive courses that provide opportunity to adjust with their
courses (Lopez-Fernandez, 2021). Companies like DreamBox, Zearn and ST Math also
provide platform to many students in which they explore further. Through this, students
developed writing and literacy skills that assists to display information and judge their
performance as well.
CONCLUSION
By summing up above report it has been concluded that Internet plays a vital role in
education sector. Through this, students downloaded the study material as per their flexibility
and it also assists to enhanced their current knowledge and skills. Further, it creates better
learning opportunities for students and bridge the communication gap as well. Study also
summarized that students should also use Internet for their personal use. Such that they can use
many online platforms that helps to interact with many people in order to share information and
show their creativity as well.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Abd-Ali, R.S., Radhi, S.A. and Rasool, Z.I., 2020. A survey: the role of the internet of things in
the development of education. Indonesian Journal of Electrical Engineering and
Computer Science. 19(1). pp.215-221.
Ahmad, S., Rafiq, M. and Ahmad, S., 2020. Incorporating the Internet in Learning by the
Management Science Students and Its Effect on Their Academic Achievements. Library
Philosophy and Practice, pp.1-18.
BAO, J. and WANG, Z., 2017. A Study on the Transformation of Comparative Education in the
Era of “Internet Plus Education”. Journal of Teacher Education, p.04.
Büchi, M., Just, N. and Latzer, M., 2017. Caring is not enough: the importance of Internet skills
for online privacy protection. Information, Communication & Society. 20(8). pp.1261-
1278.
Gui, L., 2021, January. Study on Innovative Research on Ideological and Political Education in
Institutions of High Learning in the Era of “Internet Plus”. In 2020 3rd International
Seminar on Education Research and Social Science (ISERSS 2020) (pp. 461-465).
Atlantis Press.
Gültekin, O. and et.al., 2020. Investigation of Academic Staff's Self-Efficacy Using the
Educational Internet. Higher Education Studies. 10(3). pp.26-33.
Jabbour, J. and et.al., 2017. Challenges in producing tailored internet patient education
materials. International Journal of Radiation Oncology• Biology• Physics. 97(4). pp.866-
867.
Lee, J. G. and et.al., 2020. Coronavirus pandemic highlights critical gaps in rural Internet access
for migrant and seasonal farmworkers: a call for partnership with medical
libraries. Journal of the Medical Library Association: JMLA. 108(4). p.651.
Lopez-Fernandez, O., 2021. Emerging Health and Education Issues Related to Internet
Technologies and Addictive Problems. International Journal of Environmental Research
and Public Health. 18(1). p.321.
Wang, Y. Y., Wang, Y. S. and Wang, Y. M., 2020. What drives students’ Internet ethical
behaviour: an integrated model of the theory of planned behaviour, personality, and
Internet ethics education. Behaviour & Information Technology, pp.1-23.
Online
Advantages for using the Internet in University Education. 2021. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.theclassroom.com/advantages-using-internet-university-education-
6610785.html>.
Importance of Internet in education. 2020. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.askiitians.com/iit-jee/article/internet-in-education-importance-
potential.html>.
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