Internet is Not Good for Study - Term Paper Example

Insert Introduction As a global system comprising interconnected computer networks which use the standard Internet protocol suite to connect billions of devices globally, the Internet has come to revolutionize all facets of human existence, including studying. The import of this is that the Internet has become the most powerful innovation and can be very productive, when used positively. However, presently, with the advent of online social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, the effects of the Internet have not been wholesome, particularly on the school and college-going population. Specifically, this is because, the Internet has significantly posed serious threats to learning and academic development. Thesis Statement Despite all the benefits that have been attributed to the Internet, the Internet has brought about serious and several drawbacks in academic development and intellectual growth by curtailing studies and is therefore not good for studies. First, in order to appreciate the extent to which the Internet undermines studies, it is important to factor the extent to which the Internet allows and facilitates the liberalization of information. Because of the liberalization of information and internet-enabled information, it is possible for anyone to set up a webpage or website or a blog and post content in the same. All that one will have to do to open up a webpage and post material in it is to get the domain name; choose a web host and sign up for an account; design the webpage; test the website; and market the website. The import of this is that virtually anyone can create a webpage and post anything on any field in it, the intellectual command and competence of the poster notwithstanding. For this reason, there are a lot of materials in the Internet which are passed on as facts but cannot pass credibility test. Others are passed on as truth, but are merely opinions. Some data are also touted as authoritative yet they are opinions of experts and non-experts. Since not all Internet-enabled or Internet-supported materials are not authoritative, there are a lot of information which are not worthy of credence and are academically misleading. For instance, presently, the Internet is now awash with materials which refute the reality of environmental degradation and global warming. Secondly, according to Ribes, it is a fact that learning through the Internet diminishes chances for exercising cognitive skills. This is because, the Internet avails virtually all information on any topic and in different language. This information can be accessed at the click of the button. The flipside of this development is that when students are given assignments and homework, they readily do the searches on the Internet and copy down, or paraphrase the concepts, ideas or information on paper. Even if the material copied down from the Internet may be accurate, this action is retrogressive in itself and also as a habit, since it denies students the chance to exercise their cognitive skills. The same also rids students of the chance to apply concepts they had been acquainted with in class, practically and theoretically. This kind of behavior also paves way for intellectual laziness. In the event that this practice is not extirpated, chances are high that students will not be predisposed to personal initiatives, deeper thoughts and reflection and retrospection. This is also the case since students will merely cram what has been availed in the Internet, without even analyzing or critiquing it (Ribes, 265-6). Again, as if the foregoing barely suffices, the consideration of the concomitance between the Internet and sexual exploitation diminishes the ability to nurture studying abilities through the Internet. According to research studies carried out by the University of Florida, students who use the Internet 2 to 3 hours in a day are very susceptible to sexual exploitation. This is because, with the advent of the Internet, have come sexual predators who are able to manipulate children or students. In turn, sexual predation or exploitation brings about adverse effects on students’ mental and physical health. The magnitude of this problem is underscored by the fact that there are children or students who will not tell their sexual exploitation to anyone. This will propound the degree of mental anguish on the part of the student and thereby abating his chances for academic excellence. It is also true that all manner of literature are available in the Internet and pornography is not an exception. While it is true that students should not accept pornography and other forms of adult literature, there are no fast and hard rules to effect this fact. For this reason, a nine-year old learner can access content that is only suitable for those who are 18 and above, willingly or inadvertently. This development may pave way for moral corruption among learners. Moral depravity and academic development are mutually exclusive of each other. This is because moral degradation brings about psychosocial disorderliness while sound academic performance is a culmination of concentration, stable relations among the student, parent and teachers, and the student interacting well with his environment. Moral putrefaction hinders proper earning to a considerable degree. In a closely related wavelength, it is also significant that using the Internet also comes with sitting in front of the computer. According to Gautam and Kevin, this consumes a lot of time than opening books to read. This is the case since with the Internet comes many opportunities such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube videos and music, newspaper articles and Internet-enabled or virtual games. These are a great source of distraction to studies, especially due to the fact that studies sometimes appear laborious and monotonous and therefore require self-discipline. Not all have the grace or behavioral wherewithal to muster this self-discipline. Normally, the effects of time wastage are perceptible, until when exams approach. Students who have wasted time mostly find that they have a lot of work to revise within a short timeframe. This situation normally culminates into dismal academic performance which may also herald depression among students (Gautam and Kevin, 427). It is also a fact that with the Internet being provided at learners’ disposal, it is likely that even after studies, students are likely to use the Internet as a form of recreation. Students may also use the Internet in-between studies to relax. This may disrupt learners’ program and expand the volume of time allocated for other engagements. The import of this is that students will be spending a lot of their leisure time seated at one place, in front of the computer screen. Thus, the student’s body will be subject to less movement. Lack of adequate physical activity and outdoor leisure features heavily feature among health problems and psychological stress. It is an unmistakable fact that health problems and psychological stress are fundamentally unsupportive to academic development and intellectualism. Again, because of the interesting features that the Internet brings, it is likely that even at night, instead of going to sleep, younger students [undergraduate and their younger counterparts] will choose to engage the Internet. This is especially if a student has friends available for online chats in Facebook, MySpace What’s Up or Tweeter. If this is done habitually, health-related problems may come up due to inertia, obesity and lack of proper sleep. Health-related complications serve as inherent and automatic impediments to studying and academic development. Interestingly enough and as previously stated, Internet-supported information may not be credible since they are normally not reviewed. It is therefore against this backdrop that online websites and webpage are always replete with misspellings, poor grammar and typos. In this light, even the English Spelling Society states that online social sites and websites have made incorrect spelling and flouting of grammar rules a widely tolerable phenomenon. While this may appear as a problem too mild to warrant worry from linguists and the intelligentsia to the average mind, the pitfalls that emanate from this development are riveting. Specifically, presently, 66% of people aged between 18 and 24 believe strongly that dictionaries should have different spellings. The crux of the matter herein is that the generation that has been reared with the Internet seldom question misspelled words (Nagisa, 44-46). Nevertheless, the problem immediately above is not limited to misspellings in WebPages. Instead, as people type at high speed in chat rooms or online social networks, the need to adhere to grammar and spelling rules are sidestepped. This has dire consequences. Linguists are now worried that the world is presently witnessing the side effects that linguistic variations are having on students or children who are born and bred in computer age. Conclusion It is true that the Internet in itself is amoral and positive or negative effects attributed to Internet usage may therefore depend on individual choices and discretion. However, when it comes to studying, the helpfulness of the Internet becomes fluid. The subjection of webpage contents to personal whims, the inaccuracy of Internet-supported information, Internet-induced predisposition to sedentary lifestyle, the vulnerability of the Internet to crime and sex pests, a myriad source of distraction and reasons for time wastage are some of the drawbacks that any person using the Internet t study must contend with. While some may successfully sermon and expend their character and knowledge to stay on course and to separate the noble from the ignoble, very few can achieve this feat. If only a few can benefit academically or intellectually from a program or protocol, then it is in order to surmise that such a program or protocol is not suitable for studying. Works Cited Gautam, Huded and Kevin, F. King. Foreword: Maturing Internet Studies. Northwestern University Law Review, 104.2 (2010): 427. Print Nagisa, Moritoki. The Language Teacher’s Role in the Age of the Internet. Acta Linguistica Asiatica, 1.2 (2011): 39 – 52. Print Ribes, David. Tying Internet Studies Together. Metascience, 17.2 (2008): 261 – 262. Print Read More