Study in today’s society is far different than it was only a few years ago. With such vast online resources, research, reading and writing are increasingly done by computer as opposed to with traditional books, pens and pencils. It is now possible for a student to write an entire research paper without cracking a single book. As with most things technology provides us, there are pros and cons with this new form of study and research.
There is a skill involved in finding a book in the library and searching its contents for relevant, appropriate research. While the Internet may offer a much wider range of materials for the student to ponder, keyword searches allow a student to get directly to relevant information. They end up reading far less about any given topic since they have to search so much less.
Students can quickly and easily ignore entire topics that were once read thoroughly for pertinent information. This may lead to a less complete understanding of the subject matter. It is important to create assignments that require a very thorough research and subject matter comprehension so that the student is not able to take these short cuts.
It may also be helpful to require books rather than the Internet to be resources for research papers. This way students develop good library and research skills beyond the World Wide Web. While online learning is an overall positive addition to students’ research experience, the old nuts and bolts still have much to offer today’s students. Requiring them to use all available material, and not just the easiest, will give them a better grasp on the subject as a whole.