Mobile and
Internet
(Its effect on students and their
studies)
(A)
Introduction
Mobile and Internet are the modern time technologies that
affect the students and their studies in a big way. No other single phenomenon has impacted the
learning habits of the students to this extent. This impact is both beneficial
and harmful, all depends upon the way students use it.
Technologies
are neutral. How will they affect the society? Answer to this question is not
decided by the technology itself but it is determined by the users of the
technology. Technology only extends the power of expression. An angry
person can harm the others and with weapons effect of harm will increase many folds. But the same weapons in the hand of a responsible
person can provide protection to poor, weaker and deprived section.
Thus, we should consider both, positive and negative, effects
of mobiles and Internet in a student’s life before final conclusion.
Let’s focus on positive impact first.
(B)
Positive Effects
1. Quality material
Internet
is the reservoir of the knowledge. No other source can match it in this regard.
Mobiles have increased the reach of internet. Now all the information is
available at figure tips.
Students
can easily access the material on any subject any time, be it literature,
Science, Maths, Commerce, Physical education or yoga. A student can rely on this
knowledge for their academic preparation as well as for competitive
examinations. Material prepared by renowned teachers, authors and publishers
are available in text, audio and video form. This makes the study more
convenient.
2. Efficient and Experienced teachers
These days, thanks to mobile and
Internet, students need not rush after teachers from institute to institute. In
traditional mortar and brick institutes time and space is a big obstacle. A master
teacher cannot spare more than 8 to 10 hours a day. Students are compelled to
study with inexperienced teachers. Many good students get frustrated with this
arrangement.
Now mobile and Internet have broken
this barrier Almost all good teachers are available on the Internet with their
video and quality study material, some are free and some others at very nominal
fees.
It has increased the reach of a
teacher also. Video based social networking site like YouTube have given a big
push to this trend. Many excellent teachers are available online these days.
Most of the platforms are
interactive. Students can put their doubts and can raise their questions. This
gives a positive boost to teaching learning experience in the student life.
3. Cost Cutting
Study through Internet is always
simple and cost effective. Most of the time knowledge providers earn money from
ads and marketing and students get all the study material and lectures for free.
It’s the beauty of mobile and internet that a poor student is empowered to acquire
and use the best learning aid available globally.
Even a well to do student in a town of
a developing country cannot go and study from efficient teacher in an advance
country. But mobile and Internet make it possible. They has broken the time and
space barriers. It’s the great achievement of the Internet.
4. Boon for remote / interior area
In the rural and remote areas
educational infrastructure is underdeveloped. The students in such areas are deprived
of quality education. For them, mobile and Internet are the gateway to the
knowledge, light and progress. Mobile can be the medium that connect them to
the outer world where a bright and prosperous career is awaiting them.
5.
Escape route from
plight and poverty
A poor student, in the small,
congested, dark and filthy hut, when enters the virtual world which is full of
space, light, freshness and knowledge, delinks himself of the shadow of poverty
and catches hand of possibilities. This virtual world can become his real world
with determination and belief.
6.
Familiarity with the external world
Internet introduces a student to the
world. He comes to know about the world education system. It sets a benchmark.
He can judge his own position in the competitive market. With this added
knowledge he is better equipped to readjust his learning goals that suit to the
demand in future.
7.
Innovative ideas
Internet, especially on mobile, is a
powerful medium in the hand of a student. He can acquire innovative ideas that
are helpful for his studies, time management, planning, emotional balance and
future goal setting. He can also communicate to the world through many
interactive platforms. This exchange of ideas and knowledge will definitely
boost his confidence. This increases his chances of success in life.
8.
Boundary less school
Internet serves as a school that sees
no difference between rich and poor, intelligent and mediocre, upper caste and
lower caste. It provides service to all without discrimination. It encourages
free flow of ideas. It behaves like a good friend to whom you can disclose your
secrets. It knows no boundaries and its wise users can have boundless growth in
life.
Now, come to the negative
impact of mobiles and internet in the student’s life.
(C)
Negative Effects
1.
Divert concentration
from studies
It
is generally seen that kids who are in the habit of spending hours on the
mobile get distracted from their studies. Books, homework and assignments don’t
attract them. On the mobile they hop from one site to another. They surf too
much without absorbing anything. It will be very difficult for them to focus on
thing, even for some time. It is the biggest harm caused by the mobile and the
Internet.
2.
Time consuming
If a
student fell in the habit of Net surfing, his valuable time and attention are
lost in unproductive activities. A big chunk of his precious time is lost. He
will not be able to even complete his school task, forget about the revision
and self study. Such students are bound to lag behind and score poorly in examination.
3.
Mobile Games
Yet
another time wasting habit is playing games on the mobiles. Video games are
becoming more and more challenging and engaging. They are not only wasting the
time of a student but also posing threat to their life. There are many games
which require some dangerous tasks to be performed by the player. There are
incidents of committing suicide or causing harm to others. Such games are
playing with the emotions of young minds. Students are forced to live in a
virtual world. They missed the valuable lessons of life that they would have
learnt otherwise. Ill intentionally designed games make the students timid and
emotionless rather brutal.
4.
Vulgar content
Internet
is full of vulgar material, textual and visual both. It has deep impression on
youngsters. This can push them to bad habits, even to the crime sometimes. It is
a big challenge for the parents, authorities and the society at large to
prevent the spreading of such content on the net.
5.
Violence
Much
violence ridden material circulates on the net in the form of texts, cartoons,
games and videos. Such content make our children insensitive to the feeling and
the suffering of others. Vulgar and violent stuff deprive our students of the
deeper contemplation. If they are exposed to such material for long, their
tender mind will get distorted for all.
6.
Health
There
are many health issues associated with the long sitting and consistent starring
at the mobile screen. Radiation emitted by the screen is harmful to the eyes. Many
students are facing the problem of poor vision at very young age. Headphones
are also causing big harm to the hearing capacity of the children. Long
sittings are disturbing the digestion. Students are so engaged in gaming and
surfing that they forget to maintain proper posture and harm the spinal and
others parts in many ways. Poor health leads to poor concentration and low
scores.
7.
Information overload
It
is yet another problem. Internet is full of information on everything that
comes to our mind. Without proper guidance a student cannot choose the right and
accurate material. Sometime reaching to and searching correct information is
like finding a needle in the heap of straw. It is very tedious, time taking and
frustrating task. Information overload do more harm than good.
(D) Conclusion
From
above discussion it is clear that mobile and Internet can make or mar a
student’s life. Its effect will depend on the way a student uses these tools.
But we cannot do away with these technologies all together. We must find a way
out. Mobiles and Internet should be provided to the students with a word of
caution. Government and Industry should device means to check the negative side
of these technologies. Parents, teachers and schools should take precaution.
Students should be made educated about the bad effects of mobiles. With all
these precautions and cares, mobile and Internet should be used as a powerful
learning and teaching aid.
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