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Information technology has been changing the world of education for over a decade. It’s constantly evolving and providing more opportunities for individuals from every walk of life to receive schooling. Prior to the evolution of information technology, individuals were enrolled at brick and mortar institutions for 12-16 years depending on the level of education. Now, students all over the world can be involved in higher education through various online learning platforms offered at colleges and universities.
Far-reaching Capabilities
Perhaps the most significant development in information technology as it relates to education is the ability to reach anyone with an internet connection. Individuals no longer need to relocate in order to pursue their dreams of higher education. Students can pursue a degree in an internet cafe in Southeast Asia or in a cushy high-rise apartment in New York City. As an added bonus, the diversity of students has also increased. People in completely different countries can be in the same class and still be able to interact virtually in online discussion boards and group assignments. It provides a different perspective for discussion topics that students might miss out on if they were to attend a community college with the same people they live around.
Convenience
Due to the technology that schools have continued to build upon, students can even pursue graduate degrees online. It is so much easier to receive an online master’s in library and information science, because the materials you previously would have needed are now available through the Internet. In a study as specific as library science, which entails a lot of research, having entire databases to search through can be exhausting. With the online databases available today, there are keyword searches and specific filters you can apply to your search that will cut down your research time significantly. It also allows students to have more information at their fingertips instead of just what was available at the university’s library.
Information technology has had a significant impact on the society we live in. It has even started to eliminate the need for large, expensive textbooks and an obscene amount of composition notebooks. Research papers, notes and assignments can be stored and turned in on cloud storage services so it is always accessible no matter what device you are using. The convenience and other added benefits have proved to be indispensable in the education field and to students today.
This article was contributed by guest author Lizzie Weakley.