Sunday, March 15, 2009

Internet access a beneficiary for children’s social networks and education

By having internet access children are able to explore and gain knowledge. A child may be able to provide valuable information to his or her peers by simply using the internet. Children can help one another and expand their social network. By allowing a less restrictive access to the internet children will be able to develop productive tasks educationally and socially. Restricting children will harm them in the long run. They are slowly falling behind in our new "technological" world.

Author Henry Jay Becker of “Who’s Wired and Who’s Not: Children’s Access to and Use of Computer Technology” discusses how low income and high income children are benefiting differently from the internet. Those who come from low income families may not have access to the internet whereas high income families do. With these differences schools should have fewer limitations. Children spend most of their days in school if they are not home; therefore, schools play a major role in their lives. Becker argues that schools should play a more productive role when it comes to internet access because of those students who are less fortunate. Education is not solely based on books and a teacher’s lesson plan. The internet is the future of education and schools should provide the benefits to children.

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