You’re going to hear part of a talk about the internet and education.

You will hear

the talk twice.

1. THE FIRST TIME, just listen. Then I’ll ask you to tell me generally what the
speaker is talking about. Are you ready?

2. THE SECOND TIME YOU LISTEN, make some notes as you listen, if you want to. Then
explain how the internet has changed education and how the speaker thinks it will
change in the future. You will hear the talk twice. The fisrt time, just listen.

Audio Transcript
The internet has been the single biggest technological advance of the last 20-30
years, with its impact stretching from how we do our shopping to how we watch TV.
Yet perhaps its influence has been felt most keenly in the field of education. Many
people still remember what it was like to study before the internet took such a
hold on the industry, and the truth is that the two different eras are worlds
apart.

Before the internet, practically any piece of work that had to be carried out would
be started by a trip to the library. These days, 93% of students find most of their
information online. Similarly, the way students organise their group work has been
completely revolutionised, seeing as now they can communicate so easily online and
share information with a click of a button, whereas previous group work involved
arduous treks to other people’s houses, weighed down with books, only to discover
that someone else had left a key resource at home.

The internet has also precipitated a huge increase in learning resources, which in
the past would have been mainly limited to textbooks in a classroom. As we know
that everyone learns in different ways, this multitude of new resources has allowed
everyone to learn in the most appropriate way for them. If you don’t like reading
textbooks, it is no longer a problem, you can watch a video or do an interactive
task online instead. We now have so many materials that we are almost spoilt for
choice. This has the potential to lead to a paperless education some day, something
which many people would be keen to see given how much paper is used on learning
resources today. This could turn out to be the most important impact of the
internet one education due to the effect that it could have on putting the brakes
on climate change.

Furthermore, online courses have democratised education to a massive extent. Gone

are the days when your location had as much of an effect on your education as your
intellectual ability. Nowadays, as long as you have an internet connection, you can
study. This has to some extent changed the role of the teacher though. Whereas
before the internet the teacher’s word would have been gospel, this democratisation
means that everyone now has a voice, and with online courses it could be argued
that the value of the teacher has been lessened to some extent. It would be no
surprise to see this trend continue in the future.

Answers
Internet and Education

Answers

Most information online – no need to go to the library

Group work much easier – all preparation can be done online
Many more learning resources so everyone can learn in the best way for them
Democratisation of education – anyone can study no matter where in the world they
are.
Could see a paperless education in the future which would help stop global warming
Role of the teacher could be diminished in the future