By Brianna Cutter
CCC Journalism Program
BLACKWOOD – “Please do some research online for homework” is a phrase that students have probably heard from their professors at one point or another.
Students Anthony DeLaura (left) and Christian Walsh (right) do research for a class assignment in their Influence of Mass Media class. By Brianna Cutter, CCC Journalism Program
Living in an age of technological advancement, students are being encouraged to complete assignments through online resources. Whether it be to visit a website designed for math homework or simply to look up information for a research paper, it all requires using online resources. At the end of the day, however, are these online resources really helping the students? Or are they hurting them?
A recent online survey of students found 85 percent of the students who participated take classes that require them to use the Internet to complete class work. Of this percentage, 76 percent responded they would rather not use the Internet for assignments.
Joseph Greco, a third-year laser technology major, is among the students who oppose using these online resources. As to why he thinks these online resources are a bad idea, Greco says, “Being online poses too many distractions. You could be writing a paper one minute and posting a Facebook status the next.” Another concern that Greco mentioned was finding reliable information online. “It all depends if you know how to find the information you are looking for. It’s all about using the right databases,” Greco says.
Not all students have this point of view. Some students say they enjoy using the Internet for class assignments. As to the effectiveness of using online resources, Christian Walsh, a second-year communications major, says, “I believe I learn more effectively through online resources. They go more in depth about the work and make solving problems simpler.”
Not only has Camden County College made this move, but many other colleges all across the country have as well to improve efficiency and effectiveness for students and their learning.
Anthony DeLaura, a second-year communications major, has mixed feelings about the efficiency and effectiveness of technology. “Using online resources makes the work easier to get to and easier to complete. It is efficient, but when there are problems, it becomes a very tedious task. Having to call the help desk and wait for a response can take hours,” DeLaura says.