Students Today can Access Information Online IELTS Writing Task 2

The Internet is the storehouse of all sorts of information. It provides innumerable data on every topic which can be accessed anytime in just a few clicks. On the other hand, offline resources available in the libraries can only be accessed during their working hours. For example, it is more convenient for a research student to access details of the ongoing research any time using the Internet.

Digital books and information are available at cheaper costs as compared to printed books. Moreover, books require storage space which may be difficult for some students. For instance, students can easily download and keep several digital books on their computers.

On the other hand, the students are more prone to distraction while using the Internet. This can adversely impact their education. However, this is not true in the case of using offline resources, where the students can completely concentrate on the task at hand. For example, nearly 72 percent of students prefer printed books to e-books.

Excessive internet and screen usage can also adversely impact the health of the students. For instance, in a study conducted on 576 Indian students, almost 18% (103 students) have complained about eye fatigue at the end of the day after using electronic devices. This is not true in the case of accessing information from offline sources.

In conclusion, it can be said that although students can easily access information online yet offline resources like books, magazines, pamphlets, etc. do play a pivotal role in the education of students.

The internet houses vast information on several topics which are available round the clock. This information helps the students achieve global perspectives and keeps them up to date with the latest trends and developments. The online information is also regularly updated. Additionally, digital books and information are available at cheaper prices and require less storage space. For instance, several digital files can be downloaded and kept on a computer.

Despite this, studying from offline resources is more advantageous to the students. While studying from online sources, the students can get easily distracted and may fall prey to the temptations of browsing through the internet. For example, in 2013, around 30 percent of students self-reported themselves as being easily distracted by electronic devices. Thus, it affects their education to a great extent. On the other hand, students using printed books and pamphlets can easily concentrate on their studies without getting diverted. Additionally, reading from printed resources ensures deep reading. For example, according to research conducted by Ackerman and Goldsmith (2011), reading on paper allows students to absorb more information. This, in turn, helps the students to better understand and answer inferential questions.

Furthermore, increased frequency of screen usage and the internet causes several short-term and long-term impacts on the health of the students. Conditions like dry eyes, visual and sensory fatigue, near-sightedness, and headaches are common among the students of the world. For example, by the age of 12, nearly 11 million students in America need vision correction.

In conclusion, it can be said that the advantages of using offline resources outweigh those in favor of using online resources. Thus, although infinite information can be very conveniently accessed by the students from online sources, offline resources prove to be more useful for the students in the long run.

The internet is quite beneficial to the students as it contains several digital books and infinite information which can be very conveniently accessed by the students at any point of time during the day. On the other hand, offline resources available in libraries can be accessed only during certain hours of the day. Moreover, these resources are limited in number. For example, a UPSC aspirant can easily access information on any topic using the internet.

The documents available online can be purchased at a minimal cost. However, offline resources like books and pamphlets are comparatively expensive and require large storage space. For example, numerous documents can be downloaded each day and can be kept on the computer.

Moreover, printing of books, magazines, and newspapers requires paper, which is obtained from trees. For example, according to a recent study, nearly 1,12,169 trees (24 trees per day) have been cut down between 2005 and 2018. Thus, many students prefer to use online resources for the benefit of the environment.

Despite these, offline resources play a crucial role in the education of students because these sources are very much reliable. On the other hand, the information available online may be false. This is because of easy access to the internet to all people around the globe. Any random person can easily change or update the information available on a particular website – for example, Wikipedia – on a particular topic. This, in turn, might have a negative impact on the education of the students.

Furthermore, since the internet is home to an infinite amount of information, therefore, it might be difficult for some students to classify the data that is actually required by them. For example, UG students, while accessing online information, might fail to classify the data that will be needed for their examinations.

Thus, the use of both online and offline resources has its own advantages and disadvantages. However, both of them are important and play a crucial role in enhancing the education of the students.