Computers have changed the way people study. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using computers as study aids?

Advancements in technology have made a significant difference to the way in which people are able to learn, and though

this

is mostly beneficial, there are

also

some negative aspects that will

also

be considered. Beginning with the positive points, the ability to

work

on assessments and coursework on a computer means that

work

can be saved safely and transported from place to place. Before the arrival of computers, students traditionally had files and folders with their course notes, and

this

took up a considerable amount of room and was difficult to keep track of; now, complete lecture notes and much more can be stored on a flash drive that can be easily put in a pocket or bag.

In addition

, lectures and learning material can be made available online, allowing for a multimedia educational environment.

This

is likely to engage a wider range of students as it has the ability to cater for a wider range of learning styles.

For example

, some students study best by repeatedly listening to a teacher, and

this

can now be achieved more conveniently by having videos available. On the downside, there are occasions where information stored digitally can be deleted, overwritten or corrupted, all situations that do not occur on traditional paper based

work

. There is

also

the concern that material can be garnered from the Internet and passed off as the

students

Suggestion

students'

own

work

, making plagiarism a potential issue.

However

, the concept of plagiarism has long been a problem, and there are computer programs available today that will pinpoint the source of non original

work

. In conclusion,

although

there are potential disadvantages, they are outweighed by the positives.