How Internet Changed Education and Society

The Internet has changed the world through instant news feeds. We are now able to access world and local news as it happens. People are communicating instantaneously as we see students and society text message events as they happen.
Worldwide, people are working at home in Internet-based businesses. They no longer have to go to the office to do their work. Others have found a way to make working on the Internet a profitable business, especially with sites like Amazon.com or EBay. Society is changing its way of accessing information and now even new laws are being created to fit the digital environment's use and misuse.
Educationally, parents have the ability to access their child's grades daily. They can see whether or not they have handed in their homework, and kept up with their daily assignments, as they too, are posted. Students have no excuse for not doing their homework since it is posted. Parents can email the teacher and communicate information about trips, needed assignments, missing grades, etc. They can have more input and necessary feedback.
The tools for education have changed with the advent of the Internet. We used to teach with books and go to the library for resources for reports. Now, the Internet has made the access of information immediate. We can collaborate globally and disseminate information immediately. The curricular areas need to be changed to meet the challenges of the Internet and how we address student learning issues and needs. For example, students now have to be taught how to access relevant information and critically examine websites. This means Boolean strategies must be taught at an earlier age, as well as what constitutes an appropriate site for accessing needed information. Cyber bullying is a new topic, and students need to be taught the consequences of online abuse.
Teachers are now expected to be a facilitator instead of a teacher who disseminates information. We need to incorporate online environments to facilitate students living in today's world and expected to graduate into a global workforce with skills necessary to obtain a job. They are text-messaging, using cell phones as cameras and instant messaging devices, downloading information and music as well. They are listening to pod casts, which teachers could use in their teaching, as well. There's a lot of free software on the web teachers and students could be using to collaborative with on their assignments. Students need to have access to computers, and this means there could be a problem if students don't have access. The schools need to provide adequate access for all students so they can do their online assignments. We're coming to an age where students need to almost have a computer on their desk as a tool,like a pencil, and not as a "class" to go to.
The public libraries have free access to the Internet, yet it's limited on a first come, first serve basis and not all can wait for an hour for access. There are the homeless whose needs have to be met, as well. Having a computer might not be their priority. Not all places in the world have equitable access to the Internet as well. We do have a digital divide to overcome. There are many people in society working on that issue, too.