Is the Internet really so necessary and useful? (the point of view of 3 age groups)
Now nearly everything is done with the help of the Internet. Practically every activity. That’s why I’ve decided to find out whether the Internet is really so necessary. But I thought it would be unfair to ask only one age group. That’s why I’ve interviewed not only students, but also school pupils (aged 14-16) and grown-ups. All of the interviewed grown-ups are teachers, but of different subjects. I’ve asked 5 questions: 1. How often do you use the Internet to do your homework/to make up your lessons? 2. Should EFL students use the Internet more? Why? 3. Imagine there were no Internet. Would it be more difficult for you to study/to work? 4. Which language(s) do you use when surfing the Net? 5. What do you usually do in the Internet? 60% of the interviewees use the Internet every day. The most active Internet users are students. The percentage of answers to the 2nd question is 50-50. That is the first half say, "yes, because very many authentic materials can be found there”, and another half say, "no, EFL students are ordinary people and they don’t need the Internet more than anybody else”. If there were no Internet tomorrow, only 10% would easily survive. As one of the teachers has said, "there was no Internet several decades ago, and people managed to do everything though it was more time-consuming”. And again do we come to the conclusion that English is the global language. 90% of people do use it when searching the Net (don’t forget that not all of them are EFL students). 10% use only Russian, and another 10% use some other foreign languages. And finally! The most interesting question!!! And the truth will be revealed!!!!! What do we use the Internet for? The most popular answer is: "to work”, i. e. to prepare for classes (teachers also). Predictably, the next popular answer is "to download materials”: music, videos, compositions, etc. And then – to search/research, chat, entertain (play on-line games). About 30% search for the news, 10% - for technological achievements. Nevertheless all pupils have said, "to play! and to chat!” and only then "to work”, explaining "to find some essays, for example”. So, the Internet gives us a lot of opportunities, different opportunities. No matter what age and social group we belong to.
