Topic 39 Can new technologies help students? The information technology is developing so rapidly that nearly all families in Hong Kong have at least one computer

The information technology is developing so rapidly that nearly all families in Hong Kong have at least one computer. Not only can students surf on the net and search for information at home, but they can also use computers at schools, at cyber centers and even in certain (и даже в некоторых) fast food restaurants. No doubt, the convenience in accessing information on the Internet helps students to learn more knowledge and learn it more quickly.

In the past, students can only learn from traditional books. In addition to the school curriculum (к школьной программе), students might be able to learn from the extra-curricular books. They can go to the library and search for information. But this is much inconvenient than just sitting in front of the computer and learning things from websites from all over the world. In comparison, the information from the traditional books is so limited. By surfing on the net, students can get a wider horizon about any kind of information and have a deep understanding on each field.

On the other hand, students can never have such a quick way to search for information that they required. In a library, students might have to spend a whole hour in searching for a single book with relevant (подходящей) information. Yet, with a computer, students can search for an entire page of links with a search engine such as Yahoo. The whole process involves just few clicks and several seconds. Moreover, information from books in library might be outdated. On the net, students can learn the first-handed information. With the help of technology, students can get information much quicker.

However, searching on the net for information has its disadvantages too. It is difficult to ensure the information is accurate or not, as the publishing of website do not have the controlling policies as that of publishing books. Yet, in general, it is still true that information technology help students to learn more and learn more quickly.