The explosive growth of the Internet is evidence of an extraordinary adult learning phenomenon that cuts across traditional demographic lines. The Internet is not only as a medium for learning and teaching, but instead focuses on how adults learn to participate in this phenomenon, whether on their own, at work, or through continuing education.
According to researchers conducting World Wide Web user surveys at Georgia Tech, thirty-six million people in the United States were on the Internet in November, 1997 (Graphics, Visualization, and Usability Center, 1997). Since the user surveys began in 1994, the average age of respondents has steadily increased; in the most recent survey it was thirty-five. About 37 percent of respondents were novices who had been on-line less than one year. Among females, the percentage of novices was 43 percent, while among users older than fifty, 53 percent had gone on-line for the first time within the last twelve months.
Two inferences can be drawn from these and other survey data. First, as it grows, the population of the Internet is becoming increasingly diverse and more consistent with the characteristics of the general population. Once the private domain of a small number of researchers and academics, the Internet has become a true mass medium. Second, this continuous growth means that a large proportion of Internet users are beginners. The absolute number of new users will steadily increase--and with it the demand for new resources for teaching and learning Internet skills.
Nowadays, peoples are more aware of the existence of the technology which need to be concern as it flows with the urbanization around the world. Since the phenomenon just growing wild in our country lately, we have to learn a lot more in order to cope with the trend. It maybe comes with thousands of advantages but it is not impossible if there are some of negative value behind it. Think twice for everything!
According to researchers conducting World Wide Web user surveys at Georgia Tech, thirty-six million people in the United States were on the Internet in November, 1997 (Graphics, Visualization, and Usability Center, 1997). Since the user surveys began in 1994, the average age of respondents has steadily increased; in the most recent survey it was thirty-five. About 37 percent of respondents were novices who had been on-line less than one year. Among females, the percentage of novices was 43 percent, while among users older than fifty, 53 percent had gone on-line for the first time within the last twelve months.
Two inferences can be drawn from these and other survey data. First, as it grows, the population of the Internet is becoming increasingly diverse and more consistent with the characteristics of the general population. Once the private domain of a small number of researchers and academics, the Internet has become a true mass medium. Second, this continuous growth means that a large proportion of Internet users are beginners. The absolute number of new users will steadily increase--and with it the demand for new resources for teaching and learning Internet skills.
Nowadays, peoples are more aware of the existence of the technology which need to be concern as it flows with the urbanization around the world. Since the phenomenon just growing wild in our country lately, we have to learn a lot more in order to cope with the trend. It maybe comes with thousands of advantages but it is not impossible if there are some of negative value behind it. Think twice for everything!
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