Effects of Computers on Higher Education

Through the ages, industrious individuals have continuously created conveniences to make life easier. From the invention of the wheel to the lightbulb, inventions have propelled society forward. One recent modern invention is the computer, which has improved many aspects of people’s lives. This is especially true in the field of education. (Therefore / Because of) computer technology, higher education today has three major conveniences: lecture variety, easy research, and time-saving writing methods. One important effect of computer technology on higher education is the availability of lectures. (For this reason / As a result of) the development of computer networks, students can obtain lectures from many universities in real time. They are now able to sit down in front of a digital screen and listen to a lecture being given at another university. In addition, interactive media can be used to question a lecturer or exchange opinions with other students via e-mail. Such computerized lectures give students access to knowledge that was previously unavailable. (For this reason / Because), students can learn from professors in specialized fields, regardless of where they are teaching.

The development of computers also makes it possible to have access to more information via the Internet and databases. (Since / Consequently), when students research a topic, they do not necessarily have to go to the library to find information because many articles and even textbooks can be downloaded via computer. It is now extremely easy to use the Internet and databases since all one has to do is type in a few key words and wait a few moments. The convenience of doing this type of research from home helps busy students who would otherwise not have time to visit a campus library. Finally, computer technology helps students with their academic writing assignments. E-mail assignments are becoming more common at universities. (As a result / Due to), the assignments are much quicker and easier to finish than before. When it is time to hand in assigned papers or homework, students simply send them to their professors via e-mail. This method is beneficial for students and convenient for teachers, who will not risk losing their students’ work in a mountain of papers.

Another time-saving computer function is the word processor. (Thus / Because of) improved word-processing programs, students have the added benefit of spell-checking and grammar-checking programs. If a sentence is grammatically incorrect, one of these programs highlights the incorrect parts of the sentence and corrects them. Word-processing programs also have built-in dictionaries and spell checkers, which help students write concisely and accurately. (Since / As a result of) these two functions – email and word processing – both teachers and students can save a great deal of time and produce solid work. To summarize, computer technology has three main positive effects on higher education: lecture variety, easy research, and time-saving writing methods. (Because of / Because) the advent of computers in education, students can now increase their knowledge and be more time-efficient at the same time. Academic life will never be the same!