Delmar, a company that specializes in research solutions for business and higher education, points out several advantages to knowing how to conduct research on a computer, rather than using a traditional approach in a library. Computers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With a computer, a student can access information from around the world with a few strokes on the keyboard rather than facing the limitations of the books available in a university library. In addition, computer research is much faster than traditional research methods.
Term papers are part of college life. With a computer writing a paper is much more efficient than it would be with a typewriter. If the author does not know how to spell a word it is as easy as looking at the built-in dictionary. Editing for grammar and spelling mistakes is as easy as clicking the spell check button, and if the student decides to rearrange the order of paragraphs it is a matter of click and drag rather than a retyping job. In addition, multiple copies are easy to print out, email to an instructor or save on a hard drive for future reference.
College instructors use computers as often as their students do. A lot of instructors prefer to have students go to online sources where the student can take quizzes, do homework and read class related materials. ANGEL is a web-based learning program especially commonly used in science and math classes (See References). Without computer skills to log onto ANGEL and navigate though the site, a college student would be at considerable disadvantage.
Most colleges offer at least some classes online. This gives students more flexibility in scheduling. For example an elective physical education class might conflict with a required English class. Rather than having to choose between the two, students with computer skills can opt to take both. In addition, if a student wants to take classes over the summer, but does not live near her college, she can take online classes while still living at home.
In addition to social sites such as Facebook, communication between students and faculty and college administration is commonly done via email If a professor has a last-minute emergency and has to cancel class, it is as simple to notify the class as typing a quick email and sending it to every student along with information on homework and rescheduling. Computer networking is part of today's job search for students nearing college graduation. The student can post his resume on Amazon, or Monster or any of the many job-hunting sites where potential employers can find him.