Lessons on: Excellence Lessons on: Excellence ALL ABOUT THE INTERNET AND ITS ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES TRAINING FOR LIFE LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE FOR EUROPE

The Internet or the World Wide Web is indeed a wonderful and amazing addition in our lives. The Internet can be known as a kind of global meeting place where people from all parts of the world can come together. It is a service available on the computer, through which everything under the sun is now at the fingertips of anyone who has access to the Internet. The Internet

The Internet provides opportunities galore, and can be used for a variety of things Advantages of the Internet

is an online correspondence system. With you can send and receive instant electronic messages, which works like writing letters. Your messages are delivered instantly to people anywhere in the world, unlike traditional mail that takes a lot of time.

Services: MSN Yahoo Google Mail Local services Possibilities: - Send text - Send files

Advantages independet of time and place little technics and technical knowledge needed Disadvantages Asynchronity Limited file size

Newsletter/ Twitter Can rather be used to reach publicities/ less useful for group interaction

Access Information: The Internet is a virtual treasure trove of information. Any kind of information on any topic under the sun is available on the Internet. The ‘search engines’ on the Internet can help you to find data on any subject that you need.

Along with getting information on the Internet, you can also shop online. There are many online stores and sites that can be used to look for products as well as buy them using your credit card. You do not need to leave your house and can do all your shopping from the convenience of your home E-Shopping:

Internet-marketing

Buy all the things you need

Buy everything and anything

You can make a living from marketing on the Internet

Online Chat: There are many ‘chat rooms’ on the web that can be accessed to meet new people, make new friends, as well as to stay in touch with old friends.

Chat / Messenger Services: Skype VOIP MSN Messenger ICQ Chat Systems Possibilities: - Written Chat - Voice Talk - Video Chat

Downloading Software: This is one of the most happening and fun things to do via the Internet. You can download innumerable, games, music, videos, movies, and a host of other entertainment software from the Internet, most of which are free.

Chat/ Messenger

Advantages no continous maintenance needed less time consuming direct/ personal communication is possible students are forced to deal with another

Chat / Messenger Recommodation build pairs of 2 or 3 students give students time to introduce themselves/ talk about own topic at the same time: give a specific topic to discuss think about the use of moderators/ mediators (can be the teacher) analyse the chat/ problems with the students afterwards

Video portals Services: YouTube Myvideo Clipfish Sevenload Youku Possibilities: -Watch video streamings (flash) -Publish videos -Create your own TV Channel -Interact with other members (comment, rate, private messages..)

Video portals

Advantages: raise attention/ reach huge publicities can easily be implemented/ linked possibility to earn money (if videos are very popular)

Social Networks Services: Facebook Myspace Local Social Networks: SchülerVZ (Germany) Possibilities: Various services and applications available (Private Messages, Forum, calender, event manager, group manager, walls, chats)

Social Networks

Advantages: Meets the communication behaviour of your students Combination of private interests and project little efforts needed in administration enables students to stay in contact

Own Website and/or Forum Services Various free software available to generate own websites (no html skills needed) Various free forum/ board systems available (Bulletin Boards) Possibilities: Almost everything is possible

Own Website and/or Forum

Advantages: You can fit everything your needs You can control all contents and contacts perfect for external presentation & project documentation

Own Website and/or Forum Recommodation: Calculate cost-value ration very well Don‘t put high efforts in something that no one is using/ watching If students are willing and able: let them participate in a responsible manner

Disadvantages of the Internet

Personal Information: If you use the Internet, your personal information such as your name, address, etc. can be accessed by other people. If you use a credit card to shop online, then your credit card information can also be ‘stolen’ which could be akin to giving someone a blank check.

Spamming This refers to sending unsolicited s in bulk, which serve no purpose and unnecessarily clog up the entire system.

Virus, Trojan & Other Malware These are malicious programs that plague the Internet time and again. They attack a computer with the sole intent of causing harm. They can make the computer malfunction or even this can be very costly especially if you lose important data.

Addiction to Internet Just like everything else, people also get addicted to the Internet. This may sound bizarre, but some people spend more than their fair amount of time on the Internet.

Kids Exposed to Adults-Only Content The fact that Internet has all information you could ever need is both a good thing and a bad things. This is because it contains age- inappropriate content like pornography. Unfortunately, such content can be accessed by children as young as ten. All guardians and parents can do about it is lock out harmful sites to keep their children safe.

Chat / Messenger Disadvantages technical equipment needed: webcam, headset fast internet connection needed

Video portals Disadvantages: everyone can see less social control (comments etc.)

Own Website and/or Forum Disadvantages: High technical knowledge needed Administration and maintenace is very time consuming might not meet the interests & regular communication behaviour of your students  website can easily get unattractive for students (especially after the project)

Social Networks Disadvantages: No own label/ less beneficial for external project presentation Many possibilities of distraction given

Facebook and its influence on people Social media also takes up a lot of time, and internet users are happy to get stuck in This leads to the use of platforms such as Facebook and Twitter becoming second-nature, forming habits that influence their lives, both on and offline.

Negativity of facebook

Communicability thanks to the Internet

All the information you need thanks to the Internet

You can also learn a lot of things from internet.

You can learn everthing about everwhere on the Internet

With the help of the Internet you can see the places you’ve always wanted to see

If you’re not interested in this advanced stuff there is a lot of entertainment on the Internet

How can I help you ?