Using the internet for learning and teaching purposes can have benefits; however the disadvantages far outweigh the positives. The internet is not the effective tool that it appears to be, with many tertiary students finding difficulties associated with accessing and using this technology. The internet holds a wealth of information; however the quality of this information can be questionable. In addition to this, using the internet requires a certain amount of computer knowledge which students can find difficult to master and there are associated issues regarding accessing information and the related costs involved with using the internet. Students using the internet for study are also at risk of isolation due to the autonomous nature of external study.
             It is true that much information can be found by simply typing a few words into a search engine and pressing enter. Nevertheless, information can be uploaded to the internet without any scrutiny or evaluation from experts. Alternatively, information that is gathered from printed material will have been thoroughly examined and assessed by an authority on the subject before being published (MacDonald & Seel 2001). MacDonald & Seel (2001) state that "on the internet...anything goes", this means that the authenticity of the information on the internet must be questioned. Singh & William (2004, pg.3) raise questions about accuracy and the fact that the web is commercialized which could lead to bias. What's more, using the internet promotes casual reading habits. Students who read in an informal manner are not engaging completely with the content, which can result in the production of a more casual writing style (Birkerts in Leibowitz 1999).
             Along with the issue of establishing the quality of information on the internet, there are difficulties associated with accessing the information in the first place. Acquiring information online requires using a computer with...