The contribution of the Internet into learning

Nowadays, the expansion of the Internet is, undoubtedly, widespread and has developed a new socio-economic environment, where information, innovation and knowledge play a primary role. Through its multiplicity the Internet constitutes probably the best way for accessing entertainment, learning and information, as well as for establishing socialization processes and communication among people.
This paper examines issues related to the learning process, the learning environments developed by the new virtual reality and the relationship between learning and the Internet, with a particular focus on the impact of the Internet on informal learning processes. The survey mainly aims at investigating university students’ beliefs about the impact of the Internet on the learning process. The sample is comprised by 390 students from various Greek university departments, 160 (41%) males and 230 (59%) females.
The majority of the students believe that the Internet can significantly contribute into the learning process. More specifically, they state that the Internet use can improve learners’ academic performance, promote research skills and critical thinking, encourage independent or collaborative learning, enhance motivation, strengthen self-confidence and improve the teaching methods. It facilitates the access to information that the educational system fails to provide, and offers knowledge, frequently more useful than that provided by the courses, complementing, thus, “formal” learning. The research findings also show a differentiation in Internet use, which is associated with the educational level of students’ parents.