There are many ways how to use the internet for study. Here are some ideas I came up with from doing some basic research, but I am sure there is a lot more and so please leave me a comment
Sample websites and videos for difficult topics
When I am stuck on homework, it is often a quick search on the internet that will help me move forward on a topic. I regularly use YouTube for math topics for example.
Research
the key on how to use the internet for study is that there is a lot of research material out on the internet. The challenge is not finding it, the challenge is knowing what is real and what is not. The internet is full of opinion pieces and anecdotes presented as facts. Use Wikipedia, by all means, but only as a starting point. The sources used are usually cited at the bottom of the article, so can be useful as a starting point for further research.
In my experience, if you spend some time looking at multiple sources on any topic, you start to get a picture of what is real and what is not.
Synopsis of literature
Another area where I use the internet actively is when I am reading a book for literature. The internet has many good sites that summarize literature. I enjoy reading, and I don’t use this as a substitute for reading the book. But it helps me to consolidate what I have read, and make sure I understand the key themes clearly. For example: http://www.sparknotes.com/sparknotes/
Download copies of exams and tests
The internet is invaluable to get copies of past tests and exams, and sample questions/answers. Not always easy to find, but eventually I always find what I am looking for.
Download copies of revision notes for your subject
I have downloaded revision notes for my subjects from the internet. It does not substitute for my own notes, but sometimes it helps me to have a second reference guide on topics that I might not have captured myself clearly.
Forums where you can get help from other students
Although I have not used them, some of my friends mentioned that there are forums where you can pose questions and get support. If you can help out here by recommending some sites, that would be helpful.
Connect with friends for homework sharing
You don’t need to meet with friends to do homework sharing. Google hangouts will do fine, as well Skype and many other tools.
Find relevant books and study guides
Obviously it is easy to find good books and study guides online to help you. Often you can find them second hand on eBay and save yourself some money.
E-learning websites
There are some eLearning websites with online support which might help you in case of difficult topics. Worth to take a look?
Find educational games
In some cases, you might find games that are educational at the same time. I cannot say that I can recommend any, although I remember some educational mathsites when I was younger….
Online tutoring
Online tutoring is becoming more popular. Of course this is not free, but most online tutors will give you a free test-run. You could try it if you get stuck on a topic.
One of the downsides of being on the internet is that there is a lot of distraction and it is hard to resist the temptations to check your Facebook or to check out the latest videos on YouTube.
There are tools available to help like Stay Focused, Self Control or Leechblock, for instance, which allows you to block certain websites for an allocated period of time, enabling you to concentrate on studying.
Have you found a great way how to use the internet to study? Drop me a line and let me know.
