I think the internet is a great resource for learning. It gives individuals access to vast amounts of research at their fingertips. No longer do individuals have to wait to get a question answered, especially if one has a smart phone. Questions can be answered by the touch of a button in literally seconds. The internet has greatly impacted my own learning. It has allowed me to pursue my master’s degree online in the comfort of my home. I did not have to quit my job and relocate in order to pursue higher education which has been very beneficial for me professionally as well as personally.
The internet is the first place I turn to when researching or learning new things. I usually start with a general google search to see what information is out there and what information people searching the subject are reading. Especially if an athlete asks me a question I am unfamiliar with, I look at Wikipedia so that I can see what they have probably already looked at. This gives me a basic picture of the topic. I then go to professional organization websites such as the NATA or NCAA to gain more reliable information. If these sites do not have what I am looking for I search for peer reviewed journal articles through a library database such as PubMed or Ebsco. This usually answers my questions.
Although, caution should be warranted when getting information online. Individuals need to make sure that the sites are reliable and the information presented is indeed accurate. It is very easy to create web pages and present information as fact when it is not. So I always make sure to fact check information I obtain from a website that I am unsure of its credibility. It can also get distracting when trying to research something on the internet. There is so much information available it is easy to get overwhelmed or sidetracked. To avoid this, I always make sure I search for a specific topic or try to answer a certain question before I start my search so that I can stay focused. If I come across something interesting but not relevant to the task at hand, I will write it down to come back to it when I am done researching. This reduces distractions and allows me to get my research done in a timely manner.
The internet is the first place I turn to when researching or learning new things. I usually start with a general google search to see what information is out there and what information people searching the subject are reading. Especially if an athlete asks me a question I am unfamiliar with, I look at Wikipedia so that I can see what they have probably already looked at. This gives me a basic picture of the topic. I then go to professional organization websites such as the NATA or NCAA to gain more reliable information. If these sites do not have what I am looking for I search for peer reviewed journal articles through a library database such as PubMed or Ebsco. This usually answers my questions.
Although, caution should be warranted when getting information online. Individuals need to make sure that the sites are reliable and the information presented is indeed accurate. It is very easy to create web pages and present information as fact when it is not. So I always make sure to fact check information I obtain from a website that I am unsure of its credibility. It can also get distracting when trying to research something on the internet. There is so much information available it is easy to get overwhelmed or sidetracked. To avoid this, I always make sure I search for a specific topic or try to answer a certain question before I start my search so that I can stay focused. If I come across something interesting but not relevant to the task at hand, I will write it down to come back to it when I am done researching. This reduces distractions and allows me to get my research done in a timely manner.