Education Part 2

(Note: this post about education concerns life in the information age. My other post shows education as an online service).

The information age also had an effect on education and learning. With the advance in computer technology and computer programs, most forms of education involve a computer and ICT, IT and computing subjects are now taught in schools. However, there are disadvantages to computer technology in schools and the increase in popularity does cause problems for teachers and examiners.

One example of technology used in education would be the VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) program. VLE programs are web based programs that provide resources for teachers and schools to use. The VLE program features all aspects of school including revision, assessments and set classwork/homework. A VLE system used by a school can easily be accessed from other computers allowing students to locate any learning materials necessary. Many different VLE systems exist although Frog VLE is one example of a secondary school based VLE.

A screenshot showing homework set using the frog VLE system

The interactive whiteboard is a different example of how the info age has effected education today. The board consists of a board and a projector which are connected to the teacher’s classroom computer. This allows the teacher to give lessons whilst showing the computer screen via the projector onto the board. The board is also interactive with a stylus pen or finger, allowing students interact with the lesson activity. Statistics also show the success of the whiteboard in classrooms with high percentages of schools owning interactive whiteboards.

Another form of electronic education would be registration. Registration was previously done on paper records of the students present in a class. Now, programs such as SIMS allow teachers to use a register database to record the students present. When taking a SIMS register, teachers press certain keys to mark the attendance status of a student. SIMS also acts as a database for student information, especially about attendance. 

The logo of the SIMS registration system

Other forms of electronic registration are also being used in schools. Swipe cards and barcodes also register student attendance. Scanners identify a unique code for each student that records their overall attendance.

Schools also look to keep ‘up to date’ with current technology available in the world. One example of this would be Apple’s Ipad for student use. Despite the fact the idea is fairly new, it seems to be a success in areas such as Europe and America. This is because of the ease of use and accessibility that the Ipad is capable of. However, some argue that desktop PCs are better for typing documents and homework as programs such as JavaScript and Flash cannot be used on an Ipad. Some people would also prefer keeping to more traditional ways of teaching students in class.

Overall, the possibility of Ipad tablets in schools is divided in opinion. While some schools take the opportunity to keep with modern times, other schools wouldn’t see student Ipads as a success and prefer to stay as normal in terms of teaching.

In some cases, the advance in computer technology has been so popular that subjects based around ICT are taught even in primary schools. The lessons teach students the basics of programs such as word and publisher. Students are also taught to use the internet and online research.

A screenshot showing a homework report using Microsoft Word

After primary education, ICT and other forms of the subject become even more important as in many schools, as IT is sometimes a compulsory subject at GCSE level. Other types of IT such as Applied ICT are also available at secondary schools for students. The availability of the IT subjects is due to many jobs requiring IT skills from their employees.

Some of these jobs are also looking for computing skills instead. This causes a problem for some schools as students are only taught the basics of computing. This is because ICT, IT and Applied ICT all focus on other aspects of computers and IT. To solve this problem, some schools have bought back the computing subject as part of the school curriculum.

The Raspberry Pi single board computer can be used to teach computing and computer science in schools

However, the increasing use of computer technology has caused some problems for schools and education. One example of these disadvantages would be the increase of plagiarism used in some students work. When asked to complete a classwork/homework task, some students used ‘copy and paste’ to move sections of information from websites to a document. However, the accessibility of the internet today allows student to copy information without permission.

Another problem with computer technology would be handwriting. Some people say that the use of computers in schools has decreased the quality in student handwriting. Because of this, some examiners are looking towards an increase in online exams in which handwriting would not be an issue. This would also benefit the students as some might prefer to type instead of write in their exams.

An example of students taking an online exam

Computers and the effects on employment

The computer device has existed since the beginning of the 20^th century as a machine that calculates mathematical problems. Since then, the computer has developed to solve more complex problems using a processing unit as well as a memory system. This significant change began when the first digital computers were used during the 1940’s. These computers were a lot bigger and used more power to run. The computer unit has since become more common and more advanced.

ENIAC, (Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer) is considered one of the first computers ever made in 1943.

How computers have effected employment

One area affected by the increase of computer usage would be the workplace. Before the computer device, the workplace was very different. The main difference was that information was handwritten or typed using a typewriter. Filing cabinets were used for storage instead of vast computer memory. Communication involved telephoning and letter writing instead of e-mail services.

Today, most forms of office work involve a computer. Examples of this would be communication using E-mail, document writing using a keyboard and storage using computer memory. Overall, the computer has meant that office work is quicker than before.

An example of an office in the 1970’s without computers and typewriters instead.

The effect of tablets on employment

The increasing popularity in tablet computers would also have an effect on employment and the workplace. As tablets become more common, their usage in the workplace would also increase. One example would be Microsoft giving each of their employees a free tablet computer to increase public knowledge of the windows 8 service. A link to the article is available here: http://www.webpronews.com/microsoft-gives-its-90000-employees-free-surface-tablets-2012-09

The Windows 8 tablet with keyboard and stand. This type of tablet would have been given to each Microsoft employee as mentioned in the news article above.

Advantages and disadvantages of computers

The introduction of computers to the workplace also brought advantages and disadvantages as well. One advantage would be the ability to calculate mathematical and logical problems. Many of these problems would be impossible for humans to calculate by themselves. The computer memory also means that many problems can be solved at once. Another advantage of the computer would be the computer’s memory itself. The amount of space available on a computer means that many documents and other forms of information can be stored safely. Before the computer, other types of storage were needed such as filing cabinets. The amount of information on the internet also means that the computer is a useful form of research material. This type of research is ideal for schools and data collection.

An example of a computer memory chip which is responsible for remembering all actions made by the computer.

However, there are also a number of disadvantages of computers in the workplace. One of these disadvantages is the possibility of a computer crash or failure. Examples of computer failures would be a power cut or a virus attack. If a computer failure such as these did occur, information and money could be lost, whereas previous methods would be safe from these problems. The increase in computer usage meant that many workers and financial calculators would have lost their jobs to computers. These computers could perform more calculations and it would be cheaper and quicker to run them overall. Another disadvantage would be that in some cases, previous methods would work better than computers. Today, some of these methods are still used for data backup.

One of the last typewriters used in offices before computers.

Online Entertainment

Popular forms of entertainment involving gaming, music and video have also been made popular since the beginning of the internet. Today, entertainment websites are some of the most well-known on the internet and online entertainment itself is very popular among its users.

Gaming

There are two types of online gaming among online entertainment. Free online games are available of users to play instantly. Online game websites include hundreds of simple games that are designed for the user to play quickly. Some online games are more complex such as world of warcraft and Runscape. These types of games are based on LAN and worldwide servers which allow many users to connect with each other from across the world. Because the game itself is more complex, a monthly member subscription must be paid in order to play the game.

Console games have also evolved to allow online connections. This allows a user to connect with friends or random players to play with each other. A user simply sets up a profile and connects to the network to play against other players. Popular examples of games with online play include Halo and Fifa series. Overall, online gaming has become more popular as it is easier and more convenient for players to entertainment themselves using online technology.

Music

Music services are also available online. One example of an online music service would be online radio services. This also users to access radio services and music whilst online. Online radio is also made more accessible as a user could listen to any radio station from around the world. Online radio became popular after its creation in 1994 and its still popular today.

Video

Watching videos has also seen an increase in popularity over the past years. Various video websites and companies have also become successful due to the availability of many videos to users.

Two examples of popular video companies would be Lovefilm and Netflix. Both of these companies allow a user to watch movies for a small monthly price. Most movies ever made are also available for users to watch. Today, online movie streaming is a popular alternative to buying a DVD or Blu-ray disc. Therefore the accessibility of online movie streaming is what makes popular with users.

Various websites are also popular for watching recent TV shows and episodes. These websites are also available to catch up of episodes that you may have missed during the original airing. An example of these websites would be BBC I-player. Since the I-player website was launched, other channels decided to create their own websites such as 4OD and ITV player. However, these episodes are only available for a set period of time. Despite this, catch up sites are very popular among users.

YouTube is another popular video website which has most videos any user would want to watch. Users can also upload their own videos to YouTube for others to watch. The wide range of videos is one reason why YouTube is a successful website. Since the creation of YouTube in 2005, around 72 hours of video is uploaded onto YouTube and over four billion hours of video is watched every month.

Because of YouTube’s success on the internet, a number of videos are now famous just because of YouTube. This videos are known as viral videos and become popular due to sharing on the internet. The spread of viral videos has created an impact on society as many people as using YouTube for fame, especially when promoting their music. However, viral videos have also become the subject of controversy over cyber-bullying for example.

IPad and Tablets

The tablet computer is a recent development although the idea has existed for many years. Microsoft created the first tablet computer for retail but failed to achieve widespread sales due to usage problems. 10 years later, Apple developed an improved tablet computer known as the Apple iPad. The tablet was developed as a more portable version of a laptop that features a large touchscreen instead of a keyboard.

The iPad itself is similar to the iPhone as both allow their users to browse the internet, download apps, take photos and play music as well as record videos. This means that users can find many forms of entertainment using an iPad or other tablet computer.

E-readers

E-readers are also similar to Tablet computers but are designed for reading instead of online usage. Downloadable books can be bought and downloaded onto a user’s E-reader. When a user wants to read, they can simply use their E-reader wherever they are to choose a book among their collection. However, the E-reader has had an impact on book stores. These book stores are losing profits as many people are using E-readers instead of buying ‘real’ books. Despite this, some people prefer the feeling of holding a book in their hands and therefore wouldn’t think of buying an E-reader. Overall, the E-reader provides entertainment for users that want to read if they are bored.

Downloadable Services

Since the beginning of the internet, the downloading of services and information has increased in popularity. This also means that real life products are decreasing in sales. An example of this would be music downloading and CD sales (this news article has more information about the increase of downloading: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16382648 ). There are also different types of downloads including entertainment and information downloading.

Companies such as HMV faced a decrease in sales because of the popularity of online downloading

Entertainment downloads

The most popular form of downloading is music downloading. This involves a user transferring music files to their IPod or phone. These downloads are found on special music sites such as ITunes and Amazon MP3. Because of these sites, the user can listen to almost any song anywhere for a small price per song. However, this also means that illegal music downloading is a very common problem today. To overcome that problem, anti-piracy laws have laws have been passed and various illegal sites such as LimeWire has been shut down.

Movie downloads are also popular with users. Similar to music downloading, movie download sites allow users to watch movies of their choice online. These websites include Lovefilm and Netflix, both of which have increased in popularity along with movie downloading in general. However, there are also forms of movie piracy. This also means that cinemas are losing money because some users are watching illegally downloaded movies instead. Cinema companies have also reacted to the problem of piracy by making short anti-piracy films as well as other actions involved in discouraging piracy.

A screenshot of an anti-piracy advert on YouTube. The advert features ‘the last cinema’ in a world where movie piracy has taken over.

Another form of downloading is game downloading. With game downloading, online games can be installed onto a user’s computer. Various apps are also available to download onto a smartphone. This allows users to choose from many different games that can be played at any time. Unfortunately, piracy also affects downloadable games as well meaning that many game companies have lost money from people using the ‘P2P’ piracy network. However, this is also illegal and users can be arrested for being involved in piracy.

The downloadable E-book has also increased in popularity recently. However, early forms of the E-book and the E-reader date back to the 1960’s. Since then, the E-book and E-reader have been developed to make around $450 million this year alone. Amazon have also taken advantage of E-book popularity to create the Kindle (Amazon’s own E-reader). This proved to be a success as the Kindle is top of the most popular E-reader. Now, a user can download E-books onto their E-reader in a similar way to Apple’s ITunes’ service. However, one disadvantage of the E-book would the decrease in paperback/hardback book sales. This is because E-books are more convenient for many people.

An example of an E-book on a Kindle E-reader

Information Downloads

Newspapers and magazines are both popular forms of information the many people buy in paper (real life) form. With the advance in technology today, newspapers and magazines have also been made in electronic form. There are two types of electronic newspapers and magazines available. Firstly, downloadable apps for newspaper/magazine companies allow users to view the latest issues on their smartphones. Secondly, the E-reader has been designed to contain newspaper/magazine content for users to read. Both forms allow users to view their favourite newspaper/magazine more conveniently using modern technology.

Because of the advance in technology, software for computers can also be purchased and downloaded from online stores. This is also convenient for users as they can protect their computer without buying software from a real life store. However, there is also the significant disadvantage of viruses and malware. Unsafe websites could mean that malware could be installed onto a computer if the user is not careful.

Maps and directions have also become available online recently. Programs such as Google Maps allow users to download maps and direction services onto their smartphone or even satnav. This allows users to find directions and locations wherever they are. There are also other advantages such as the ability to update and direction services. However, there are disadvantages such as the recent iOS 6 maps errors.

The faults with Apple’s iSO 6 maps caused many users to complain. Apple have since apologised for the faults.

Smartphone downloading (apps)

The increase in Smartphone popularity has also had an effect on download activity. Many downloads are in the form of apps which are available for smartphones. Around one million apps in totals have been made for just about anything a user could want. Users can download apps for a cheap price and they can use these apps anywhere for anything they would need.  For example, a person could use a news app to catch up with recent news.

Angry birds is one of the most popular gaming apps available for downloading on a smartphone

Advantages and disadvantages

One advantage of downloading services would be the speed of downloading. With modern technology, downloading information is very quick. This would therefore be more convenient and easier for user that would often be downloading services either on their computer or smartphone. The convenience of downloading can also be another advantage of downloadable services. This would mean that downloading can be more useful than using other forms of services.

However, there are also disadvantages of downloadable services as well. One of these disadvantages would be the busyness of the broadband services. When many users across the world are on the internet at once, the broadband service get slower. This is because the broadband service has to serve all the users at the same time. This can also be annoying for many users as they become impatient. There is also the threat of viruses when downloading content from the internet. If malware or viruses are downloaded onto the computer, then the computer system can be corrupted therefore, causing the user many problems.

E-Banking

Banking Online

The idea of online banking began in the 80’s with home banking and phone banking. These types of banking allowed the user to manage their money from home. Today, online banking has evolved with many different bank companies offering internet banking only. This also allows the user to access their account from home instead of visiting a bank branch.

ATM

The ATM (Automated Teller Machine) is one form of online banking that has become available to users since the late 1960’s. The ATM began as an idea of self service within bank branches and common use of the ATM started around 1968. The ATM allows users to withdraw cash from their account without visiting a branch. The user would simply enter their bank details into the ATM and choose how much they wish to withdraw from their account. Overall, the ATM can be very useful and convenient to users in need of money quickly. Another advantage of the ATM is that anyone with bank details can use one (For example, a tourist in another country can have money in their account converted into the currency of that country).

Online Statements

Online bank statements (also known as electronic statements) are very similar paper statements except the electronic statement can be viewed online. One advantage of the online statement is that less personal information is contain there and only contains bank transactions. However, due to online fraud and hacking, online statements can be easier to obtain.

Transfers Online

The idea of online bank transfers involves transferring money between accounts electronically. This can be much easier and quicker for users to transfer money. Bank companies can also keep track of transfer information easily.

Standing Orders

Standing orders can also be made online to transfer a fixed amount from a payer’s account to the receiver’s account. Online standing orders are used to pay rent or mortgages. However, the ability to pay standing orders online means that it can be more convenient to make the payments.

Direct Debit

The direct debit transaction is another form of bank service that can be made online. Direct debit is similar to standing orders except direct debit transactions allow the payee to withdraw money from the payers account for fixed amounts periodically. Direct debit can also be used to pay periodically payments such as rent or mortgages. Using online services, direct debit transactions can be made more convenient for the user.

Smartphone Banking

The popularity increase in smartphones means that banking companies have created apps for banking purposes. The apps allow users to make transactions, payments and look up information using their smartphone instead of a branch or computer. The app banking services have proven popular as smartphone banking has increased by 40% in Europe alone according to statistics.

Online Information

Online services also allow users to look up information about banking services. Other banking information can also be found online including branch locations for example.

Using the example of branch location information, websites of banking companies offer a ‘branch locator’ service. Here, a user can enter a postcode to find their nearest branch. A certain radius can also be entered to filter through branches. 

By signing up to a bank, users can also choose to receive E-mail notifications, reminders and alerts about recent activity. These E-mail alerts are convenient for users as a variety of alerts can help remind the user about important information.

Disadvantages of E-banking

Despite the advantages and convenience of online banking, there are disadvantages that would mean certain people would use branches instead. The issues with online banking would also affect different groups of people.

One disadvantage of online banking would security issues. As money and personal details are involved, security for banking websites must be secure for the customers of the bank. Although bank websites are secure, some people do not feel safe sharing their personal details with banks and other financial companies. An example of a group of people would feel unsafe would be older people as some would prefer visiting a bank branch instead.

Another disadvantage of online banking would be less skills required for bank work. This would mean that bank companies would require skilled workers of skilled jobs as computers can do these jobs much quicker. Therefore, this would be a disadvantage to skilled workers as there is a potential threat of unemployment.

One final disadvantage would be the lack of personal communication between customers and bank workers. The idea of online banking means that customers use only their computer or smartphone to cover all their banking needs. Therefore, there would be no communication for the bank customers.

E-Government

E-government (Electronic Government) involves using online technology for two main objectives. The information age allows governments across the world to fulfil these two objectives of informing and allowing the participation of citizens or users online.

E-Government (Information)

With the advance of online technology, governments of many different countries have official websites that allow users to find information and services there. Among these websites, there are two examples that aim to inform users.

One of these websites is Directgov, a British E-government website. It is the main government information website used by citizens in the UK, as it has over 15 million visits per month. Since its launch in 2004, Directgov offers a wide range of information from employment to education. The site is also open for everyone to use as there is information useful for everyone. (for example, students can research ‘education’ whilst drivers can research ‘travel’).

A screenshot of the Directgov homepage, which shows the range of information available.

Government Gateway is another example of an E-government website. Government Gateway also offers government information in a similar way to Directgov. However, Government Gateway requires a login account whereas Directgov can be used straight away. Government Gateway also provide different types of information depending on who you are, when a user registers with Government Gateway, that user can choose between individuals, organisations or agents. Depending on the option chosen, the user can receive information suited best for that option.

E-Government (Participation)

E-government also allows users to ‘participate’ by using available services involving government issues. This can be convenient for users as most service involving government can be completed at home and online. Many of these services can be found on E-government information sites (see above).

One example of a E-government service is income tax payment. Taxpayers can pay tax online instead of using a cheque. This is quicker and easier for the taxpayer. Websites such as HM Revenue & Customs allow users to pay income tax online.

The logo of the HM Revenue & Customs website.

Vehicle licencing can also be completed online. Sites such as DVLA and NZTA allow users to use a number of services such as tax disc renewal and driver’s licence application. This is also easier and quicker for users as they can use to internet to find information and use services involving vehicle licencing.

E-petitions is another example of a E-government service. E-petitions allow users to express their opinion on government issues and decisions. An E-petition doesn't require a long period of time and is also simple to create. Should an E-petition be accepted by a government department, members of the public can sign in agreement. However, a total of 100,000 signatures are required for the petition to be considered and debated. 

Other examples of E-government

Information about the law is one of the most important parts of E-government as many users feel that the law is an important part of daily life. Therefore, E-government websites have plenty of information about law such as personal rights, reporting crime as well as court and prison. Websites such as Met Police also provide services that allow users to report crime and to search for advice in a situation. Other information on these websites includes local information and police investigations.

The Metropolitan police website allows the user to report witnessed crime easily.

The E-government system is also divided into local areas. This allows users to research information and participate to E-government services locally instead of nationally. A number of different websites are set up for each local area. One example of local government service is the ability to report problems to your local area website. Should a user have a problem with a local issue, E-government websites offer a service that allows users to report problems to your local government. This is convenient for users as it is easy to report a problem online.

One example of an effective E-government website would be NHS Direct. The website gives advice and information to users about personal health, symptoms and other medical information. The site can also find local and nearest hospitals, pharmacies and dentists. Furthermore, the website is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Overall, the website would be very helpful and convenient for users to look up information before visiting a doctor and also to get a better understanding of their own health.

The health service finder allows users to locate the nearest services they need in their area.

Advantages and Disadvantages of E-government

There are also a number of advantages and disadvantages with government information online. One advantage would be the availability of the E-government system. This means that users can pay tax or look up information at any time. Furthermore, this allows government actions to be quicker and cheaper.

Another advantage of E-government is that less employees are also needed to run an E-government system than a paper based government. With the advance in technology, using a E-government system will allow governments to keep up with the public interest of using the latest technology. One example of this are mobile services involving E-government.

However, there are also disadvantages to the E-government system. One of these disadvantages is that technology is prone to technical faults whereas a paper based system would not be affected by these issues. Another disadvantage of E-government would be that internet access is required for E-government. Some people wouldn't have internet access or they just prefer a paper based system of government.

Some users wouldn't feel safe when using E-government services because of a fear of spam and hacking. This would discourage users from using E-government. Furthermore, this would be a disadvantage to the government because some users would avoid E-government despite the fact the cost to run the system.

Some people fear that hackers can access information such as passwords from E-government sites.

Education Part 1

Early forms of electronic education began back in the 1960’s when professors experimented using computers to teach children subjects such as mathematics and literature. Since then, many more teaching programmes have been developed. Different types of online education also exist such as education websites and online examination programmes.

Revision websites

One of the main forms of online education are exam revision materials and preparation. Revision websites such as BBC Bitesize and My Maths are popular examples of websites students can revise from. Most subjects are available for all stages of education and school. Furthermore, certain topics of a subject can be chosen and completed. Each topic features information and revision notes which students can revise from. The online tests available from each topic are a unique feature of revision websites. Once they have read the information pages, students can take the test and immediately receive their test score.

This instant feedback of the test is another feature of the revision websites. The feedback and test score allows students to analyse their performance. If a most of the answers were incorrect, the student would know that they need to revise the topic again. If their revision was successful, then the student can remember the correct methods of answering the question in the exam. This is why the instant feedback and online tests are important to both the students and the website.

An example of instant online feedback from my maths.

There are also both advantages and disadvantages to revision websites. One advantage of online revision would be location. As long as the student would have internet access, they could revise from anywhere at any time, therefore making revision more convenient. Online revision can also fit into any time of the day whereas revision from textbooks and written notes take time to prepare. Another advantage of online revision is the teacher access. On some revision sites such as My Maths, teachers can set work for students and grade them. Working with the teacher on revision can help some students and make revision a lot easier for them.

However, there are also disadvantages to online revision compared to using books and notes. The main disadvantage would be distractions. Being online, a student revising may be tempted into visiting other websites instead of revision. When using a textbook, there is less temptation to do something else other than revision. Another disadvantage of online revision is that using a text book can be more practical for some students. Revision websites require internet access which is not available everywhere yet.

Facebook is a common example of an online revision distraction.







Exam board websites

Most exam boards have websites which students can visit for educational purposes. On these websites, students can find past papers, grade boundaries and examination dates are all available. This is helpful for students so that they can find out more about their exams.

Online Assessments

Along with other form of online education, online assessments were created to help improve the performance of students. Different types of assessment tasks are available for students to complete. The teacher can set an online assessment for the students to complete by a deadline. The students complete this assessment electronically and sent it back to the teacher via the computer. Instant feedback can also be given. This is one advantage of online assessments. Another advantage of online assessments are the range of types available. For example, students can complete individual assessments or work in a group instead. However, students can copy work from other students or online sources without permission. This is known as plagiarism. Another disadvantage of online assessments is that some work could potentially be lost due to technical faults within the system, meaning that time could be wasted.

Sites such as Wikipedia are online sources. This means that students can access and copy information from them when completing online assessments.

Online Exams

Like other forms of online education, online exams are similar to their non-electronic component. Online exams can also be set by a teacher for students to complete. A range of different topics and subjects are available in exam form and the students complete them as they would a normal exam. One advantage of online examinations are that they are quicker to mark than normal exams. Another advantage of online exams is that the number of questions and the time allowed can be set according to the situation. This would be very useful for teachers. However, cheating is harder to spot than in real exams. This would unfairly boost the grade of cheating students and therefore, giving them an unfair advantage. Another disadvantage of online exams would be slow connection or other technical faults are weaknesses that real exams would not have to face.

An example of an online exam taking place.

Examples of Online Research

Since the 90’s, the internet has grown to include a total of 232 million websites. Among these many websites, two of these are ideal sources of information and research. The first website, Wikipedia is a free site which has millions of pages for each subject and topic imaginable. One advantage of Wikipedia is that it is the perfect source of research for classwork/homework. However, many students misuse the site for plagiarism reasons. This can also question the trustworthiness of Wikipedia due to the fact anyone can edit an article.

The other website for research is YouTube. Because YouTube has millions of videos for almost everything, there are reasonable amounts of research and educational videos online. However, in most schools, YouTube is classified as an unsuitable website to student learning. Although this could be because many students would also misuse YouTube to watch videos not related to work.

There are also a number of forums built especially for students. These forums allow students in similar situations in education to discuss a certain issue or topic. Topics can range from examinations to a section of a subject. This is considered to be an advantage for student forums. Another advantage of student forums would be that students can answer common questions for each other. However, one disadvantage of student forums would be spamming and ‘Trolling’ are likely unless the forum is moderated.  TES and The Student Room are two examples of popular student forums.

The logo for The Student Room, a forum dedicated to daily school life and issues.

E-Commerce

Web Presence

With the creation of the World Wide Web in 1990/1991, the idea of buying from the comfort of your own home was slowly becoming a reality. The idea of e-commerce began in the 80’s although the first sites didn’t appear until 1994. Examples of early e-commerce websites include Pizza hut and W H Smith, both of which are still online today. E-commerce was instantly popular and more businesses began to use the internet for selling products.

WHSmith was one of the first companies to launch an online E-commerce website along with Pizza Hut and Intershop

One revolutionary feature of E-commerce was the online/open catalogue. The catalogue is a database which stores information about each product for sale. Examples of this information include selling price and quantity. Categories are also used for the online catalogue to sort products easily. It is said that the idea of the online catalogue came from a real life store catalogue which also sorts all the products.

Not long after the birth of e-commerce, transaction websites began to appear online. These websites were different to ordinary e-commerce websites and allowed users to buy, sell and trade amongst themselves. The two main transactional websites (Ebay and Amazon) are still online today and are becoming more popular each year. Many other transactional websites were formed although Ebay and Amazon are the most successful with profits of $3.4m and $7m respectively.

With the increase of e-commerce usage, new features were developing. One example of these new features was ‘brick and click’. This involves the purchase of a product online and then, instead of the website delivering the product, the customer would pick it up in a ‘brick’ store. Brick and Click offer the advantages of both e-commerce and real life shopping for the customer. Brick and click is still a popular choice of shopping today compared to real life shopping and e-commerce.

Today, E-commerce allows users to easily choose from a wide range of products to buy

Advantages and disadvantages

Since its evolution, E-commerce has greatly increased in popularity with an estimate of $1.25 trillion being made by 2013. This is because of the number of advantages to both customer and business online. However,
this doesn't mean that E-commerce is without its disadvantages.

Despite the evolution of E-commerce, high street shopping is still popular choice of product purchase






Advantages for the customer

One advantage of e-commerce for the customer is that the internet offers a wider range of choice in terms of products. This means that a customer can use e-commerce to find a product that may not be available in store which would mean that it is a preferred choice to real life shopping.

Another advantage of e-commerce are the search functions that make finding products easier within the website. The search functions allow a customer to filter products through categories to find an exact product. However, this would not be as easy in a store where you would have to look for products on shelves. The easy-to-search feature of e-commerce also means that the customer can save time instead of finding products in store. Customers can also save time from buying at home instead of walking or driving to separate shops and stores. E-commerce also means that money can be saved in fuel costs for driving to those shops because E-commerce allows you to buy from a home or work computer.

Because of internet cookies, e-commerce sites of the user can save their preferences and settings when they visit again. This can make browsing the site quicker and more personal. One other advantage to the customer are the reviews and recommendations of certain products. The user can read these reviews and then make a decision based on what other buyers think about a certain product. Similar products can also be recommended by other users. Online users can also review and recommend particular e-commerce websites to other users based on their experiences on that website.

Disadvantages for the customer

However, e-commerce also has disadvantages towards the customer. One example of a disadvantage would be the extra shipping costs to deliver the order from its warehouse. Shipping costs can also vary in price depending on where the product warehouse is (you would pay more to have your product delivered from another country for example). However, a shop bought product would not cost you extra to actually buy that product. Delivery time is also inevitable when buying a product online whereas a shop bought product is with you instantly. Because the product needs to travel from a warehouse to you, buyers can expect an average of ten days to wait for an online order. Therefore, delivery waiting can be of an inconvenience if you need a product quickly.

If the waiting time isn’t enough, returning an online product can take even longer to arrange and send back. Firstly, there are some products you cannot return for certain reasons. Examples include personalised and consumable items. There is also a deadline you have to meet when returning products (usually 30 days after purchase). You then have to return the product via a store or mail, both of which require proof of purchase and other details. You may also want to buy another product to replace it (For example, buying a T shirt in a different size because it was the wrong size before).

There are also reasons why a buyer would want to return their product. One example would be damage of a product due to mishandling or delivery transit. Another reason would be the fact you can only rely on customer reviews to ‘know’ the product you are buying. In other words, you cannot see or try the product to understand if you really want it (see T shirt example in the paragraph above). However, buying products in store, you can see the quality of the product and see if it does have everything you would expect from it.

Despite the disadvantages, there is one reason alone that online users are most worried about when shopping online. This reason is the fact some users are afraid of online fraud. These users don’t trust e-commerce sites to keep their personal details safe and find it safer to avoid online shopping altogether. Identity theft and auction scams are examples of what online fraud can be responsible for with the average victim losing over $1750 in 2007.

Advantages for the business

E-commerce also provides many advantages and opportunities for businesses as well as customers. Using e-commerce, businesses can rely on fewer employees to work and less storage space for products. Overall, this means that businesses can save money from workers pay and storage space which leads to increased profits.

Because e-commerce is becoming more popular with customers, businesses are benefiting from more customers if they are using e-commerce. This means more profit from more potential customers. The number of customers can also increase due to footfall. Online stores can hold many more customers at one time compared shops in real life. This means that business benefit from more customers at one time, therefore profits are likely to increase.

Cookies can also be of an advantage to businesses using e-commerce. This is because cookies collect details of each customer which gives the business an idea of all their customers in total. Businesses use this information to their advantage by suiting and improving the customer service to the needs of the user. Furthermore, improvements of the customer satisfaction mean that users are likely to return and buy more products in the future. Both improving customer service and satisfaction therefore increase business profit. Customer details also provide businesses with user preferences and interests. This allows these businesses to use target advertising to hopefully attract potential customers to increase profits.

Disadvantages for the business

Despite the advantages, businesses also face the disadvantages of e-commerce. One of these disadvantages would be security issues. An online store would be responsible for keeping personal details such as addresses safe. However, some people might not trust that site (see fraud: disadvantages to the customer). This means that the business couldn't attract as many users as possible. Malicious attacks are also a threat to businesses and e-commerce websites. These malicious attacks can hijack website addresses and therefore, customers would avoid e-commerce sites for their online safety. This would finally result in the loss of customers.

Examples of E-commerce

Many businesses have used e-commerce to their advantage and others are entirely based on the idea of shopping at home. Tesco is one example of a website which uses e-commerce to suit the needs of the customer. As a supermarket, Tesco use e-commerce differently to other businesses. For those who don’t visit a Tesco supermarket, their website allows customers to choose their weekly shop and then book a time for it to be delivered. This form of e-commerce is designed for quick delivery of groceries that customers require quickly. As a business, Tesco was the first to introduce e-commerce in the form of supermarket shopping in 2006.

Tesco use vans such as this one to delivery groceries to many homes







Ebay and Amazon are two other examples of popular e-commerce sites. Both of these transactional websites which customers can buy sell and trade products. Ebay works as an online auction site which works in a similar way to a real auction. However, unlike a real auction, Ebay has other features such as ‘buy it now’ and separate stores set up by frequent users.

Along with Ebay, Amazon was founded in the mid 90’s and works as a massive online store in which anything can be bought. Amazon also deliver many products that are all bought online. Both sites are based around the idea of e-commerce and have proved popular with their customers.

The original design of the Ebay website

Personal experience

The increasing popularity of E-commerce means that I also use E-commerce to purchase products. Advantages such as the range of products and the search functions allow me to find the exact products I want easily. Ebay and amazon are two websites mentioned that I use to buy products.