School Projects
Students often get their information online rather than from the
school library. Research is typically done from a mix of set texts
and the Internet. While some students use inappropriate sites that
rely on user-generated content that hasn't been adequately vetted,
and as such Internet-based research is frequently denigrated, there
are many scholarly resources online that are suitable for student's
purposes. Sites such as Google Scholar make it easier to find
journals and articles online.
Assignments are increasingly produced and saved online instead
of using software and hard-drive space offline. While teachers and
computer providers often advocate keeping a backup in case of
computer crashes, many users aren't diligent about backing up.
Working online using services such as Google Documents means that
work is auto-saved every few seconds, and can be recovered even if
the computer you're working on, and all your hard drive backups
(which, for home users, is typically kept next to the computer, and
therefore susceptible to the same fire, flood or other disaster)
are destroyed. Group projects in particular can be done
collaboratively in documents hosted online capable of being updated
and edited from multiple locations and accounts. Online document
hosting sites often allow for customisable privacy settings tied to
email accounts. This allows for people to each update the original
when convenient, to edit or comment on each other's works, and to
ensure that if project sections are divided amongst a group, that
the format, style and quality are consistent throughout the
project.
Complementary or alternative education
Students who want to learn more than is covered in class, who
have trouble with a teacher's style, or who struggled with a topic
they felt was covered too fast, can go online to find more
information or a different way of explaining the topic. Alternative
learning sites such as the Khan
Academy are excellent resources for people of many ages,
although many people are more likely to check less reliable sites
which compile user generated information, like Wikipedia, Yahoo
Answers or YouTube. If a young person is struggling at school,
suggesting that they can learn at their own pace at home may be a
good solution, as long as they are supported to critically think
about the quality and credibility of websites and content.
Investigating health and identity
Anything a young person would be embarrassed or ashamed to ask
their peers or parents about, they're likely to ask the Internet.
There are shared stories, information and support for just about
any health or identity concern a young person might have: diet,
acne tips, menstruation, contraception and relationship advice, to
name a few. This is an especially important resource for
marginalised or invisible groups such as gender and sexuality
diverse people, who are able to explore literature and other
people's experiences on same-sex attraction or transitioning.
Health professionals need to play a role in ensuring
that when young people go online looking for information, they find
credible resources, and that these resources are accessible and
user-friendly. Often, young people will ask un-moderated
forums, because of the dual appeal of anonymity and peer support,
but the person who answers may give an inaccurate, unhealthy or
intolerant answer. In health promotion the honest perspectives and
experiences of other young people can be invaluable in supporting
information from health care professionals. ReachOut.com's youth ambassadors, and
stories from young people, bolster the credibility of the
information we provide about mental health.
Even when a young person is seeking treatment from their GP or
other medical professional, they will often check for side effects
of medications online, or get second opinions and treatment reviews
from online forums and peers. One example is
What Works 4 U, where young people review their treatment plans
and anonymously allow others to check other people's experiences
before starting a new medication. These are important tools that
young people can use to assist them to self-direct their treatment
plans.
Hobbies and interests
Online tutorials mean that you can learn guitar chords,
knitting, carpentry, yoyo, skateboarding tricks and many other
interests online. Sites host recipes, sheet music, chess
strategies, sports coverage, video gaming hints and cheats, among
many other things that allow young people to gain greater knowledge
and skill in their personal life.
News and current affairs
Young people, along with the rest of the population, are
increasingly getting their news online, either from the online
editions of traditional media outlets, such as ABC, or news sites
that are primarily online, such as Crikey or New Matilda.
Additionally, individual bloggers can attract a readership. Some
of these bloggers are citizen journalists, reporting on what life
is like as a gay Muslim in Tehran, or from within the public
service in Canberra, or attracting a readership by recounting
everyday experiences that others can relate to. Even bloggers
without original content can provide an important service in
filtering and re-sharing "posts" that are of interest to their
readers, as well as providing editorial comment.
For an example, visit
the ReachOut.com Blog, where staff and
young people post and share articles, stories and content about
mental health that is of interest to other young people.
Alternatively, check out
the ReachOut Pro
Blog, where you can stay up to date on the latest news
and resources from the technology and mental health
sector.
A lot of sport is covered and broadcast online. Checking gossip
and entertainment sites such as E!Online is also a popular
pastime.