When in holidays, students have more time to themselves which can be good or bad depending on how the period is utilised. Much as holidays are meant to help them take a break from studies, it is still advisable to make time for learning. In the absence of teachers however, students can still make use of the internet to keep up with their learning. As much as many parents would love their kids to have smart gadgets for games and catching up with friends depending on the age of the child, Faustin Mutabazi the chief executive officer at Educational Consultancy Bureau, an organisation that supports education and curriculum activities, says there is a need to also maximise the use of the internet by learning as well. He says that in this era of digitalisation, learners can make use of the internet to search for their relevant study materials, assignments, and presentations, among other class work. “This is where internet search becomes vital, as this has many educational benefits including keeping learners busy with something productive,” he says. This, he believes can help those learners who struggle to learn in an open classroom, as internet search is somehow fun, which can improve morale to learn. Also, it enables students to start learning valuable life skills online from the safety of their homes. From his perspective, Mutabazi believes that all this can happen with the guidance of an educator, as they are the best when it comes to guiding learners on where to get educative materials. According to him, this can guarantee learners to gain better online skills and their ability to successfully search online, which increases with guidance. He also goes on to emphasise the need to look for an educator who can guide and direct a child to avoid cases of visiting dangerous sites. Florent Sibomana, an IT expert, says for learners, regular use of digital media is one of the most basic parts of their lives, and that through regular internet usage; learners can learn how to always keep updated with the latest information, which is vital. He points out that just like with any other individual, information is the biggest advantage that the internet is offering, seeing that there is a huge amount of information available for every subject. “It keeps learners up to date with the latest information regarding the subjects in which they are interested. Everybody needs the internet for some purpose. “Students need the internet to search for information related to exams, curriculum as well as results, keeping learners occupied and entertained at the same time,” he says. This, he believes can improve the quality of education in many ways, as it opens doorways to a wealth of information, knowledge, and educational resources, increasing opportunities for learning in and beyond the classroom.
