Education
High-Speed Internet Gives Students A Competitive Advantage
By
Sep 18, 2007, 19:26

(NAPSI)-Today's teens live within a demanding environment where grades and test scores have become increasingly important while the number of available hours for studying have decreased.

These days, many teens find 50-hour, action-packed weeks a normal part of life-factoring in after-school events, extracurricular activities, part-time jobs, household chores, social activities and homework.

Many experts believe the situation is getting worse because the number of hours they spend on homework has grown steadily through the years. The number of high school sophomores who spent more than 10 hours a week on homework increased from 7 percent in 1980 to 37 percent in 2002, according to research conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (September 2006).

But there is hope for tired, stressed-out students: the Internet. Studies show the Internet has become a crucial component in the learning environment for teens. Research by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that 78 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds go online and that their most common reason for going online was to do schoolwork.

Students with high-speed Internet access have an even greater advantage than students with dial-up because they are able to finish their schoolwork quicker. Using high-speed Internet means that students do not have to wait to dial in, their Web pages load more quickly and their system can remain "always on," which means it's reliable.

"My daughters use high-speed Internet every day to help them with everything from research to preparing for the SATs," said Bill Ussery of North Carolina. "They get their nightly homework done much more quickly, allowing them to participate in other activities such as tennis and dance for a more well-rounded school experience."

Many companies offer a variety of high-speed Internet options designed to fit any budget, but Embarq Corporation (NYSE: EQ) goes a step further by offering service at a price that stays the same for as long as the customer has the service. Parents can choose the Internet option that best fits their teen's needs-and keep the same low price for as long as they keep their service.

"My 13-year-old needs access to high-speed Internet so she can view interactive encyclopedias for research papers and download video and audio clips for projects that would ordinarily take too much time with dial-up service," said Odalys Melda of North Carolina. "I'm glad that a company is finally recognizing that Internet access does matter to my child's education."

Other significant findings from the Pew Internet & American Life Project concerning the Internet and educational use among 12- to 17-year-olds include:

• 78 percent believe the Internet helps them with schoolwork;

• 41 percent of online teens said they use e-mail and instant messaging to contact teachers or classmates outside of school;

• 34 percent have downloaded online study aids;

• 58 percent report Web sites that were set up specifically for their school or for a particular class;

㩅 percent have created a Web page for a school project; and

• 94 percent said they use the Internet for school research.

Embarq has created a premium Web-based package for its high-speed Internet customers so that students who frequently use the Internet have an educational resource. Customers who subscribe to the Embarq Learning Pack have access to five of the Web's most reputable online services for homework help, test preparation, games and tutorials-Encyclopedia Britannica, Boston Test Prep, Clever Island, Hoopah Kidview and IknowThat.com-for one low price.

For more information about the company's high-speed Internet service, visit www.embarq.com.

© Copyright by EveningsNews.com