Imagine a world without Internet, or high schools without computers.

Although their parents lived in that time, today's high school students might find it hard to conceive of such a world. Today's schools rely on computers and the Internet, and without these tools some students would have trouble functioning.

Computers figure prominently in doing schoolwork. Practically all homework can be done on the computer and with the help of online resources.

"The computer is definitely my main resource," said Corey Malley, a member of the Agoura High School Comedy Sportz team. "Not only do I use it for word processing but also for research and, in many cases, to look up homework and get notes. It's superceded the pen and paper."

Not that the pen and paper are extinct in the classroom, but even in classes such as math, in which a computer doesn't have as much practical application, technology is starting to be used more frequently.

"It's really made student life more efficient. I can type an essay, research a history project (and) get math notes I've missed," Malley said. "If teachers started using Web cams, I could do it all from home. The computer provides such a vast space to work that it lets me be boundless with my assignments."

Speed is the biggest asset. Following a test, students don't have to wait two whole days to learn their score; the grade might be online by the time they arrive home that day.

When students are absent from class, they can usually check their homework online.

But the advent of technology also means students must be more responsible. According to Alex Yeh, president of the AHS Math Honors Society, students have "no more excuses" for not knowing their homework or their grade in a class.

One problem with computers and online education is that, even though the technology clearly saves time, students sometimes take longer to finish their work because they become distracted. Websites such as YouTube and Facebook often divert students' attention from their work.

But there are advantages, too. The video clips can aid in research, while social networking sites, such as Facebook, allow students to communicate with each other in real time in order to ask questions, work together or help one another.

Through the Internet, students are able to communicate with more than just their peers.

"Technology allows for more interaction between the teacher and the student," said Yeh. "Email provides a much more convenient form of communication."

It's not only the interactivity that makes the Internet so valuable, it's the sheer amount of materials and sources available and the different ways they are presented.

"Computer research isn't necessarily superior to the research found in libraries and printed publications, but it's more convenient since it can be done anywhere and at any time," Yeh said. "It's also easier to research on the computer because everything is in one place, whereas everything is scattered around the library."

Some feel the jury is still out as to whether the Internet is better than an old-fashioned library. Many resources are still found only in print, and, in terms of credibility, the Internet isn't always as reliable as books, newspapers and periodicals.

There is, however, something to be said for not having to leave one's home to access thousands of articles and evidence, all in a matter of seconds (or minutes, depending on how fast one's computer and Internet service are).

No doubt, the greatest benefit of using computers as opposed to going to the library is the amount of time that is saved.

Theoretically, high school students could do their work without computers and Internet. Malley said that of course he'd still be able to function but his "life would just be about 10 times more difficult to manage."

But why dwell on the past?

The use of computers and technology in the classroom is here to stay. Although funding has been jeopardized due to school budget cuts and the soft economy, the future of technology looks bright

Today's students have the potential to learn so much more than their parents and in so many different ways.

Jonathan Kuperberg is a senior at Agoura High School and also the editor-in-chief of the Agoura High School Charger newspaper.