Internet as an Informal University in the New Millennium: A Uses and Gratification Perspective

The advent of new information and communication technologies has actualized the dream of a 'global village' a reality. The new communication and information technologies have brought about the death of distance and facilitated meaningful interactive cum participatory communication all over the world. The emergence of Internet replaced the one to many model of traditional mass communication with the possibility of many to many web of communication. Internet is also one of the more important tools of interactive communication in modern society. Interactivity has become a key term for number of new media use options evolving from the rapid dissemination of Internet access point, the digitalization of the media and media convergence. Many scholars have studied the role of Internet in modern society which has brought about connectedness as an informal university to the mankind. The present article enumerates the features of Internet as a medium of education in the new millennium.