I'm a parent of a teenage daughter. She spends a lot of time on the computer. She IMs, listens to music and tells me she is studying. A recent study supports her claims. The study by the National School Boards Association found 50% 0f students used the internet for education. 59% of students discussed education related topics online. The survey included 9 to 17 year old students, parents, and school district leaders. I have provided a link to the article in the THE Journal.
Research:Students Actually Use the Internet for Education