INVESTIGATING THE USE AND MISUSE OF THE INTERNET BY NIGERIAN SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The Internet is being used by a growing number of people all over the world (1,574,313,184 as of December 31, 2008). According to recent reports, today’s teenagers spend a significant amount of time online for a variety of reasons (Lange, 2008). According to research, using the Internet can help teens complete their homework more successfully and efficiently (Borzekowski, 2006). Other researchers, on the other hand, contend that Internet use has a direct negative impact on academic outcomes (Choi, 2007). Excessive Internet use has been linked to problems with daily routines, academic achievement, and family relationships (Rickert, 2001). The Internet is a global network of computers that allows data to be transmitted. The US Department of Defense (DoD) established the Internet in the early 1960s, primarily for military purposes (Pinard, 2006). Since then, the continuous advancement of Internet technology has provided unprecedented public access to a wide range of forms of communication, such as intra- and inter-organizational email; data storage, management, and transfer; social websites like Facebook; text messaging services like Twitter, and so on. The development and distribution of less expensive and more user-friendly computer technology and software has significantly increased Internet usage (e.g., portable PCs, Microsoft Word, etc.). In 2010, the Internet was used by 28.7 percent of the world’s population. While this may not appear to be a large proportion of the global population, Internet usage has grown dramatically. For example, consider the rate of growth of Between 2000 and 2010, internet use increased by 444.8 percent. (2010) (Internet World Stats). The Internet provides several benefits, including access to vital information, global access to news and events, and interpersonal connection via email. However, as the Internet and its use have grown exponentially, there has been an increase in global concern about the dangers of excessive Internet use (Buchholz, 2009). It is now believed that there is widespread “addiction” to it, particularly among college and university students ( Hsiao, 2000). The internet is important in both businesses and society. The fundamental reality is the foundation of the recent global information revolution. According to Cawkell (2004), the Internet is a massive computer network comprised of hundreds of thousands of computers. interconnected networks that provide services such as electronic mail, file transfer protocol, database access, and so on. As a result, the success story of the Internet’s introduction is unsurprising. It should be noted that, for obvious reasons, the impact of Internet access on on-campus education remains relatively minor for a variety of reasons: The technology is new and expensive, and it may be too disruptive to established academic structures and traditions. Duguid agreed with this point of view (1996). The influence of the internet on student academic performance varies depending on the population. Sanni (2009) discovered a gender gap in internet use in a recent study, and that equal access for male and female students should be prioritized. The The study also concludes that the current level of capabilities for internet-assisted research is encouraging, and that improving internet facilities in our universities, if properly implemented, will improve academic research in Nigerian tertiary institutions. According to a literature review, teachers and students are the most frequent Internet users, using it primarily for educational rather than entertainment purposes ( Hanauer, 2004). According to several studies, college students have a high level of Internet access and use. According to Hanauer (2004), 83% of Internet users had access at home, while 51% had access at their workplaces or libraries. Eighty-one percent of students use the Internet primarily for academic purposes, while the remaining 80 percent use it for e-mail and chat. Within the G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Pantnagar, Bisht (2005) conducted a study on undergraduate students’ Internet usage trends. According to their findings, the majority of students (85.7%) used the Internet to prepare assignments, with 61.5 percent of males and 51.6 percent of females using it to prepare assignments. The majority of respondents identified slow Internet connections as a major challenge (83.1 percent male and 61.3 percent female). Robinson (2005) conducted an investigation into Internet use among African-American college students and discovered that the majority of students used the Internet at school or at work. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting conducted a study of children’s Internet use in the United States in 2002. The use of the Internet by children has increased at an adolescent rate. According to the findings, this occurred between 2002 and 2003. From home, school, or another location, 65 percent of American children aged 2 to 17 were found to be using the Internet, up from 41% in 2000. (CTF, 2002). Despite the Internet’s value to students, numerous studies have examined the negative effects it may have on teenagers. Immoral information, for example, can be seen in the closet, on a laptop, on a palmtop, and so on without fear of being discovered by others. According to Longe (2007), the Internet has also served as a platform for pedophiles who exploit children’s and teens’ naivety by engaging them in sex chat rooms and eventually inviting them to sexual exploits. Piercy (2006) holds that
People are increasingly turning to the Internet to form friendships, romances, and extramarital affairs. They performed a critical review of the literature on online infidelity. According to Cheryl (2007), the average age of a child who is exposed to Internet pornography is 11 years old, with the 12-to-17-year-old demographic being the most pornographic users in America. Almost 90% of children aged eight to sixteen have viewed pornography online, with the vast majority doing so while doing schoolwork. The goal of this research is to examine how Nigerian secondary school students use and abuse the Internet.
1.2 THE PROBLEM’S STATEMENT
Despite the Internet’s value to students, numerous studies have examined the negative effects it may have on teenagers. Immoral information, for example For example, can be seen in a closet, on a laptop, on a palmtop, and so on without anyone else discovering what is being eaten. According to Longe (2007), the Internet has also served as a platform for pedophiles who exploit children’s and teens’ naivety by engaging them in sex chat rooms and eventually inviting them to sexual exploits. According to Hertlein, people are increasingly using the Internet to form friendships and relationships, as well as to initiate extramarital affairs (2006). Things are changing around the world, and there are new and modern ways of doing things, so if the goal of educational policy is to produce manpower capable of coping with the ever-changing modern world and being a part of the global village, “The chalk and talk method” must give way to the use of ICT’s innovation and technology-driven interaction. Things are changing globally, and there are new and modern ways of doing things; therefore, if the goal of educational policy is to produce manpower capable of coping with the ever-changing modern world and being a part of the global village, “the chalk and talk method” must give way to the use of innovation and technology-driven interaction that ICT provides. One of the most striking features of today’s educational systems and organizations is the unnatural and unending erosion of education quality at all levels over time (Hertlein, 2004). The West African Examination and the National Examination Council results have repeatedly evoked this painful memory.
fact, which requires immediate response. Thus, the goal of this research is to provide a template for reviving the educational system, as well as to determine the impact and effects of the internet on secondary school students’ academic performance through the use of ICT, and to investigate the problems associated with the use of the internet in the teaching and learning process.
1.3 THE STUDY’S OBJECTIVES
The primary goal of this research is to investigate the impact of the internet on the academic performance of secondary school students. The specific goals are as follows:
i. Determine how much exposure students have to the internet.
ii. To ascertain the effect of the internet on students’ academic performance.
iii. To
Determine why young people and teenagers abuse the internet.
iv. Determine how much exposure the teachers have to internet resources.
1.4 QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH
i. To what extent do students have access to the internet?
ii. What effects does the internet have on students’ academic performance?
iii. Why are children and teenagers abusing the internet?
iv. To what extent do teachers have access to internet resources?
1.5 THE STUDY’S IMPORTANCE
This research project will educate students, lecturers/teachers, parents, government officials at all levels, and the general public about the effects of the internet on education and national development, as well as recommendations that, if properly implemented, will reduce teacher workload while also facilitating teaching.
as well as educational activities. It would also allow students to learn without the assistance of a teacher by utilizing the internet, as well as Computer Aided Instruction (CAI) and other technologies, allowing Nigerian education to compete with that of industrialized nations.
1.6 STUDY OBJECTIVES
This study was intended to include all students in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but it was unable to do so due to budget and time constraints. Asa local government area in Kwara state provided samples. A few schools were also used.
1.7 THE STUDY’S LIMITATION
Due to time constraints and a lack of funds, the research was limited to a single local government area.
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