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 an increasing number of individuals all around the world (1,574,313,184 as of December 31, 2008). According to recent reports, today's teens spend a large amount of time on the Internet for a variety of reasons (Lange, 2008). According to studies, using the Internet can assist teens in completing homework more successfully and efficiently (Borzekowski, 2006). Other researchers, on the other hand, have suggested that Internet use has direct detrimental consequences on academic outcomes (Choi, 2007). Excessive usage of the Internet has been linked to issues with daily routines, school achievement, and family relationships (Rickert, 2001). The Internet is a worldwide network of computers that enables for the transmission of data. The United States Department of Defense (DoD) created the Internet in the early 1960s, principally for military objectives (Pinard, 2006). Since then, the continuous advancement of Internet technology has provided unprecedented public access to a wide range of forms of communication, including intra- and inter-organizational email; data storage, management, and transfer; social websites such as Facebook; text messaging services such as Twitter, and so on. The usage of the Internet has expanded substantially as a result of the development and distribution of less expensive and more user-friendly computer technology and software (e.g., portable PCs, Microsoft Word, etc.). In 2010, 28.7 percent of the world's population used the Internet. While this may not appear to be a huge proportion of the world's population, Internet usage has increased dramatically. For example, the pace of growth of Internet use was 444.8 percent between 2000 and 2010. (Internet World Stats, 2010). There are several advantages to using the Internet, 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 a growing concern around the world about the dangers of excessive Internet use (Buchholz, 2009). It is currently thought that there is widespread "addiction" to it, especially among college and university students ( Hsiao, 2000). In both companies and society, the internet plays a critical role. The fundamental reality underpins the global information revolution that has occurred in recent years. According to Cawkell (2004), the Internet is a huge computer network made up of hundreds of interconnected networks that provides a variety of services such as electronic mail, file transfer protocol, database access, and so on. As a result, the success story surrounding the introduction of the Internet is unsurprising. It should be highlighted that, for obvious reasons, the influence of Internet access on on-campus education is still quite modest for a variety of reasons: The technology is new, expensive, and may pose too much of a challenge to established academic structures and traditions. Duguid agreed with this viewpoint (1996). The impact of the internet on student academic performance varies by population. In a recent study, Sanni (2009) discovered that there is a gender gap in internet use, and that equal access for male and female students should be prioritized. The study also concludes that the current level of capabilities for internet-assisted research is encouraging, and that, if properly implemented, enhancing internet facilities in our universities will improve academic research in Nigerian tertiary institutions. According to a review of the literature, teachers and students are the most frequent Internet users, using it primarily for educational purposes rather than entertainment ( Hanauer, 2004). Several studies have found that college students have a high level of Internet access and use. According to Hanauer's (2004) assessment, 83 percent of Internet users had access at home, while 51 percent had access at their institutions or libraries. Eighty-one percent of students use the Internet primarily for college work, with another 80 percent using it for e-mail and chat. At the G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Pantnagar, Bisht (2005) performed a study on the Internet usage trends of undergraduate students. According to their findings, the Internet was used by the majority of students (85.7%), with 61.5 percent of males and 51.6 percent of females using it to prepare assignments. Slow Internet connections were cited as a key difficulty by the majority of respondents (83.1 percent male and 61.3 percent female). Robinson (2005) investigated Internet use among African-American college students and found that the majority of students used the Internet at school or at work. A study of children's Internet use in the United States was undertaken by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in 2002. Children's use of the Internet grew at an adolescent rate between 2002 and 2003, according to the findings. 65 percent of American children aged 2 to 17 were found to be using the Internet from home, school, or another location, up from 41% in 2000. (CTF, 2002). Despite the Internet's value to students, various research have looked at the detrimental impacts 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 anyone else discovering what is being eaten. Longe (2007) claims that the Internet has also functioned as a platform for pedophiles who take advantage of children's and teens' naivety by engaging them in sex chat rooms and eventually inviting them to sexual exploits. Piercy (2006) believes that people are increasingly using the Internet to form friendships and romances, as well as to initiate extramarital affairs. They conducted a critical analysis of the literature on online infidelity. According to Cheryl (2007), the average age of a kid who is first exposed to Internet pornography is 11 years old, with the 12-to-17-year-old demographic being the largest users of pornography in America. Almost 90% of children aged eight to sixteen have watched pornography online, the majority while completing schoolwork. The purpose of this study is to look at how Nigerian secondary school students use and misuse the Internet.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Despite the Internet's value to students, various research have looked at the detrimental impacts 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 anyone else discovering what is being eaten. Longe (2007) claims that the Internet has also functioned as a platform for pedophiles who take advantage of children's and teens' naivety by engaging them in sex chat rooms and eventually inviting them to sexual exploits. People are increasingly using the Internet to create friendships and relationships, as well as to commence extramarital affairs, according to Hertlein (2006). Things are changing globally, and there are different and modern ways of doing things, so if the goal of educational policy is to produce manpower that can cope with the ever-changing modern world and be 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. Things are changing globally, and there are different and modern ways of doing things, so if the goal of educational policy is to produce manpower that can cope with the ever-changing modern world and be 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. The unnatural and endless erosion of education quality at all levels throughout the years is one of the most striking elements of today's educational systems and organizations (Hertlein, 2004). The results of the West African Examination and the National Examination Council have repeatedly evoked this painful fact, which requires immediate response. Thus, the goal of this study is to provide a template on which the educational system can be revived, as well as to determine the impact and effects of the internet on secondary school students' academic performance through the use of ICT, as well as to investigate the problems associated with the use of the internet in the teaching and learning process.

1.3   OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The primary goal of this study is to look at the impact of the internet on secondary school pupils' academic performance. The following are the precise objectives:

i. Determine the extent to which students are exposed to the internet

ii. To determine the impact of the internet on pupils' academic performance.

iii. To figure out why young people and teenagers are abusing the internet.

iv. Determine the extent to which the teachers are exposed to internet resources.

1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS

i. What is  the extent to which students are exposed to the internet?

ii. What are the impacts of the internet on students' academic performance.

iii.  Why are young people and teenagers  abusing the internet?

iv. What are the extents to which  teachers are exposed to internet resources?

1.5   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

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 teaching and national development, as well as the recommendations that, if implemented properly, will reduce teacher workload while also facilitating teaching and learning activities. It would also enable students to learn without the use of a teacher as an intermediary through the use of the internet, as well as the use of Computer Aided Instruction (CAI) and other technologies, allowing Nigerian education to compete with that of industrialized nations.

1.6   SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This research was intended to include all students in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but owing to budget and time constraints, it was unable to do so. Kwara state samples were gathered from the Asa local government area. Some schools were also utilised.

1.7   DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Due to time constraints and a lack of funds to undertake the study, the research was confined to a single local government area.

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