Internet Use Among Science Undergraduate Students: A Comparative Study Of Two Universities In South West Nigeria

Abstract

The objective of this study was to identify and determine the extent of students\' access to, and use of the Internet using the Science Undergraduate Students of University of Ibadan and University of Lagos as a case study. The study also aimed at comparing the rate of use among this group of students and determine which is mostly used between the Internet and the Library. The research showed that majority of Science Undergraduate students do make use of the Internet because it was considered to provide wide coverage of information, contains adequate and current information, it is quickly and easily accessible, it provided electronic journals that could be purchased online and so on.
The study further revealed that part of the benefits of the Net is that it provided the student with resources to carry out assignment enhances their knowledge and allow them to communicate faster. It was discovered that though a greater percentage of them patronize the library, the satisfaction required were not provided. Some of the reasons were ioodequacy of library materials, obsolete materials and poor library conditions. On a general note, library patronage in the two Universities is less than Internet patronage. The study also revealed that this group of students prefers the Internet to the library. Recommendations on the way forward were made.


Keywords: Internet, Science, Students, Universities, South-West, Nigeria

The Information Technologist Vol. 5 (2) 2008: pp. 133-149