The Impact of Internet Services on the Research Output of Academic Staff of Selected State Universities in South-Western Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of internet services on the research output of aca demic staff of selected state universities in South -Western Nigeria and examin ed the extent to which academic staff of state universities embraced computer literacy and utilised internet services . It also considered how internet services had affected teach ing and research output of academics in state universities and highlighted factors that impacted on respondents’ research output. Quantitative and qualitative methods were adopted for data collection. Questionnaires were administered on 355 academic staff, selected through simple random sampling technique. In -depth interviews (IDIs) complemented the quantitative data. The utilisation of internet services had aided 54.3% of the respondents to publish their works, 61.6% to attend conferences and 74.2% to teac h. Most of the respondents depended on internet services to enhance their teaching and research efforts. The study recommended better funding of university education by government to be supported by the private sector. Stable power supply and better workin g conditions were to be provided to further motivate academic staff of study universities to engage internet services for their research efforts.

Key Words: Internet, Services, Research, Output, Information, Communication, Technology, Academic, Staff, State, Universities