Internet Behaviours as Predictors of Reading Proficiency of Model Senior Secondary School Students in Ibadan Metropolis, Oyo State

Abstract

The study investigated the internet behaviours of students in selected model senior secondary schools in Ibadan metropolis and the extent to which these behaviours predicted their reading proficiency. The study adopted the descriptive research design with a sample of 500 senior secondary school (II) students randomly selected from ten model senior secondary schools in Ibadan Metropolis of Oyo state. Two instruments were validated and used for data collection: Students’ Internet Behaviour Questionnaire r=.87) and Reading Proficiency Test (r=.79). Frequency counts, percentages and multiple regression analysis were used to analyse data. The results which were interpreted at 0.05 level of significance show students’ internet behaviours as accounting for 1.8% of the total variance in reading proficiency (F _(9,489) = 2.036; p < .05) and e-mailing predicting students’ reading proficiency (â = -.188, t = -3.393; p < .05). Recommendations were made that teachers should deploy e-mail as a resource of enhancing reading.. Efforts should also be made to ensure internet facilities are made easily accessible and available in schools, public libraries and in homes.

Key Words: Internet Behaviour, Predictors, Reading, Proficiency, Model School