DIFFERENCES IN INTERNET USAGE AND ITS INFLUENCE ON

ACADEMIC RESEARCH AND PRODUCTIVITY

By: PRESLY EKPEBE

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

For the past 25 years, research has been conducted to understand the differences in Internet usage between the male and female gender.

Measurement of research skill and academic productivity by gender

Purpose was to test their research skills

HYPOTHESIS

Men are more confident Internet users than women; Hence, men show faster productivity than Women.

The internet and technology is not just a male activity because women are more active users of the Internet

LITERATURE REVIEW

Lent, Brown & Hackett (1994) research on self-efficacy.

G.V.U Centre (1998b) claim of the Internet been a challenge to women.

Tsai & Lin (2004) research on Adolescents.

Nai & Gill (2007) attitude towards computers.

QUESTIONS

1. Does this gap still exist and how much of it does?

2. Are there any changes in female online activities can it be measured?

3. Is it significant enough to question previous social bias?

METHODOLOGY

A modification of Nai & Gill (2007) approach (Gender and cultural differences in Internet use).

A total of 50 students participated

Task cards and Ipads were given

Supervision from teaching staff

To generate results, the following were considered:

Time taken to complete task

Total number of sites visited

Total sites visited for research purpose

Percentage value of sites visited outside research

RESULT

DISCUSSION

Female participants spent lesser time than their male counterparts even though they visited more sites.

Some of the male participants showed interest in drawing, painting, watching videos on YouTube & playing games while the females the females chose not to anything on completion of the task.

Close similarity in the number of sites the male and female participants visited in other to provide answers to research questions.

It proved very difficult to draw any conclusion from the result generated from data on activities after research.

CONCLUSION

First hypothesis (men are more confident Internet users than women; Hence, men show faster productivity than Women) was wrong.

Second hypothesis (the internet and technology is not just a male activity because women are more active users of the Internet) was right.

DRAWBACKS:

Small sample size

Time constrains

Reserve attitude of students

REFERENCE

• D'Esposito, J. E. & Gardner, R. M. (1999). University students' perceptions of the Internet: An exploratory study. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 25, 456-461. 

• GVU (1997b, 1998b). GVU’s www User Survey. [Online]. Available form: http://www.cc.gatech.edu/gvu/user_surveys-1998-10/. [Accessed 20th may 2012].

• Lent, R, W. Brown, S, D. & Hackett, G. (1994). Toward a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45, 79-122. 

• Meng-Jung, T. & Chin-Chung, T. (2010). Junior high school students’ Internet usage and self-efficacy: A re-examination of the gender gap. Computers and Education. 54 (11) P.1182-1192. 

• Nai, L. & Kirkup, G. (2007). Gender and cultural differences in Internet use: A study of China and the UK. Computers & Education. 48(2) P.301-317 

• Tsai, C, C. & Lin, C, C. (2004). Taiwanese adolescents’ perceptions and attitudes regarding the Internet: Exploring gender differences . Adolescence. 397(156), 725-734.