Internet usage

From the study findings, it is found that even though the gender difference is not significant in internet access, forever, males have a higher tendency of having more years of experience on the Internet than females and spending more time online per week. Besides, a significant difference Is also found In terms of Linux knowledge and usage as females have less knowledge and use it less than males. Females, however, are more appreciative of the internet’s impact on their studies and Job opportunities.

It is also found that there is no significant gender difference in internet usage functions such as e-mail, chat, online shopping, information search and communication. Deductively, there is till a certain digital divide although the gender differences are not significant In certain aspects. The gender gap Is presented mostly In the In-depth knowledge and experience as males tend to use the technologies more and have more internet knowledge and experiences than females.

An investigation of differences in undergraduates’ academic use of the internet (Selwyn, 2008) This article addresses the I-J higher education institutions students’ internet engagement as a source of academic information for their studies. As internet act as a means of providing dents with ready access to educational opportunities, It plays an Integral role In higher education_ universities deliver subject content and provide students with access to the information required for their studies through internet such as via e- journals, virtual learning environments, and other forms of ‘e-learning’ provision.

Therefore, most university students are trained to effectively search and critically evaluate internet-based information. However, through the literature findings, it is found that students’ academic use of the internet Is heavily entwined with leisure sees and that not all students are as Inclined to Integrate Internet use Into their studies as assumed. Therefore, the students’ general use of Internet for a range of domestic, leisure and educational purposes are investigated.

The research findings reported that searching for academic-related information is still a more prevalent use in students’ internet usage as compared to other online activities such as participating In online courses, e-banking, e-gaming and e-shopping. However, usage of Internet for educational purposes is lower compared to the usage of communicative and social websites. Conclusively, Internet usage for academic purposes was a prominent, but not predominant aspect of university students’ daily internet engagement.

Apart from that, the research also found that gender differences in internet usage have diminished as female students are more likely to make use of the internet in seeking academic information. The Internet Goes to College: How Students Are Living in the Future with Today’s Technology (Jones, 2002) This article studied the Internet’s Impact on college students’ dally lives, and to study showed that college students are early adopters and heavy users of the internet. Most students had begun using internet when they were 16 to 18 years old and spent more time on the internet than the amount of time devoted to studying.

Besides, the students also reported that internet has enhanced their education. Internet is a functional tool for college students as they use the internet to communicate with professors and classmates, conducting research, and to access library materials. It was found that four-fifths of college students agree that internet use has a positive impact on their academic experience. Apart from that, it is also mound that the students’ college social life has been changed by the internet. College students were found to use the internet as much for social communication as for education to enhance their social lives.

Nevertheless, college students’ internet use in the future is undeniable even when they enter the workforce and adult world. This is because many had integrated online tools into their daily life such as for communication, entertainment and information seeking. From the studies done by the researchers above, it is found that the findings on gender differences in internet usage are inconsistent and contradictory. Besides, it is also found that university students uses internet for a wide range of purposes other than educational purpose and that internet usage has greatly changed university students’ daily lives.