IMPACT OF INTERNET ON READING AND RESEARCH HABITS OF MASS COMMUNICATION STUDENTS

IMPACT OF INTERNET ON READING AND RESEARCH HABITS OF MASS COMMUNICATION STUDENTS

Background of the study

Reading serves as a tool for students’ enhancement of intellectual properties of people from generation to generations so as to ensure continuous human and societal transformations and developments. Reading is an act of decoding written, textual or graphic information in order to make meaningful interpretations from an information material. According to Sisulu (2004), reading is one of the fundamental building blocks of learning and becoming a skilled and adaptable reader enhances the chances of success in academics and beyond. Reading is not only meant for success in examinations, it has the potential to enhance individual political participation in a democratic and structured society. Similarly, Osundare (2009) emphatically remarks that a country’s level of development is a function of it’s level of mental and cultural evolution as well as the state of its educational advancement, reading is essential for this achievement. However, for this study, reading is seen as the process of critically studying and mentally digesting and content of information material for immediate or future use. The importance of reading is a prerequisite for the appreciation of reading as a tool for the enhancement of human intellectual abilities. The nation as a political entity is not exempted from enjoying the benefits that emanate from the reading populace. Reading enhances the application of recorded knowledge into use where the citizens can readily be mobilized for attainment of political, educational, social and economic goals of the nation (Mefor 2011).

In contemporary times, the internet also called the information super highway has brought reading materials to the doorsteps of polytechnic students, coming with the evolution that cannot be compared with existing technologies that were before it. More also, internet has boosted the bulk of knowledge available to students, and has also provided a mechanism for easy access to knowledge and it collaborative interaction between students and the students lecturers. Furthermore, reports have indicated that students are reading more books because of e-text, whether the digital software is on a handheld laptop or desktop computer, thousands of book titles have been transformed into digital books that can be read after being downloaded to the computer device (Houghton, 2010), have broadened their horizon of academic opportunities and researches, enabling them to carry out their research, class assignments, write their examinations and share information resources with the counterpart all over the world.

Furthermore, polytechnic undergraduate students in the course of their academic works may find it easier to locate, evaluate and collect information from variety of sources through the use of internet. However, mass communication students experience challenges and difficulties in their daily use of internet either for academic purpose or otherwise. Some students tend to be faced with serious distraction because of their inability to resist the screen while using internet social etc. seems to have far reading implication for students reading culture because the pressure to watch movies and interacts with people and loved ones via internet seems to be overwhelming. Students may not be possible kept away from the use of ICTs because of the range of opportunities it offers to its users. Therefore effort is being made to proffer solutions to the problems encountered by students which the use of internet in promoting reading habit.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Reading among polytechnic students is the basic foundation of literacy and also assists in the promotion of comprehension and critical thinking skills. Consequently, the development of reading habits among polytechnic students empowers human resources, enhances the acquisition of general knowledge and broadmindedness, in order to champion the much expected sustainable development in the education and other sectors of the economy. Furthermore, the use of information and communication technologies for reading purposes among polytechnic undergraduate students enhances learning faster and increases academic productivity and opportunities, and promote creativity. However, when it becomes a substitute for good reading, it becomes an issue that should be given concern. In the 21st century, it has been observed that polytechnic students spend time in some form of internet or the other such as internet, laptops, computers, cable television, palmtops, Ipads, GSM phones, smart phones, etc. The interest in reading is challenged and seems to have waned significantly. Consequently, internet seems to have progressively taking a steady control over the reading culture of undergraduate students in Nigerian polytechnics. Our reading habit seems to be further impoverished, the effects of poor reading habit is experienced where the quality of graduate falls below standard, the rate of examination malpractice is very high, and the country keeps battling with education and economic under development. In view of this, this study seeks to find out how internet can be used to enhance continuous reading habit among mass communication student in Selected Tertiary institution in  Edo State.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The general objective of this study is to ascertain the impact of internet on reading and research habits of mass communication students.  The specific objectives of the study are;

1.   To ascertain the use of internet can have a significant impact on mass communication student’s academic achievement

2. To ascertain if the use of internet enhances  reading and research habit among mass communication student

3.   To ascertain whether student spend more time on internet than reading?

1.4 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

HO1: Internet usage does not enhance reading and research habits of mass communication students

HO2: Use of internet can have a significant impact on mass communication student’s academic achievement

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The results from this study will educate the administrators in the education sector and the general public on the effect of internet and other related technologies on the student are reading culture in Nigeria.This research will be a contribution to the body of literature in the area of the effect of personality trait on student’s academic performance, thereby constituting the empirical literature for future research in the subject area. 

1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers the impact of internet on the reading habit of Nigeria student. The researcher encounters some constrain which limited the scope of the study However, like in every human endeavour, the researchers encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study which posed as a limitation. The significant constraint was the scanty literature on the subject owing to the nature of the discourse thus the researcher incurred more financial expenses and much time was required in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited choice of sample size. More so, the choice of the sample size was limited  to mass communication student  only as few respondent were selected in selected tertiary institutions in Edo State  to answer the research instrument hence cannot be generalize to other State. However, despite the constraint  encountered during the  research, all factors were downplayed in other to give the best and make the research successful.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

INTERNET: A global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities, consisting of interconnected networks using standardized communication protocols

READING HABIT: Reading is one of the most fundamental skills a child needs to learn to succeed in life. Developing good reading habits is vital to your child's future not just academically, but in everyday life as well. Reading allows for exposure to words and phrases that you might not use as part of normal speech.

STUDENT: A student is a learner or someone who attends an educational institution. In the United Kingdom, those attending university are termed "students" while "pupil" refers to an attendee of a lower educational.

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