attitude of college students towards internet chatting on

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ATTITUDE OF COLLEGE STUDENTS TOWARDS INTERNET CHATTING ON EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Prigimol Augustine and Arulsamy, S.

Department of Education, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-641 046.

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT The present study is focused on the attitude towards Internet chatting on educational development of college students in Coimbatore district, Tamilnadu. The investigators used normative survey method for the study. The sample consists of 200 college students from two Arts and Science and two Engineering colleges in Coimbatore District. Stratified random sampling technique has been used for the selection of sample. The investigators developed a tool themselves to measure attitude towards Internet chatting on educational development. The data were analysed using ‘t’ test and χ2 - test. The major findings of study reveal that the college students in Coimbatore district have good favourable attitude towards Internet chatting on educational development and their attitude differed in terms locality of college.

INTRODUCTION The most striking invention in the field of education is the integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education. One of the most significant developments in this technology is the growth of the “Internet”. The internet has grown so big that it has permeated into almost all aspects of human life – at home, at work, or at play. The Internet has changed the course of the world completely. It has reshaped the way we communicate, work, play, and how we understand the world around us. With the rise of the Internet as a digital highway for messages and images - people now have a fast, convenient, and reliable means to transmit and receive information. It is now widely used as a research tool for news, education, entertainment, and informal web-based education.College students are *Corresponding author: [email protected]

heavy users of the Internet compared to the general population. Internet use first became widespread on college campuses in the 1990s, and in many ways the Internet is a direct outcome of university-based research. Use of the Internet is a part of college students’ daily routine, in part because they have grown up with computers. It is integrated into their daily communication habits and has become a technology as ordinary as the telephone or television. Among the applications of Internet, chatting has an important role for students in their studies and educational development. Many students are making extensive use of Internet chat to enhance their learning. Internet use is a staple of college students’ educational experience. They use the Internet to communicate with professors and classmates, to do research, and to access library materials. The present study is based on a survey to investigate the attitude of college students towards Internet Chatting on their educational development.

ISSN: 0975-833X

Available online at http://www.journalcra.com

International Journal of Current Research Vol. 2, Issue, 2, pp.127-134, January, 2011

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CURRENT RESEARCH

Key words:

Internet Chatting, Educational development, Internet Chatting Attitude Scale (ICAS).

Article History:

Received 17th October, 2010 Received in revised form 25th November, 2010 Accepted 18th December, 2010 Published online 27th January, 2011

© Copy Right, IJCR, 2011 Academic Journals. All rights reserved.

Need for the study One of the tools for greater information brought about by global technology is the Internet, has become the ideal means of providing a quality education and progress not only for the company today but for economic educational organization that develop projects to upgrade today to bring the greatest amount of learning communities. For that reason this technological resource to education is formidable because they produce enrichment in the development of learning. The Internet provides tremendous educational benefits including access to information across a wide variety of topics, establishing educational links and enhancing communication with teachers and classmates. It provides significant benefits for students, such as research access, socialization, entertainment, and a communication tool with families and friends. Most of these facilities can be acquired through Internet Chatting. The Internet Chat can enrich students and their school-based learning and can be a tool for creative and intellectual work with others. It is a fast and efficient means of gaining information and knowledge. Internet chatting provides opportunity to share questions, concerns, and experiences regarding educational researches with foreign scholars. But some studies (Robert et al. (2001); Kimberly Young (1999) show that excessive Internet use is associated with academic problems. Internet chatting has its own pros and cons and has its impact on education. Developing right attitude among college students towards Internet Chatting will make them to use it in good ways. Realizing the importance of developing right attitude towards Internet chatting the investigators made an attempt to investigate the attitude of college students towards Internet chatting on their educational development. Operational definitions

Attitude: - In this investigation Attitude can be defined as the sum total of man’s inclinations and feelings, prejudice or bias, pre-conceived notions, ideas, fears, threats and convictions about Internet chatting.

Internet Chatting: - Internet chatting can refer to any kind of communication over the Internet, but is

primarily meant to refer to direct one-on-one chat or text-based group chat. Educational Development: - Educational Development is a term that tends to be reserved for the activity undertaken by those who specialize in enhancing learning and teaching and whose role is to assist students with their learning. College students: - Students those who are doing higher studies in college and are of age above 17 or 18 years old. Objectives of the study The present study has the following objectives; To find out the attitude of college students towards Internet Chatting on their educational development.

1. To find out there is significant difference, if any, in the attitude of college students towards Internet Chatting on educational development based on their a) Gender b) Locality c) Type of college To find out there is significant association, if any, between 1) Male and Female, 2) Rural and Urban, and 3) Arts & Science and Engineering Students’ opinion on the statements in ‘Internet Chatting Attitude Scale’. Delimitations of the study

The present study has the following delimitations, 1. The investigators selected only 200 college

students in Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu, for the study. The investigators selected only 4 colleges in Coimbatore district of Tamilnadu. The investigators done the research only in 2 Arts and Science colleges and 2 Engineering colleges. MATERIALS AND METHODS The investigators used normative survey method to study about the attitude of college students towards Internet Chatting on educational development. Sample: - A total sample of 200 college students was taken up for the present study. It consists of 2 Arts and Science and 2 Engineering colleges in Coimbatore district. Stratified random sampling technique is used for the selection of sample. The

128 International Journal of Current Research, Vol. 2, Issue, 1, pp.127-134, January, 2011

stratification has been done on the basis of gender, locality of the college, and type of college. Fifty respondents were selected randomly from each college. Accordingly 200 questionnaires were distributed among the students.

Tool: - The investigators developed and validated a tool to measure attitude of college students towards Internet Chatting on educational development which contains twenty two statements. Since there was no tool available to measure the attitude

Table 1. Difference between college students’ attitude towards Internet chatting based on their (a) gender, (b) locality (c) type of college

Variables Categories N Mean % SD t-value Level of

Significance Gender

Male 116 74.97 68.2 9.644 1.077 NS Female 84 73.29 66.6 11.73

Locality

Rural 100 75.77 68.9 9.106 2.04 S Urban 100 72.76 66.1 11.72

Type of College

Arts&Science 100 74.93 68.1 8.832 0.879 NS Engineering 100 73.6 66.9 12.1

Significance level at 0.05 level is 1.98.

Table-2(i). Association between male and female Students’ opinion on the following statements

S.N Statements Variable df χ2 Results 1. The Internet Chatting is a fast and efficient means of

gaining information and knowledge. Male 4 4.031 NS Female

2. Internet Chatting cannot be fully trustful.

Male 4 11.392 S Female

3. Internet Chatting acts as a media of communication on discussion between students and teachers.

Male 4 7.001 NS Female

4. Internet chatting promotes citizen-oriented teaching methods.


5. With the Internet chatting, we can investigate a lot of things that we never thought we could.


6. Internet chatting is a democratic medium.


7. Internet chatting has reduced the quality of education. Male 4 5.051 NS Female

8. Chat is able to transmit the same amount of knowledge usually gained in more expensive lectures and meetings.


9. Internet Chat will enhance the effectiveness in learning. Male 4 6.399 NS Female

10. Internet chat can establish a network among college students.


11. Student researchers use Internet chatting to communicate with other researchers.


12. Internet chat has a great impact on teaching and learning and in carrying out interdisciplinary and collaborative projects.


13. Internet Chatting fill communication gaps between face-to-face meetings.


14. Internet Chatting helps teachers to discover students’ interests, needs, and problems .


15. The Internet chat provides learning opportunities outside the classrooms.


16. The Internet Chat can enrich children and their school-based learning and can be a tool for creative and intellectual work with others.


17. Internet Chatting allows for the equitable distribution of knowledge and the full exercise of citizenship.


18. Through Internet Chatting some students get addicted to cyber sex.


19. Internet chatting as a limitless space inhabited by all available human knowledge, as a reservoir of infinite objects.


20. Internet chatting not only can influence children's cognitive and academic skills, but can also shape children's social interactions and development.


21 Internet chatting provides opportunity to share questions, concerns, and experiences regarding educational researches with foreign scholars.

Male 4 3.358

NS

Female

22 Internet chat includes unnecessary, non-useful knowledge. Male 4 9.371

NS Female

Significance level at 0.05 level is 9.488


towards Internet chatting on educational development among college students, the investigators had to develop a tool to measure the same. An attitude scale namely, Internet Chatting Attitude Scale (ICAS) was developed by the investigators in order to measure the attitude of the learners towards Internet Chatting on educational development. The investigators opted to follow Likert’s method of summated ratings to develop this scale. After a thorough study of available literature, thirty items were written in the draft of the scale. After the pilot study eight items had to be deleted from the draft and 22 items were selected for the final tool. Out of these, 18 were positive statements and 4 were negative statements.

These 22 items were arranged in random order. The reliability of the attitude scale was found to be 0.825 and The content validity was worked out using 't' -test. Data collection: - For the data collection, the investigators visited personally the 4 colleges in Coimbatore district and collected the data from the respondents. The data were collected with the help of the developed tool. The investigators sought permission from the principals and approached the students in their respective colleges. The tool was distributed to the students and the investigators assured that their responses would be kept confidential and used for research purpose only.

Table-2 (ii). Association between Rural and Urban Students’ opinion on the following statements.

S.N Statements Variable df χ2 Results 1. The Internet Chatting is a fast and efficient means of

gaining information and knowledge. Rural 4 2.176 NS Urban

2. Internet Chatting cannot be fully trustful. Rural 4 14.764 S Urban


Rural 4 17.3

S Urban

4. Internet chatting promotes citizen-oriented teaching methods.

Rural 4 15.092 S Urban




Rural 4 4.532 NS Urban

7. Internet chatting has reduced the quality of education.




9. Internet Chat will enhance the effectiveness in learning.


10. Internet chat can establish a network among college students.






13. Internet Chatting fill communication gaps between face-to-face meetings.


14. Internet Chatting helps teachers to discover students’ interests, needs, and problems.


15. The Internet chat provides learning opportunities outside the classrooms






18. Through Internet Chatting some students get addicted to cyber sex.




20. Internet chatting not only can influence children's cognitive and academic skills, but can also shape children's social interactions and development.


21. Internet chatting provides opportunity to share questions, concerns, and experiences regarding educational researches with foreign scholars.

Rural 4 5.9

NS Urban

22. Internet chat includes unnecessary, non-useful knowledge.

Rural 4 19.852

S Urban



Clear instruction was given to enable them to give their response meaningfully. The gathered responses were scored.

Statistical Analysis: - The data collected were analysed by using descriptive and inferential analysis. The statistical techniques-‘t’ test and χ2 test were employed for the analysis and interpretation of the data.

Analysis of the data Hypothesis 1:- There is no significant difference in the attitude of college students towards Internet

Chatting on educational development based on their (a) Gender (b) Locality (c) Type of college The Table – 1 shows that the calculated value of ‘t’ (1.007) is less than the table value (1.98). Hence the null hypothesis-1(a) is accepted at 0.05level. That means, there is no significant difference between the mean scores of male and female college students in their attitude towards Internet Chatting on educational development. From the above table it is clear that, if we consider the locality, the calculated value of ‘t’ (2.04) is greater than the table value (1.98). Hence the null hypothesis-1(b) is rejected. That means, there is

Table-2(iii). Association between Arts Science and Engg Students’ opinion on the following statements S.No Statements Variable df χ2 Results

1. The Internet Chatting is a fast and efficient means of gaining information and knowledge.

Arts&sci 4 8.466 NS

Engg

2. Internet Chatting cannot be fully trustful. Arts&sci 4 5.278 NS Engg


Arts&sci 4 2.152 NS Engg

4. Internet chatting promotes citizen-oriented teaching methods. Arts&sci 4 9.88 S Engg





7. Internet chatting has reduced the quality of education.




9. Internet Chat will enhance the effectiveness in learning.


10. Internet chat can establish a network among college students. Arts&sci 4 5.958 NS Engg





13. Internet Chatting fill communication gaps between face-to-face meetings


14. Internet Chatting helps teachers to discover students’ interests, needs, and problems.


15. The Internet chat provides learning opportunities outside the classrooms





Arts&sci 4 9.76 S

Engg 18. Through Internet Chatting some students get addicted to cyber

sex. Arts&sci 4 2.744 NS Engg


Arts&sci 4 9.898 S

Engg 20. Internet chatting not only can influence children's cognitive and

academic skills, but can also shape children's social interactions and development.


21. Internet chatting provides opportunity to share questions, concerns, and experiences regarding educational researches with foreign scholars.

Arts&sci 4 9.668

S

Engg

22. Internet chat includes unnecessary, non-useful knowledge. Arts&sci 4 4.032 NS Engg



significant difference between the mean scores of rural and urban college students in their attitude towards Internet Chatting on educational development. So rural college students have better favourable attitude than the urban college students towards Internet Chatting. Also the table shows that, in the case of type of college, the calculated and (0.879) value is less than the table value (1.98). So null hypothesis – 1(c) is accepted at 0.05 level. Hence there is no significant difference between the mean scores of arts and science college students and engineering college students in their attitude towards Internet Chatting on educational development. Hypothesis 2: There is no significant association between i) male and female ii) Rural and Urban iii) Arts & Science and Engineering Students’ opinion on the statements in ICAS. The hypotheses of statement 2,11and18 are rejected at 0.05 level. Hence there is significant association between male and female college students’ opinion on the above mentioned statements. And the hypotheses of 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14,15,16,17,19,20,21and 22 are accepted at 0.05 level. Hence there is no significant association between male and female college students’ opinion on the above mentioned statements. The null hypotheses for the statements 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 18 and 22 are rejected at 0.05 level of significance. Hence, there is significant association between rural and urban college students’ opinion on the above mentioned statements. Also from the above table it is clear that the hypotheses for the statements 1,6,7,11,12,13,14,15, 16, 17, 19, 20 and 21 are accepted at 0.05 level of significance. Hence, there is no significant association between rural and urban college students’ opinion on the above mentioned statement. At 0.05 level of significance, the hypotheses of statement 4, 17, 19, and 21 are rejected. Hence there is significant association between Arts & Science and Engineering college students’ opinion on the above mentioned statements. The above table also shows that the hypotheses of 1,2,3,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15, 16,18,20, and 22 are accepted at 0.05 level. Hence there is no significant association between Arts & Science and

Engineering college students’ opinion on the above mentioned statements Findings 1. The college students have good favorable

attitude towards the influence of Internet Chatting on their educational development.

2. There is no significant difference between the mean scores of male and female college students in their attitude towards Internet Chatting on educational development.

3. The rural college students have better attitude towards Internet Chatting than urban college students.

4. There is no significant difference between the mean scores of arts and science college students and engineering college students in their attitude towards Internet Chatting on educational development.

5. There is significant association between male and female college students’ opinion on the statement 2,11and18.

6. There is no significant association between male and female college students’ opinion on the statement 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17,19, 20, 21and 22.

7. There is significant association between rural and urban college students’ opinion on the statements 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9,10, 18 and 22.

8. There is no significant association between rural and urban college students’ opinion on the statements1,6,7,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,19,20 and 21

9. There is significant association between Arts & Science and Engineering college students’ opinion on the statement 4,17,19, and 21.

10. There is no significant association between Arts & Science and Engineering college students’ opinion on the statements 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,11,12,13,14,15, 16,18,20, and 22.

DISCUSSION From the present study, it is clear that the college students have good favourable attitude towards Internet Chatting and they agreed that improvements are clearly visible in their educational process by the same. The study reveals that the male and female students are not differing


much in their attitude towards Internet Chatting on educational development. That means both male and female college students are getting equal freedom to use Internet and through the use of Internet chat they are showing improvements in their academic life. The present study also shows that rural college students have better favorable attitude towards Internet Chatting than urban college students. The availability and accessibility of the high technologies like Internet is very less in the rural areas. Hence, the rural students are getting opportunity to use internet only in the educational institutions and public libraries and they are making use of that for their educational process. Urban students can get all the facilities and they may not be interested to make use of it, because they are not aware of the importance of these facilities which they are getting at home. In this study there is not much difference between Arts and Science college students and Engineering college students in their attitude towards Internet Chatting. Because now a days all the students are doing Internet Chatting for getting the latest information for their studies. As a whole, if we look into the study, we can conclude that irrespective of gender, locality, or type of college, the students show positive attitude towards Internet Chatting on their educational development. For most of the statements, there is significant association with the attitude of college students towards Internet chatting based on their gender, locality, and type of college. For the statements “Internet chatting promotes citizen-oriented teaching methods”, “Internet Chat will enhance the effectiveness in learning”, “Student researchers use Internet chatting to communicate with other researchers”, “Internet Chatting allows for the equitable distribution of knowledge and the full exercise of citizenship”, “Internet chatting provides opportunity to share questions, concerns, and experiences regarding educational researches with foreign scholars” there is significant association with college students’ attitude towards Internet chatting. This reveals that how far the college students are having positive attitude towards Internet chatting on their educational life. With the help of all those 22 statements the investigators could extract the

correct attitude of college students towards Internet chatting. Educational implications This study has the following educational implications; 1. Lectures can be given by the experts in the field

to make the students understand, what all possibilities for educational development can be acquired through Internet Chatting.

2. Some facilities may be given to students in the college to do Internet Chatting under the guidance of teachers to bring them in the mainstream of educational process.

3. Since Internet chatting is one of the best ways to collect information, student may be trained to use internet chatting in an effective way.

Conclusion

Internet is a new technology that has influenced the world and has provided many benefits to its users, especially to the college students. It provides many benefits for students, such as research access, socialization, entertainment, etc. Most of these facilities can acquire through Internet Chatting. College students are mainly considered as heavy users of Internet and Internet Chatting. Irrespective of gender or their branch of study, they involve in Internet Chatting and it will enhance their level of learning. With Internet chatting, they can investigate a lot of things that we never thought we could. It acts as a media of communication on discussion between students and teachers. When the chatting goes excessive, it will lead the individual into Internet Addiction. If the students’ attitude towards Internet Chatting and their usage are observed, the Internet addiction can be prevented by giving proper guidance and counseling to them.

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