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TITLE PAGE

EFFECT OF INTERNET ON CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES


STUDENTS: A CASE STUDY OF FEDERAL COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION, ZARIA

BY

Onuoha Precious Chukwuemeka EZPP/14/CRSS/020


Abomide Idayat Ahmed EZPP/14/CRSS/007
Shaibu Monday EZPP/14/CRSS/019
Ochechema Christiana EZPP/14/CRSS/014

A RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF


CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES, SCHOOL OF SECONDARY ARTS
AND SOCIAL SCIENCES, FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION,
ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
THE AWARD OF NIGERIAN CERTIFICATE IN EDUCATION (NCE)

MARCH, 2018

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APPROVAL PAGE

This project has been read and approved as meeting the requirement for the award of the

Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE). All ideas used from other people’s intellectual works

have been duly cited.

………………………………. ………………………….
Pastor D.H. Audu Sign/Date
(Supervisor)

………………………………. ………………………….
Dr. (Mrs.) J. K. Anderson Sign/Date
(Project Coordinator)

………………………………. ………………………….
Mr. Tamida Abashe Sign/Date
(Head of Department)

……………………………….. …………………………….
External Examiner Sign/Date

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DECLARATION

We hereby declare that this project titled “EFFECT OF INTERNET ON CHRISTIAN

RELIGIOUS STUDIES STUDENTS: A CASE STUDY OF FEDERAL COLLEGE OF

EDUCATION, ZARIA,” to the best of our knowledge is a record of our own research work.

It has never been presented for the award of Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE). All

Materials used have been appropriately acknowledged.

Onuoha Precious Chukwuemeka ___________________


EZPP/14/CRSS/020 Sign/Date

Abomide Idayat Ahmed ___________________


EZPP/14/CRSS/007 Sign/Date

Shaibu Monday ___________________


EZPP/14/CRSS/019 Sign/Date

Ochechema Christiana ___________________


EZPP/14/CRSS/014 Sign/Date

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DEDICATION

This work is dedicated to Almighty God, who protected and kept us throughout our studies and

to our families for their unflinching support to help us attain this level in our educational career.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to express our deepest appreciation to a number of persons who were of

immense assistance to us when writing this project. Our profound gratitude goes to our

supervisor in person of Pastor Audu for his patience, devotion and commitment in reading,

correcting and directing the entire research exercise in order to ensure that this research work

comes to a successful end, May the almighty God Bless you and your family (Amen).

Many thanks to all the lecturers in Christian Religious Studies Department, FCE Zaria for their

unquantifiable contributions to our lives in the course of our studies.

We also appreciate the sample the NCE and B.Ed. CRS students for their cooperation in

obtaining our data for the study. We appreciate to our beloved husbands, wives, children and

all our course mates, Brothers, Sisters, friends, well-wishers, relatives who have equally helped

us and supported us both financially and otherwise, we say thank you all and may God grant

you all your heart desires. (Amen). Lastly we are grateful to Mr. Joseph Fayomi for his timely

support and help in analysing the data for the study.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover

TITLE PAGE .............................................................................................................................. i


APPROVAL PAGE ...................................................................................................................ii
DECLARATION ..................................................................................................................... iii
DEDICATION .......................................................................................................................... iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................................... v
TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................... vi
Abstract .................................................................................................................................. viii
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study................................................................................................. 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................ 2
1.3 Objectives of the Study ................................................................................................... 2
1.4 Research Questions ......................................................................................................... 3
1.5 Scope of the Study .......................................................................................................... 3
1.6 Significance of the Study ................................................................................................ 3
1.7 Operational Definition of Terms ..................................................................................... 3

CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 5
2.1 Theoretical framework .................................................................................................... 5
2.2 History of the Internet ..................................................................................................... 5
2.2.1 History of the Internet in Nigeria ................................................................................. 13
2.3 Uses of internet by students ......................................................................................... 15
2.3.1 Educational use of the internet ..................................................................................... 15
2.3.2 Social uses of the internet ............................................................................................ 17
2.3.3 Recreational use of the internet.................................................................................... 19
2.4 Effects of internet on students...................................................................................... 20
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2.4.1 Positive Effects of Internet on Students .................................................................... 20
2.4.2 Negative Effects of Internet on Students................................................................... 24

CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 27
3.2 Research Design............................................................................................................ 27
3.3 Population of the study ................................................................................................. 27
3.4 Sample and Sampling Technique.................................................................................. 28
3.5 Instrumentation ............................................................................................................. 28
3.6 Validation of Instrument ............................................................................................... 28
3.7 Reliability of the Instrument ......................................................................................... 28
3.8 Procedure for Data Collection ...................................................................................... 29
3.9 Procedure for Data Analysis ......................................................................................... 29

CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION
4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 30
4.2 Data Presentation and Analysis .................................................................................... 30
4.2.1 Demographic Data ........................................................................................................ 30
4..2.2 Analysis of Research Questions.................................................................................... 32
4.3 Discussion of Findings .................................................................................................. 41

CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary ....................................................................................................................... 42
5.2 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 42
5.3 Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 43
REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................ 45
APPENDIX .............................................................................................................................. 46

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Abstract

The study investigated the Effect of Internet On Christian Religious Studies Students in Federal
College of Education, Zaria. A total number of three (3) research objectives and research
questions guided the study. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study.
The population of the study was all the CRS students in Federal College of Education, Zaria.
One hundred CRS students were sampled. A self-constructed questionnaire containing
eighteen (18) items was used to solicit responses from the respondents. Frequency count and
percentage was used to analyze the demographic data and answer the research questions. The
study concluded that the internet has positive effects on students and the frequency of internet
usage by CRS students is very high especially with the proliferation of smartphones It was
recommended that CRS students should be given proper orientation on the educational use of
internet and school authority should encourage the use of ICT especially the internet by
lecturers in teaching and learning of CRS in the college.

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

The internet is one of the greatest recent advancement in the world of information technology

and has become a useful instrument that has fostered the process of making the world a global

village. The use of internet has become an integral part of the daily lives of most people that

are learned. Information and knowledge disseminated through the slow process of oral

communications or with paper materials can now be transferred rapidly from an individual to

an infinite number of users through a number of media and formats. The Internet is the fastest

growing communication technology and has emerged as a major source of information that

connects people, data and other computers, reducing the world to the much talked-about

“global village”. It took the television revolution thirteen years (13) to reach a population of 50

million viewers, but the same number was achieved by the internet in only four years.

Yunus and Khayal (2000) posited that if there is only one force that is transforming people's

lives and that holds promise to deliver tumultuous impact in the future, it is the internet. The

internet has infiltrated all aspects of human endeavor including shopping, health, banking and

finance, academics, transport, etc. it has attained a level that one-minute interruption of internet

connection and communication can cause global damage. Adomi (2005) noted that the Internet

has profound implications for African countries such as Nigeria as it has the potential to

positively impact on the social, political, educational, technological and other spheres of lives

of its people. The education sector was among those that first embraced the use of Internet, and

it has continued to broaden the breadth and depth of opportunities within institutions of higher

learning worldwide. The internet now is like a large encyclopedia to all level of learners such

that it offers the services of a library except that it has no walls. Many higher institutions on

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recognizing the importance of internet in the academic environment has been continuously

making efforts to make internet connection accessible within their environment. Due to the

development and spread of cheaper and more user-friendly computer technology and software

(e.g., portable computers, Microsoft Word etc.), Handheld phones (android, windows, apple,

java), the use of the Internet has increased dramatically. According to the Nigerian

Communications Commission (NCC) in internetworldstats.com, Nigeria has ninety-one

million, eight hundred and eighty thousand and thirty—two (91,880,032 users). It is as a result

of this staggering number of users that made the researchers to study the effect of internet on

students of Christian Religious Studies in Federal College of Education, Zaria.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The internet came into existence to benefit mankind. Christian Religious Studies (CRS)

students use the internet for educational, social and recreational purposes. This use has both

positive and negative effect on the CRS students. Generally, the problem of the internet is the

tendency of the users to become addicted to it leaving meaningful activities for the internet due

to the pleasure derived from surfing the net. The negative use of the internet such as isolation

of the users from reality amongst others prompted the researchers to write on the effect of the

internet on CRS students in Federal College of Education, Zaria.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The objective of this research is to find out the effects of internet on CRS students in Federal

College of Education, Zaria. Specifically, the objectives of this study is to find out the

1. The positive effects of internet on CRS students in Federal College of Education, Zaria.

2. The negative effects of internet on CRS students in Federal College of Education, Zaria

3. The frequency of the use of internet by CRS students in Federal College of Education,

Zaria.

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1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions are raised to guide this study

1. What is the frequency of internet use by CRS students in Federal College of

Education, Zaria?

2. What are the positive effects of internet on CRS students in Federal College of

Education, Zaria?

3. What are the negative effects of internet on CRS students in Federal College of

Education, Zaria?

1.5 Scope of the Study

This study investigated the effects of internet on Christian Religious Studies (CRS) students in

Federal College of Education, Zaria, Kaduna state. The respondents were randomly selected

from NCE and B.Ed. students of Christian Religious Studies.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study will be significant to the following ways

 It will enlighten school authorities on the importance of providing of internet access to

students in the tertiary institutions.

 It will bring to the awareness of students in tertiary institutions the positive and negative

effects of internet on students.

 It will encourage curriculum planners’ curriculum planners to incorporate use of

internet in the curriculum of educational institutions.

1.7 Operational Definition of Terms

The following major terms are defined as used in this study

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Internet: a global computer network providing a variety of information and communication

facilities, consisting of interconnected networks using standardized communication protocols.

Christian Religious Studies: this refers to an in-depth study of the Christian religion

Students: these refers to students of CRS in Federal College of Education, Zaria, Kaduna state.

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CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.0 Introduction

This chapter contains the review of related literature under the following headings.

Theoretical framework, History of the internet, Uses of internet by students, Effects of internet

on students, Negative and positive effects of internet on students.

2.1 Theoretical framework

A theory explains the relationship between two or more terms. A theory is an explanation, idea

or opinion based on thought, observation and reasoning which has been tested and confirmed

as general principle explaining a large number or related facts. Theory is an intellectual that

does a number of functions. Thus:

 Theory helps us to analyze or organize our knowledge.

 It enables us to apply the nature of scientific enquiry in orderly manners.

 It enables a research to relate knowledge in his field to that of other field.

 It enhances our ability to understand and explain reality in a satisfying way.

This study adopts the theory of Social Construction of Technology.

Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) is a theory within the field of Science and

Technology Studies. SCOT argue that technology does not determine human action, but that

rather, human action shapes technology (Pinch and Bijker 1987). SCOT is a response to

technological determinism and is sometimes known as technological constructivism.

2.2 History of the Internet

According to Leiner, Cerf, Clark, Kahn, Kleinrock, Lynch, Postel, Roberts, and Wolff, (2014),

The Internet the result of some visionary thinking people in the early 1960s who saw great

potential value in allowing computers to share information on research and development in


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scientific and military fields. J CR Licklider of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

first proposed a global network of computers in 1962, and moved over to the Defense Advanced

Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in late 1962 to head the work to develop it. Leonard

Kleinrock of MIT and later UCLA developed the theory of packet switching, which was to

form the basis of Internet connections. Lawrence Roberts of MIT connected a Massachusetts

computer with a California computer in 1965 over dial-up telephone lines. It showed the

feasibility of wide area networking, but also showed that the telephone line's circuit switching

was inadequate.

Kleinrock's packet switching theory was confirmed, Roberts moved over to DARPA in 1966

and developed his plan for ARPANET. These visionaries and many more left unnamed here

are the real founders of the Internet.

The Internet, then known as ARPANET, was brought online in 1969 under a contract let by

the renamed Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) which initially connected four

major computers at universities in the southwestern US (UCLA, Stanford Research Institute,

UCSB, and the University of Utah). The contract was carried out by BBN of Cambridge, MA

under Bob Kahn and went online in December 1969. By June 1970, MIT, Harvard, BBN, and

Systems Development Corp (SDC) in Santa Monica, Cal. were added. By January 1971

Stanford, MIT's Lincoln Labs, Carnegie-Mellon, and Case-Western Reserve U were added. In

months to come, NASA/ Ames, Mitre, Burroughs, RAND, and the U of Illinois plugged in.

The Internet was designed to provide a communications network that would work even if some

of the major sites were down. If the most direct route was not available, routers would direct

traffic around the network via alternate routes. The early Internet was used by computer

experts, engineers, scientists, and librarians. There was nothing friendly about it. There were

no home or office personal computers in those days, and anyone who used it, whether a

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computer professional or an engineer or scientist or librarian, had to learn to use a very complex

system.

E-mail was adapted or ARPANET by the late Ray Tomlinson of BBN in 1972. He picked the

@ symbol from the available symbols on his teletype to link the username and address. The

telnet protocol, enabling logging on to a remote computer, was published as a Request for

Comments (RFC) in 1972. RFCs are a means of sharing developmental work throughout

community. The ftp protocol, enabling file transfers between Internet sites, was published as

an RFC in 1973, and from then on RFC's were available electronically to anyone who had use

of the ftp protocol.

Libraries began automating and networking their catalogs in the late 1960s independent from

ARPA. The visionary Frederick G. Kilgour of the Ohio College Library Center (now OCLC

Inc.) led networking of Ohio libraries during the '60s and '70s. In the mid- 1970s more regional

consortia from New England, the Southwest states, and the Middle Atlantic states, etc., joined

with Ohio to form a national, later international, network. Automated catalogs, not very user-

friendly at first, became available to the world, first through telnet or the awkward IBM variant

TN3270 and only many years later, through the web.

The Internet matured in the 7(Ys as a result of the TCP/IP architecture that came out of the

joint work of Bob Kahn at ARPA and Vint Cerf at Stanford and others throughout the 70's.

Vint Cerf explains it like this, "Actually, Bob produced a list of desiderata for open networking,

but the ideas of TCP and later TCP/IP arose out of our joint work while I was at Stanford and

he was at ARPA. I would not say that the architecture was originally developed by Bob at

BBN.

He came to me with the problem and we jointly developed these concepts from about March -

September 1 973 at which point we briefed the International Network Working Group meeting

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in London in September 1973 and then published a paper in IEEE Transactions on

Communications, May 1974 issue. It was adopted by the Defense Department in 1980

replacing the earlier Network Control Protocol (NCP) and universally adopted by 1983.

The Unix to Unix Copy Protocol (UUCP) was invented in 1 978 at Bell Labs. Usenet was

started in 1979 based on UUCP. Newsgroups, which are discussion groups focusing on a topic,

followed, providing a means of exchanging information throughout the world. While Usenet

is not considered as part of the Internet, since it does not share the use of TCP/IP, it linked

UNIX systems around the world, and many Internet sites took advantage of the availability of

newsgroups. It was a significant part of the community building that took place on the

networks.

Similarly, BITNET (Because It's Time Network) connected IBM mainframes around the

educational community and the world to provide mail services beginning in

1981. Listserv software was developed for this network and later others. Gateways were

developed to connect BITNET with the Internet and allowed exchange of e-mail, particularly

for e-mail discussion lists. These list serves and other forms of e-mail discussion lists formed

another major element in the community building that was taking place. In 1986, the National

Science Foundation funded NSFNet as a cross country 56 Kbps backbone for the Internet. They

maintained their sponsorship for nearly a decade, setting rules for its non-commercial

government and research uses.

As the commands for e-mail, FTP, and telnet were standardized, it became a lot easier for non-

technical people to learn to use the nets. It was not easy by today's standards by any means, but

it did open up use of the Internet to many more people in universities in particular. Other

departments besides the libraries, computer, physics, and engineering departments found ways

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to make good use of the nets--to communicate with colleagues around the world and to share

files and resources.

While the number of sites on the Internet was small, it was fairly easy to keep track of the

resources of interest that were available. But as more and more universities and organizations-

and their libraries-- connected, the Internet became harder and harder to track. There was more

and more need for tools to index the resources that were available.

The first effort, other than library catalogs, to index the Internet was created in 1989, as Peter

Deutsch and Alan Emtage, students at McGill University in Montreal, created an archiver for

ftp sites, which they named Archie. This software would periodically reach out to all known

openly available ftp sites, list their files, and build a searchable index of the software. The

commands to search Archie were UNIX commands, and it took some knowledge of UNIX to

use it to its full capability.

At about the same time, Brewster Kahle, then at Thinking Machines, Corp. developed his Wide

Area Information Server (WAIS), which would index the full text of files in a database and

allow searches of the files. There were several versions with varying degrees of complexity

and capability developed, but the simplest of these were made available to everyone on the

nets. At its peak, Thinking Machines maintained pointers to over 600 databases around the

world which had been indexed by WAIS. They included such things as the full set of Usenet

Frequently Asked Questions files, the full documentation of working papers such as RFC's by

those developing the Internet's standards, and much more. Like Archie, its interface was far

from intuitive, and it took some effort to learn to use it well.

Peter Scott of the University of Saskatchewan, recognizing the need to bring together

information about all the telnet-accessible library catalogs on the web, as well as other telnet

resources, brought out his Hytelnet catalog in 1990. It gave a single place to get information

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about library catalogs and other telnet resources and how to use them. He maintained it for

years, and added HyWebCat in 1997 to provide information on web-based catalogs. In 1991,

the first really friendly interface to the Internet was developed at the University of Minnesota.

The University wanted to develop a simple menu system to access files and information on

campus through their local network. A debate followed between mainframe adherents and

those who believed in smaller systems with client-server architecture. The mainframe

adherents "won" the debate initially, but since the client-server advocates said they could put

up a prototype very quickly, they were given the go-ahead to do a demonstration system. The

demonstration system was called a gopher after the U of Minnesota mascot--the

golden gopher. The gopher proved to be very prolific, and within a few years there were over

10,000 gophers around the world. It takes no knowledge of UNIX or computer architecture to

use. In a gopher system, you type or click on a number to select the menu selection you want.

The development in 1993 of the graphical browser Mosaic by Marc Andreessen and his team

at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) gave the protocol its big

boost. Later, Andreessen moved to become the brains behind Netscape Corp., which produced

the most successful graphical type of browser and server until Microsoft declared war and

developed its Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Since the Internet was initially funded by the government, it was originally limited to research,

education, and government uses. Commercial uses were prohibited unless they directly served

the goals of research and education. This policy continued until the early 90's, when

independent commercial networks began to grow. It then became possible to route traffic

across the country from one commercial site to another without passing through the

government funded NSF Net Internet backbone.

Delphi was the first national commercial online service to offer Internet access to its

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subscribers. It opened up an email connection in July 1992 and full Internet service in

November 1992. All pretenses of limitations on commercial use disappeared in May 1995

when the National Science Foundation ended its sponsorship of the Internet backbone, and all

traffic relied on commercial networks. AOL, Prodigy, and CompuServe came online. Since

commercial usage was so widespread by this time and educational institutions had been paying

their own way for some time, the loss of NSF funding had no appreciable effect on costs.

Microsoft full scale entry into the browser, server, and Internet Service Provider market

completed the major shift over to a commercially based Internet. The release of Windows 98

in June 1998 with the Microsoft browser well integrated into the desktop shows Bill Gates'

determination to capitalize on the enormous growth of the Internet.

During this period of enormous growth, businesses entering the Internet arena scrambled to

find economic models that work. Free services supported by advertising shifted some of the

direct costs away from the consumer--temporarily. Services such as Delphi offered free web

pages, chat rooms, and message boards for community building. Online sales grew rapidly for

such products as books and music CDs and computers, but the profit margins are slim when

price comparisons are so easy, and public trust in online security is still shaky. Business models

that have worked well are portal sites that try to provide everything for everybody, and live

auctions. AOL's acquisition of Time-Warner was the largest merger in history when it took

place and shows the enormous growth of Internet business! The stock market has had a rocky

ride, swooping up and down as the new technology companies, the dot.com's encountered good

news and bad. The decline in advertising income spelled doom for many dot.coms, and a major

shakeout and search for better business models took place by the survivors.

A current trend with major implications for the future is the growth of high speed connections.

56K modems and the providers who supported them spread widely for a while, but that is the

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low end now. 56K is not fast enough to carry multimedia, such as sound and video except in

lowest quality. But new technologies many times faster, such as cable modems and digital

subscriber lines (DSL) are predominant now.

Wireless has grown rapidly in the past few years, and travellers search for the Wi-Fi "hot spots'

where they can connect while they are away from the home or office. Many airports, coffee

bars, hotels and motels now routinely provide these services, some for a fee and some for free.

A current big growth area is the surge towards universal wireless access, where almost

everywhere is a "hot spot". Municipal Wi-Fi or city-wide access, wiMAX offering broader

ranges than Wi-Fi, E V -DO, 4g, 5g, LTE, and other formats will joust for dominance in the

USA in the years ahead. The battle is both economic and political.

Another trend that is rapidly affecting web designers is the growth of smaller devices to connect

to the Internet. Tablets, smart phones, e-books, game machines, wristwatches, GPS devices,

thermostats, and even light bulbs are now capable of tapping into the web on the go, and many

web pages are not designed to work on that scale. Responsive web design to adapt to all size

devices is important now.

The Internet of Things is adding devices, too. Most modern televisions are now connected, and

the streaming devices that feed them, Add to this refrigerators, door locks, automobiles, garage

doors, personal robots, exercise machines, ovens, cameras, taxi replacements, drones, virtual

reality headsets, and more items and services every day.

As the Internet has become ubiquitous, faster, and increasingly accessible to non-technical

communities, social networking and collaborative services have grown rapidly, enabling

people to communicate and share interests in many more ways.

Sites like Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In, You Tube, Flickr, Second Life, blogs, Instagram,

wikis, and many more let people of all ages rapidly share their interests of the moment with

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others everywhere. It has provided a huge boost to the genealogy industry. Protecting privacy

is quite a challenge in this environment.

{Culled from Brief History of the Internet - Internet Timeline: Internet Society by Leiner, B.M.,

Cerf, V.G., Clark, D.D., Kahn, R.E., Kleinrock, L., Lynch, D.C., Postel, J., Roberts, L.G., and

Wolff, S. (2014)}

2.2.1 History of the Internet in Nigeria

The internet gained prominence in Nigeria when the GSM was introduced in 1999 but before

then in 1995, UNESCO had made an attempt to introduce it.

The timeline of the history of the internet can be traced as follow;

According to IXP (2017), in 1995, the first attempt at introducing Internet in Nigeria was made

through the UNESCO sponsored Regional Informatics Networks for Africa (RINAF) project,

in 1995. At one of the several workshops that were held to propagate the idea of the Internet,

the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG) was formed as a non-profit, non-governmental organization

with the primary aim and objective of promoting and facilitating access to the Internet in

Nigeria.

According to IXP (2017), from 1996 – 2000, towards the end of the 90s, several Internet

Service Providers (ISPs) came into existence and amongst them are Linkserve, Cyberspace,

Hyperia, Infoweb, PINE T, Skannet, Steineng, and lots more.

According to IXP (2017), In 2001, ISPs in Nigeria started having problems with the PTT; they

formed the "Committee of ISPs" to fight for the reduction in the costs of Internet access. These

efforts were successful. Initially, there were only 8 companies involved in the initiative, in

June, a meeting was held at the Sheraton Hotel. This meeting was very well attended and

attracted the majority of ISPs in Nigeria, this later transformed into the formation of the Internet

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Service Providers of Nigeria (ISPAN). Lanre Ajayi of PINET, one of the pioneer ISPs in

Nigeria, played an important role in the establishment of both NIG and ISP AN. The idea of an

Internet exchange point was first discussed at this meeting but the level of suspicion between

ISPs was very high and so the group at the meeting decided that it would be imperative to hold

a workshop aimed at educating the ISPs on issues of co-operation and specifically the benefits

of Internet Exchange points.

According to IXP (2017), in 2002, Sunday Folayan and Fisayo Adeleke, of Skannet (GDES

Ltd.) and Steineng Ltd., two Ibadan based ISPs, raised the idea of setting up the Ibadan Internet

exchange, Ib-IX.

According to IXP (2017), in 2003, around the March first Internet exchange point (I XP) in

Nigeria, Ibadan Internet Exchange (Ib-IX) eventually came alive, with a layer-2 infrastructure,

precisely, a 24-port 10/100Mbit/s switch and a route server. The maximum recorded traffic

between these two ISPs was 102Kbit/s June Internet exchange point (IXP) workshop was

spearheaded by Maxwell Kadiri, with the support of ISP AN and the French embassy in Lagos.

The IXP Workshop with a faculty which included Sunday Folayan (Skannet), Bolanle

Akinpelu (Skannet), Fisayo Adeleke (Steineng), Seni Williams (Tara Systems), Bill Woodcock

(Packet Clearing House, U.S) and Brian Longwe (Kenya Internet Exchange, KIXP); was the

first major step to sensitize the ISP community of the need for an IXP.

According to IXP (2017), in 2005, around April, ISPAN started discussion on the setting up of

Lagos Internet Exchange (LagosIX), which was expected to be managed by an independent

entity to be setup by ISPAN. November — President Olusegun Obasanjo directed the Nigerian

Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure that the nation gets its own Internet Exchange

Point (IXP) as soon as possible. An I XP setup committee was constituted to work with the

various structures that was in place. The committee members were made up of the following:

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Ndukwe Kalu (ISP AN), Ike Nnamani (Medallion Communications), Tosin Oni (InterConnect

Nigeria, ICN), Femi Adelamo (Emperion WA), O.T Abiodun (NITEL), Abubakar Yakubu

(NCC) and Chris Agha (NCC), including Sam Adeleke of Digitek Teevee Ltd. as the consultant

to NCC on the IXPN setup and under the supervision of Engr. Bashiru Gwandu, an Executive

Commissioner with the Engineering and Standards Department, NCC.

According to IXP (2017), in 2006, The Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission

(NCC), under the leadership of Dr. Bashir Gwandu the then acting Executive Vice Chairman'

approved a proposal to partly fund the setting-up of Internet eXchange Points (IXPs) in Nigeria,

with a collaboration between NCC and ISP AN. The I XP N will operate from NECOM House

(Marina, Lagos) as its main location; with sub-locations at Victoria Island, Ikeja, Ibadan, Port

Harcourt, Abuja, Enugu, Kano & Maiduguri.

According to IXP (2017), in 2010, the commissioning of the IXPN head office now located at

8th Floor, NCR building, 6 Broad Street, Lagos. The commissioning which was held on the

17th January, 2010 was presided over by the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Dr.

Eugene Ikemefuna Juwah. Also present was the immediate past E V C, Engr Ernest Ndukwe,

some senior staff of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), our Board of Directors

(BOD), our members, stakeholders in the ICT sector, media etc. The introduction of the

smartphone proliferated the system making internet devices handy.

2.3 Uses of internet by students

The internet has several uses, these uses can be grouped into educational, social and educational

use.

2.3.1 Educational use of the internet

The educational use of the internet is numerous, but below are the prominent ones

15
i. Globalization

There is a quote," Be global be successful". It is a fact that persons who are global become

more successful than others. The perfect and the best weapon that can make anyone global is

only internet. Being global for education purpose is always worth a lot. With the use of internet,

the student can ask question from anyone in any part of the world. Internet gives you an

opportunity to be global in education.

ii. Assignments

The internet has made assignments easier for students due to the unlimited knowledge it affords

its users

iii. Social sites

Social sites are the farer best way to be connected instead of wasting time for going somewhere.

In social site you can be in touch of your teachers. Students can join many educational groups

that give them all the information regarding any topic. With the use of internet social sites play

an important role in education.

iv. Up to date

The internet affords its users the opportunity to be up to date on the current trends in all aspects

of human endeavor from news, sports, education, sports, etc.

v. Open source or course ware

The word used open implies that you can use the informational sources freely. The internet

makes available educational material that can be assessed for free.

vi. Online library

Most of students visits library for books. But there are many online libraries where they can

get millions of books. Almost all available books in print has been digitized for them to be

assessable anywhere in the world.

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vii. Online classes

Online classes are becoming the students' favorite place to study. These are classes that the

students assess online through the internet. In online classes students' can learn the entire topic

related to any educational field at any time they want to i.e. Learn at anytime and anywhere

examples are cousera, future learn, EDex, etc.

viii. Learning through games

For a child, it is difficult that he studies all the text books. Games can help him in learning new

topics. There are thousands of games on the internet through which a child can big theories.

Playing games that enhance mind skills and educational skills

ix. Improve skills

Students can improve their educational skills, body language, English communication skills

and human behavior skills with the use if internet. So in short use of internet in education is

like a blessing for us in this generation.

x. Professional Development

The internet is a useful tool for training educators. Administrators can train teachers and other

educator's right where they are at using web-based training. Trainers can provide cheaper

training more often without the cost of travel and school systems save money. The internet also

provides a wider variety of training options that would not otherwise be available for all

educational systems.

2.3.2 Social uses of the internet

Internet is mainly used to support and facilitate interpersonal communication; to search for

information and to retrieve it in a variety of forms, although text is still the predominant mode;

to carry collective or public discussions that can lead to collaborative construction of

17
knowledge; and to publish multimedia materials, making them available to the whole Internet

community.

i. Interpersonal Communication

People all over the world use the Internet's electronic mail facilities to exchange information

and to establish meaningful dialogues with other people on a personal basis. Teachers and

students can take advantage of the e-mail as it is cheap and easy to operate: pupils can send

completed assignments in electronic form to their teachers; the assignments can be marked and

returned to students very quickly and with personalized comments; students in different

locations can participate in collaborative projects; and distance barriers cease to be a problem.

Information provision and retrieval. There is a whole world of information in the Net, and there

is frequent use of the browsing and retrieval facilities of the World Wide Web (W W).

At professional levels, 'electronic journals' that still maintain a quite traditional layout and

design are a cheaper and fastest alternative to mathematical journals. As Okerson (1996) points

out, this type of use is probably going to grow and its scope to be more widespread, setting new

social problems. It is already possible to search on-line mathematical dictionaries, to access

facsimiles of original papers of great mathematicians, to obtain information on the history of

distinguished mathematical objects and to locate the biographies of great authors. There is a

growing

richness of Web pages with collections of problems at almost any level, and the implementation

of Java and VRML languages allows the 'net surfer' to access galleries of dynamically

manipulable mathematical objects

ii. Public discussions

Public discussions consist of specific virtual that are freely joined by people with common and

specific interests. In the mathematics field there are 'classical newsgroups' like sci-math, sci.

18
math. and alt. algebra. help and 'mailing lists' such as owner-mathqa@lists.oulu.ji. The Internet

holds the record public discussions on mathematical issues maintained by groups of students

of higher levels recently joined by senior or retired mathematicians - that enjoy answering

questions of younger students and stimulating them with new challenges. An example here is

the virtual Dr. Math who treats mathematical illnesses. Public discussions allow for

collaborative knowledge construction in many areas, and 'Frequently Asked Questions' (FAQ)

boards are often built up by means of the collaborative efforts of a large number of people.

iii. Publishing on the Internet

The Internet provides a means for publicizing the results of many creative acts of people that

could not reach public audience by means of traditional publishing channels. This applies to

many areas of human creativity, and specifically to mathematics and mathematical education.

To publish on the Internet is becoming easier and easier, and almost anyone can post their

papers, essays, personal Information and communications technologies in school mathematics

databases and multimedia products. The personal touch or style of the author in presenting

information is not hindered by rigid publishers' criteria; it is only shaped by common operating

procedures.

2.3.3 Recreational use of the internet

The internet can also be used for recreational purposes. These include

Online games

These are virtual games played on the internet where a player can engage another player from

another part of the world.

Online Gambling/Betting

The internet has also made betting easy such that users can bet, play and earn e-cash anywhere

and anytime.

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Music/ Video Streaming and Download

Another recreational use of the internet is the downloading of music and videos from anywhere

in the world.

2.4 Effects of internet on students

The effects of the internet on students are numerous. Some are positive while some are

negative.

2.4.1 Positive Effects of Internet on Students

Modern society depends on the internet because of its ease of use. While some may

find it might not benefit them, most would agree that Internet is actually a modern wonder or

a miracle that can make life easier. The benefits of the Internet are as follows:

1. The Internet is a universal digital library

Once upon a time, students tend to do their revision in a library. The Internet has become a

place, a universal digital library (Isman and Dabaj, 2004). The Internet is a separable part of

today's educational system. (Safdar, Mahmood, and Qutab, 2010). People depend on the

Internet, so as students increasingly depend on the Internet, mainly for a variety educational

purpose, including the Internet itself acting as a universal library. A majority of academic and

research institutions provide Internet service to students, teachers, and researchers (Kaur and

Manhas, 2008). In these recent years, use of the Internet has also increased in most schools.

Policymakers have given

priority to invest in information and communications infrastructure in schools, colleges and

universities. The infrastructures act as access points into the digital library. The Internet as a

library is a big advantage because students can access the library anytime they want, without

the time restrictions that traditional library has. This is a big benefit because students have their

20
own learning styles and learning time. Students may visit this universal digital library with

their friends, or with their teachers, or even with the guidance of their parents. This could be

assisting our students to become an independent learners and life-long leaners. Visiting the real

libraries can be fun, and visiting this universal digital library can be fun and beneficial too.

After all, reading is a good and very beneficial hobby.

2. The Internet is a fast way to reach knowledge

The Internet is the fastest way to reach knowledge (Isman, Khalid and Dabaj, 2004). Internet

is growing well around the world. It is impossible to count the number of networks which are

linked to the Internet and as the number keep on increasing (Sturges, 2002). The Internet is

definitely a fast way to reach knowledge. One simply cannot depend on their teachers and

lecturers all the time. The Internet can be accessed anytime and anywhere, thus providing a fast

and easy way to reach knowledge. According to Jones (2002), that College students and their

teachers find the Internet convenient and useful for educational activities. Students are a unique

population of internet users. Jones further said that it was recorded that students were the first

group in USA who used the Internet for communication, recreation and file sharing The

Internet is definitely the fastest way to reach knowledge it has become our learning buddies,

and even our teachers, because it can provide knowledge.

3. The Internet is vital to enhancing exchanging cultures

Isman et. al., (2004) said that the Internet is important to enhancing cultures exchange as we

live in a big multi-cultural world. Students were exposed to their own cultures and the cultures

of societies around them. With the use of the Internet, students can learn other cultures from

all around the world. We are never too old to learn something. We may even regard that we

have a good culture, but we as learners can always learn something new from other cultures as

well. The Internet may provide us with the tools to learn new cultures. We need not travel to

21
a place far away just to learn new cultures and new things. This is another big benefit. Apart

from learning new good cultures, we can save money and time on the process of learning the

new

good cultures.

4. It is exciting to get information on the Internet

Isman et.al (2004) posits that the Internet itself is an interesting way on getting information.

This benefits our multiple personality students. All of the students will find out that it is exciting

to get information from the Internet and it is a very interesting way to get information compared

to the traditional lectures, textbooks or chalk-and-talk methods. This can actually benefit both

the students and the teachers. Students are more engaged if the teachers can provide them with

a more exciting, interesting and enjoyable methods of getting information. Then, the teachers

may ask the students to submit their homework via the Internet. This is both exciting and

beneficial for both parties’ students and teachers. The natural way of interactive

communicating on the Internet is exciting to all users, especially students, Students may read

and respond, for example by commenting on articles read. Students may also engage on writing

or a photography contests on the Internet. All of these activities potentially lead to an exciting

interaction on the Internet. In a research by Isman et. al. (2004), he discovered that majority of

students in his research samples took help from their friends or solving problems in using the

Internet. This proves that one can get information and help, provided he or she has a connection

into the Internet world. In addition, according to the research, most participants stated that they

are

using the Internet to update their knowledge. This is a very exciting way to learn and upgrade

ourselves. Good students can leap forward by themselves in terms of getting enough

information on their current studies.

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5. It is enjoyable to communicate on the Internet Isman et.al posits that the Internet can

be an enjoyable communication medium Sato (2006) said that the Internet has a

seductive power to lure people to engage and communicate using it. Some scientists

labelled humans as "social animals". That can be paraphrased into us humans as social

beings. We are socially active and we are socializing every single day simply because

that is our deep nature. We communicate because communicating among us is

enjoyable. The Internet has made it more enjoyable for us to communicate. People from

all walks of life are using You Tube, My Space, Friendster, Yahoo Mail, Hotmail,

Facebook and Twitter to communicate. We may communicate face to face, but

sometimes, we tend to communicate via the Internet because it is more enjoyable. There

are certain things such as elaborate homework, notes or digital photography that we

cannot share and communicate face to face. The Internet medium makes it easy, fast

and enjoyable. Students may communicate with their peers, as depicted in most learning

channels in Astro. Students may also communicate with their teachers via e-mails.

Some teachers offer tuition via e-mails. Perhaps this is enjoyable for both students and

teachers.

6. Source of getting Wealth

The internet can also be a source of getting wealth. This ranges from internet marketing,

blogging, advertising, etc. all this amongst others are means of getting wealth through

the internet.

7. Source of medical treatment

People looking for medical treatment or tourism can easily locate best places through

the internet. Medical and traditional doctors use the medium of advertising their

products and services om the internet.

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8. Source of getting spouses

The internet also avails people the opportunity of connecting with singles around the

world and forming meaningful relationships. Many marriages have resulted from

internet dating and relationships.

2.4.2 Negative Effects of Internet on Students

Students who are using and dependent on the Internet may found themselves affected by the

negative effects of the Internet. Those negative effects are as follows:

1. Internet causes students to be far away from real life

The Internet has causes students to be far away from their real life. A real

life needs real communication. Sometimes, when a student highly depends on the Internet, he

or she can only communicate via the Internet. This is totally not right with our natural face to

face communication. Real life needs a proper communication where we sit and talk to our

friends, teachers and family members. This negative effect may bring harm to our own social

skills. While the Internet may be a source or a coach in guiding us to lead a real life, it may

trap us into the unknown. For example, real life needs us to complete real assignments. The

Internet has made it possible for some students to commit plagiarism in their assignments Most

students in a study by Scanlon and Neumann (2002) agreed that plagiarism of any kind is

wrong. However, the Internet seems to cause them to drift away from real life and real hard

work. The ease of getting bits of information has led some students to be copycats.

2. Internet includes unnecessary, non-useful knowledge for Students

Internet is a big wide place. The Internet includes too much unnecessary and non-useful

knowledge for the learning community. Isman et. al. (2004) said that students who cannot

control themselves might end up reading things that are not related to their studies. Study

matters might be boring at certain times, and young learners are very quick in losing focus in

24
their studies. It can be said that they may get lost in all of the revisions that they are doing in

the Internet a universal digital library.

3. Internet is full of scam and lies

Isman et. al., (2004) also said that the Internet can be full of lies (Some information can be a

bit misleading while some needs more thorough investigation and research. It is a sad moment

when some business transaction over the Internet is just a scam. Some students might want to

buy a book on the Internet. While most transactions are valid, there might be liars and scammers

in the Internet. Most victims would be the students and young learners who are just trying to

learn about the real world. Some students might get the wrong message here they might come

to think that to make easy money on the Internet is by tricking other Internet users. This is a

huge

negative effect. And it looks like a domino effect. A proper guidance might be needed in such

transactions over the Internet as sometimes even the experts can be tricked and scammed.

Safdar, et. al. (2010) opined that not all information on the Internet is reliable or safe. Sturges

(2002) mentioned the unreliability of information on the Internet. There are not necessarily

quality or authenticity checks on information on the Internet. Misrepresented, fake, and pirated

literature causes problems for researchers and students which is very sad indeed. Users,

especially students may have privacy concerns. There are sites that many users may find

offensive, as well as instructions for carrying out violent or illegal acts (Safdar, M, et. al., 2010).

These are definitely dangerous and negative.

4. Internet forces students to be alone

The Internet and the usage of the Internet may force students to be alone (Isman et. al., 2004).

This is a very frightening notion. Students can be, physically, alone when using or too

depending on the Internet. Some students might not realize this because they are too dependent

25
on the Internet. Their online friends might make them into thinking that they are just fine, when

in fact, they are very alone just with their laptops and the Internet. The Internet is supposed to

be the additional curricular activities. However, those students and teachers who are sometimes

highly dependent on the Internet may find themselves forced to be alone. This is what is

happening around us our real life activities being substituted by online activities. A go-home

Internet homework may be completed excellently, but we might be missing the social and

humane points here. While technology assists and helps us in our daily life, we must try to

understand and balance our social needs. This is to ensure our general physical and mental

health.

5. Internet creates addiction

All in all, one of the biggest negative effects on students is that it creates addiction (Isman et.

al., 2004). The ever grooving of information and communication technology has shaped a new

generation of youngsters who are very dependent on the Internet. While it is okay and it is right

to be dependent on the Internet, it is not okay to be highly addicted to the Internet. According

to Sato (2006), the explosive growth of the Internet in the last decade has had a huge impact

on communication and interpersonal behaviour. In his rather serious research, the authority has

had a difficult time in addressing this particular negative effect of the Internet.

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CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

This chapter describes the methodology that was used to assess the effects of internet on CRS

students in Federal College of Education, Zaria. It is described under the following sub-

headings: Research design, Population of the study, Sample and sampling techniques,

Instrument for data collection, Validation of Instrument, Procedure for data collection,

Procedure for data analysis.

3.2 Research Design

Ex-post Factor research design was employed for this study. This is due to the fact that it allows

for the study of a phenomenon that has already taken place. In this design, data are usually

collected through questionnaire forms, interviews or direct observations (Cohen., Manion &

Morrison, 2007). The use of this method also was attested by Cohen, et. al, 2007 who viewed

the design as a useful means of obtaining data from a given population in a retrospective

capacity. This is considered appropriate for this study because data was collected from the

students of CRS in the FCE, Zaria.

3.3 Population of the study

The population for the study consist of all the students of CRS in Federal College of Education,

Zaria. This includes the NCE and B.Ed. students.

Table 3.1: Number of CRS students in FCE, Zaria

Programme Number of students


NCE regular 247
NCE part time 156
B.Ed. 84
Total 487

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3.4 Sample and Sampling Technique

Simple random sampling technique was used because of the difficulty of finding the students

in clusters. A total of one hundred (100) respondents were be used for this study.

3.5 Instrumentation

The instrument used for data collection is a self-constructed questionnaire and observation

guide. The questionnaire was based on a five point Likert scale which is Strongly Agreed (5),

Agreed (4), Undecided (3), Disagreed (2), strongly Disagreed (1) in which the respondents will

tick appropriate answer. The questionnaire was divided into 4 sections, which are section A,

B, C, and D. Section A was on the demographic information of the students, section B focuses

on the frequency of the usage of internet by CRS students, section C focuses on the negative

effects of internet on CRS students, section ‘D’ focuses on the positive effects of the internet

on CRS students. Section ‘A’ has four items, section’ B’ has seven items, section ‘C’ has twelve

items, section ‘D’ has eleven items.

3.6 Validation of Instrument

In order to establish the face and content validity of the instrument, the instrument was

subjected to scrutiny by researcher’s supervisor. This was to determine the face and content

validity of the instrument. This was in line with Ibrahim (2011) who affirmed that establishing

face validity alone is adequate for an instruments of this nature.

3.7 Reliability of the Instrument

The reliability of the instrument was determined statistically using Cronbach’s alpha reliability

coefficient method. A reliability co-efficient of alpha level of 0.85 was obtained. This was a

confirmation of test of reliability which according to Spiegel (1992) that an instrument is

28
considered reliable if its reliability coefficient lies between 0 and 1, and that the closer the

calculated reliability coefficient is to zero, the less reliable is the instrument, and the closer the

calculated reliability co-efficient is to 1, the more reliable is the instrument. This therefore

confirms reliability of the data collected as being fit for the research work.

3.8 Procedure for Data Collection

The researchers administered the questionnaires directly to the respondents after a general

education class and the respondents were told the research is limited to CRS students only.

This is to prevent non CRS students from filling in the questionnaire.

3.9 Procedure for Data Analysis

Data collected for this study was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics.

Frequency count and simple percentage was used to analyze demographic data of the

respondents and simple mean was used to answer the research questions.

29
CHAPTER FOUR

DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION

4.1 Introduction

This chapter seeks to explain and interpret the data obtained from the respondents through the

questionnaire. This includes the analysis of the demographic data, research questions and

discussion of the major findings: Data Presentation and Analysis, Discussion of Major Findings

4.2 Data Presentation and Analysis

The data collected were categorized into strongly agreed, agreed, undecided, disagreed and

strongly disagreed. All the computations were based on the 5-point Likert scale. Weighted

mean was set at 2.5 and above as a benchmark for acceptance, while weighted mean of less

than 2.5 was set as a benchmark for rejection.

4.2.1 Demographic Data

The respondents’ demographic data are represented in tables.

Table 4.2.1.1: Percentage Distribution of Respondents by gender


GENDER Frequency Percentage

Male 38 38

Female 62 62

Total 100 100%

Source: field survey, 2017

30
As reflected in table 1, 38(38%) male, and 62(62%) female Students participated in this

research. A total of one hundred respondents (100) were involved in the study.

Table 4.2.1.2: Percentage Distribution of Respondents by Programme


STATUS Frequency Percentage

NCE 80 80

B.Ed. 20 20

Total 100 100%

Source: field survey, 2017

As reflected in table 2, 80(20%) NCE CRS students, and 20(20%) B.Ed. students participated

in this research. A total of one hundred were involved in the study.

Table 4.2.1.3: Percentage Distribution of Respondents by Age


AGE Frequency Percentage

15-19 4 4

20-24 8 8

25-29 15 15

30 and above 73 73

Total 100 100%

Source: field survey, 2017

As reflected in table 4.2.1.3, 4(4%) of the respondents were between 15-19 years old, 8(8%)

were between 20-24 years old, 15(15%) were between 25-39 years old and 73 (73%) were 30

years and above.

31
4..2.2 Analysis of Research Questions

4.4.1 Research Question One: What is the frequency of the use of internet by CRS

students in FCE, Zaria.

Table 4.4.1.1: I use the internet every day

RESPONSE NO OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY DISAGREED 25 25
DISAGREED 6 6
UNDECIDED 0 0
AGREED 14 14
STRONGLY AGREED 55 55
TOTAL 100 100
Table 4.4.1.1 shows the daily frequency of internet usage by CRS students. A large percentage

of the students agree to this. 25 (25%) strongly disagreed, 6(6%) disagreed, 14(14%) agreed

and 55(55%) strongly agreed. The total agreed is 69(69%) which indicates that majority of the

students use the internet every day.

Table 4.4.1.2: I use the internet once in a month

RESPONSE NO OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY DISAGREED 26 26
DISAGREED 12 12
UNDECIDED 8 8
AGREED 15 15
STRONGLY AGREED 39 39
Total 100 100

Table 4.4.1.2 shows the monthly frequency of internet usage by CRS students. A large

percentage of the students agreed to this. 26 (26%) strongly disagreed, 12(12%) disagreed,

32
8(8%) were undecided, 15(15%) agreed and 39(39%) strongly agreed. The total agreed is

54(54%) which indicates that majority of the students use the internet at least once in a month.

Table 4.4.1.3: I use the internet once in a while

RESPONSE NO OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY DISAGREED 17 17
DISAGREED 20 20
UNDECIDED 8 8
AGREED 24 24
STRONGLY AGREED 31 31
Total 100 100

Table 4.4.1.3 shows the response of CRS students to using the internet once in a while. A large

percentage of the students agreed to this. 17(17%) strongly disagreed, 20(20%) disagreed,

8(8%) were undecided, 24(24%) agreed and 31(31%) strongly agreed. The total agreed is

55(55%) which indicates that majority of the students use the internet at least once in a while.

Table 4.4.1.4: I use the internet only when the need arises

RESPONSE NO OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

STRONGLY DISAGREED 9 9
DISAGREED 30 30
UNDECIDED 6 6
AGREED 27 27
STRONGLY AGREED 28 28
Total 100 100

Table 4.4.1.4 shows the occasional frequency of internet usage by CRS students. A large

percentage of the students agreed to this. 9 (9%) strongly disagreed, 30(30%) disagreed, 6(6%)

were undecided, 27(27%) agreed and 28(28%) strongly agreed. The total agreed is 55(55%)

33
which indicates that majority of the students use the internet when the need arises. Summarily

it can be concluded that CRS students use the internet.

Table 4.4.1.5: Where do you Access the internet from

RESPONSE NO OF RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE

ANYWHERE 33 33
HOME 22 22
SCHOOL 6 6
LIBRARY 8 8
CYBERCAFÉ 31 31
Total 100 100

Table 4.4.1.5 shows the responses of CRS students to where they access the internet from.33

(33%) access the internet from anywhere, 22(22%) from home, 6(6%) from school

environment, 8(8%) from the library and 31(31%) from a cybercafé. This shows that majority

of the students access the internet from a cyber cafe.

4.2.3 Research Question Two: What are the positive effects of internet on CRS
students in FCE, Zaria?

Table 4.4.2.1: I use the internet service provided by the library for my assignment and
further studies
RESPONSE FREQUENCY PERCENT
STRONGLY DISAGREED 0 0
DISAGREED 0 0
UNDECIDED 0 0
AGREE 35 35
STRONGLY AGREE 65 65
TOTAL 100 100

Table 4.4.2.1 shows the responses of CRS students to the statement “I use the internet library

for my assignment and further studies”. All the students agreed to this. 35(35%) agreed, and

65(65%) strongly agreed. The total agreed is 100(100%) which indicates that all the students

use the internet library for assignment and further studies.


34
Table 4.4.2.2: The internet is my fastest way to reach knowledge

RESPONSE FREQUENCY PERCENT

STRONGLY DISAGREED 0 0
DISAGREED 0 0
UNDECIDED 0 0
AGREED 35 35
STRONGLY AGREED 65 65
Total 100 100
Table 4.4.2.2 shows the responses of CRS students to the statement “The internet is my fastest
way to reach knowledge “All the students agreed to this. 35 (9%) agreed and 65(65%) strongly
agreed. The total agreed is 100(100%) which indicates all the students agreed that The internet
is their fastest way to reach knowledge.
Table 4.4.2.3: The internet has helped me develop good social skills

RESPONSE FREQUENCY PERCENT

STRONGLY DISAGREED 0 0
DISAGREED 0 0
UNDECIDED 0 0
AGREED 52 52
STRONGLY AGREED 48 48
Total 100 100
Table 4.4.2.3 shows the responses of CRS students to the statement “The internet has helped
me develop good social skills “All the students agreed to this. 52 (52%) agreed and 48(48%)
strongly agreed. The total agreed is 100(100%) which indicates all the students agreed that the
internet has helped them to develop good social skills.
Table 4.4.2.4: I find it easier to learn using the internet than other sources

RESPONSE FREQUENCY PERCENT

STRONGLY DISAGREED 0 0
DISAGREED 0 0
UNDECIDED 0 0
AGREED 52 52
STRONGLY AGREED 48 48
Total 100 100

Table 4.4.2.4 shows the responses of CRS students to the statement “I find it easier to learn

using the internet than other sources “All the students agreed to this. 52 (52%) agreed and
35
48(48%) strongly agreed. The total agreed is 100(100%) which indicates all the students agreed

that they find it easier to learn using the internet than other sources.

Table 4.4.2.5: The internet affords me the opportunity to be up-to-date on what is

happening in the world around me

RESPONSE FREQUENCY PERCENT

STRONGLY DISAGREED 0 0
DISAGREED 0 0
UNDECIDED 0 0
AGREED 52 52
STRONGLY AGREED 48 48
Total 100 100

Table 4.4.2.5 shows the responses of CRS students to the statement “The internet affords me

the opportunity to be up-to-date on what is happening in the world around me “All the students

agreed to this. 52 (52%) agreed and 48(48%) strongly agreed. The total agreed is 100(100%)

which indicates all the students agreed that the internet affords them the opportunity to be up-

to-date on what is happening in the world around me.

Table 4.4.2.6: The internet has helped me to make contributions to my community and

society through public discussions.

RESPONSE FREQUENCY PERCENT

STRONGLY DISAGREED 0 0
DISAGREED 0 0
UNDECIDED 0 0
AGREED 17 17
STRONGLY AGREED 83 83
Total 100 100

Table 4.4.2.6 shows the responses of CRS students to the statement “The internet has helped

me to make contributions to my community and society through public discussions. “All the

36
students agreed to this. 17 (17%) agreed and 83(83%) strongly agreed. The total agreed is

100(100%) which indicates all the students agreed that the internet has helped them to make

contributions to my community and society through public discussions.

Table 4.4.2.7: The internet has helped me religiously through assessing religious content

such as concordance, commentary bible and audio messages from it.

RESPONSE FREQUENCY PERCENT

STRONGLY DISAGREED 0 0
DISAGREED 0 0
UNDECIDED 17 17
AGREED 35 35
STRONGLY AGREED 48 48
Total 100 100
Table 4.4.2.7 shows the responses of CRS students to the statement “The internet has helped

me religiously through assessing religious content such as concordance, commentary and audio

messages from it”. Majority of the students agreed to this, 17(17%) were undecided, 35 (35%)

agreed and 48(48%) strongly agreed. The total agreed is 83(83%) which indicates that majority

of the students agreed that the internet has helped them religiously through assessing religious

content such as concordance, commentary bible and audio messages from it.

4.4.3 Research Question Three: What is the negative effect of the use of internet
on CRS students in FCE, Zaria?
Table 4.4.3.1: I am addicted to the internet such that I cannot do without it everyday
RESPONSES FREQUENCY PERCENT
STRONGLY DISAGREED 0 0
DISAGREED 0 0
UNDECIDED 48 48
STRONGLY AGREED 52 52
AGREED 0 0
Total 100 100

37
Table 4.4.3.1 shows the responses of CRS students to the statement “I am addicted to the

internet such that I cannot do without it every day” Majority of the students agreed to this, 48

(48%) were undecided and 52(52%) strongly agreed. The total agreed is 52(52%) which

indicates that majority of the students agreed that they are addicted to the internet such that

they cannot do without it everyday

Table 4.4.3.2: I engage in betting and other anti-social activities on the internet.
RESPONSES FREQUENCY PERCENT
STRONGLY DISAGREED 0 0
DISAGREED 35 35
UNDECIDED 16 16
STRONGLY AGREED 49 49
AGREED 0 0
Total 100 100

Table 4.4.3.2 shows the responses of CRS students to the statement “I engage in betting and

other anti-social activities on the internet” Majority of the students agreed to this .35 (35%)

disagreed, 16(16%) were undecided and 49(49%) strongly agreed. The total agreed is 49(49%)

which indicates that majority of the students agreed that they engage in betting and other anti-

social activities on the internet.

Table 4.4.3.3: I experience health problems such as backache and fatigue due to my
prolonged use of the internet
RESPONSES FREQUENCY PERCENT
STRONGLY DISAGREED 0 0
DISAGREED 68 68
UNDECIDED 32 32
STRONGLY AGREED 0 0
AGREED 0 0
Total 100 100.0

Table 4.4.3.3 shows the responses of CRS students to the statement “I experience health

problems such as backache and fatigue due to my prolonged use of the internet”. Majority of
38
the students disagreed to this. 68(68%) disagreed, 32(32%) were undecided. The total disagreed

is 68(68%) which indicates that majority of the students disagreed that they experience health

problems such as backache and fatigue due to their prolonged use of the internet.

Table 4.4.3.4: The internet separates me from others due to the time it consumes thereby
leading to loneliness
RESPONSES FREQUENCY PERCENT
STRONGLY DISAGREED 0 0
DISAGREED 33 33
UNDECIDED 32 32
STRONGLY AGREED 0 0
AGREED 35 35
Total 100 100

Table 4.4.3.4 shows the responses of CRS students to the statement “The internet separates me

from others due to the time it consumes thereby leading to loneliness” Majority of the students

agreed to this .33(33%) disagreed, 32 (32%) were undecided, and 35(35%) agreed. The total

agreed is 35(35%) which indicates that majority of the students agreed that the internet

separates them from others due to the time it consumes thereby leading to loneliness.

Table 4.4.3.5: I sleep less because of the internet


RESPONSES FREQUENCY PERCENT
STRONGLY DISAGREED 0 0
DISAGREED 15 15
UNDECIDED 32 32
STRONGLY AGREED 53 53
AGREED 0 0
Total 100 100
Table 4.4.3.5 shows the responses of CRS students to the statement “I sleep less because of the

internet” Majority of the students agreed to this, 15(15%) strongly disagreed, 32 (32%) were

undecided and 53(53%) strongly agreed. The total agreed is 53(53%) which indicates that

majority of the students agreed that they sleep less because of the internet.

39
Table 4.4.3.6: I engage in cybersex and other unfavorable internet activities

RESPONSES FREQUENCY PERCENT


STRONGLY
0 0
DISAGREED
DISAGREED 16 16
UNDECIDED 0 0
AGREED 17 17
STRONGLY AGREED 67 67
Total 100 100
Table 4.4.3.6 shows the responses of CRS students to the statement “I engage in cybersex and

other unfavorable internet activities” Majority of the students agreed to this .16(16%)

disagreed, 17(17%) agreed and 67(67%) strongly agreed. The total agreed is 84(84%) which

indicates that majority of the students agreed that they engage in cybersex and other

unfavorable internet activities.

Table 4.4.3.7: My relationship with others has reduced due to the internet.
RESPONSES FREQUENCY PERCENT
STRONGLY DISAGREED 16 16
DISAGREED 17 17
UNDECIDED 32 32
STRONGLY AGREED 35 35
Total 100 100
Table 4.4.3.7 shows the responses of CRS students to the statement “My relationship with

others has reduced due to the internet.” Majority of the students agreed to this .16 (16%)

strongly disagreed, 17(17%) disagreed, 32(32%) were undecided, and 35(35%) strongly

agreed. The total agreed is 35(35%) which indicates that majority of the students agreed that

their relationship with others has reduced due to the internet.

Table 4.4.3.8: The facts I find on the internet are contrary to my religious beliefs
RESPONSES FREQUENCY PERCENT
STRONGLY DISAGREED 16 16
DISAGREED 35 35
UNDECIDED 32 32

40
AGREED 17 17
Total 100 100

Table 4.4.3.8 shows the responses of CRS students to the statement “The facts I find on the

internet are contrary to my religious beliefs” Majority of the students disagreed to this .16(16%)

strongly disagreed, 35(35%) disagreed, 32(32%) were undecided and 17(17%) agreed. The

total disagreed was 51(51%) which indicates that majority of the students disagreed that The

facts they find on the internet are contrary to my religious beliefs.

4.3 Discussion of Findings

The findings of this study are discussed below.

The results of the data analysis showed that the respondents agreed to all the items on the

frequency of their use of internet. It was established that all CRS students are internet users and

they use it frequently.

The data analyses showed that the respondents to most of the items on the positive effect of the

internet on CRS students except item twelve “Through the use of the internet, I have

experienced improvement in my reading, writing and information processing skills. “which

they disagreed to. generally, internet has positive effects on CRS students.

Responses to the negative effects of internet on CRS students show that the respondents agreed

to Item 2,3,5,6,7 and 8 and disagreed to items 1,4,9,10 and 11. This proves that not all the

negative effects of internet affect CRS students.

41
CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Summary

The study was carried out to determine the Effect of internet on CRS students in FCE, Zaria.

In order to achieve this objective, three specific objectives were raised which includes: to

identify the frequency of the use of internet by CRS students, to determine the positive effects

of internet on CRS students and to determine the negative effects of internet on CRS students.

The literature review includes types of instructional materials available for use in the

conceptual frame work, the theoretical frame work, history of the internet, negative effects of

the internet, positive effects of the internet, amongst others.

The total population for the study is all the CRS students of FCE Zaria which includes all the

NCE and B.Ed. students. Their total population is estimated at five hundred and forty-two.

Simple random sampling was used.

The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey

research design was adopted for this study. A total of 100 sample was randomly selected for

the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages

frequencies and mean.

5.2 Conclusion

Based on the findings in this study, the following conclusions were drawn:

The frequency of the use of internet by CRS students is very high especially with the

proliferation of smartphones.

42
Majority of the respondent’s access internet anywhere they are, that is there is no fixed location

where they have to go to access the internet.

The respondents agreed that the internet has positive effects on them. The positive effects

include increase in their personal quality and worth through the opportunities it made available,

development of good social skills, knowledge update on what is happening in the world around,

providing access to religious content such as concordance, commentary and audio messages

from it amongst others.

The respondents generally disagreed to the following negative effects of the internet: reduction

in reading, writing and information processing skills, laziness through the provision of

automatic answers to many problems, facts found on the internet are contrary to religious

beliefs, resultant effects of health problems such as backache and tiredness due to prolonged

use of the internet.

The respondents generally agreed to the following negative effects: reduction in relationship

with others, engaging in cybersex and other unfavorable internet activities, less sleep because

of the internet, internet addiction such that it becomes a daily routine and takes too much of

their productive time.

The positive effects of the internet far outweigh the negative effects it has on the CRS students.

5.3 Recommendations

The following recommendations were made based on the findings of the study.

1. CRS students should be given proper orientation on the use of internet for educational

use of the internet.

2. The school authority should encourage the use of ICT especially the internet by

lecturers in teaching and learning of CRS in the college.

43
3. The school should provide internet facilities to minimize the cost of accessing internet

by students.

4. Students should be educated on the addictive tendency of internet usage and how they

can avoid it.

5. The research should be generalized to cover students in other fields of learning not just

CRS students.

6. Other variables like attitudes, perception in relation to the internet should also be

researched into.

7. The effect of internet on academic performance, social relationship, social capital

should also be studied.

44
REFERENCES

Alaoui, M. (2013) Disadvantages Of The Internet Retrieved from


https://www.academia.edu/19600730/DISADVANTAGES_OF_THE_INTERNET On
July 22nd, 2017
Isman, A., Khalid, A., & Dabaj, F. (2004). Attitudes of students towards Internet. Turkish
online journal of distance education, 5(4).
IXP (2017). History of the Internet in Nigeria. Retrieved from Internet exchange point of
Nigeria, History at http://ixp.net.ng/history/ on February 17th, 2017
Kaur, A., & Manhas, R. (2008). Use of Internet services and resources in the engineering
colleges of Punjab and Haryana (India): A study. The International Information &
Library Review, 40(1), 10-20.
Leiner, B.M., Cerf, V.G., Clark, D.D., Kahn, R.E., Kleinrock, L., Lynch, D.C., Postel, J.,
Roberts, L.G, and Wolff, S. (2014). Brief History of the Internet - Internet Timeline
Internet Society. Retrieved from http://www.internetsociety.org/internet/what-
internet/history-internet/brief-history-internet on July 22nd, 2017
Nguyễn, J. (2014 ) The Effects Of The Internet Retrieved from
https://www.academia.edu/27559913/THE_EFFECTS_OF_THE_INTERNET on
Febraury17th , 2017
Pinch, Trevor J., and Wiebe E. Bijker. (1987). "The Social Construction of Facts and Artifacts:
Or How the Sociology of Science and the Sociology of Technology Might Benefit Each
Other." In The Social Construction of Technological Systems,
"Social Construction of Technology." Encyclopaedia of Science, Technology, and Ethics.
Retrieved October 03, 2017 from Encyclopedia.com:
http://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-
maps/social-construction-technology
Thảo, T. (2012) Advantage of the internet retrieved from
https://www.academia.edu/32897931/Advantage_of_the_internet on July 22nd, 2017
Safdar, M., Mahmood, K., & Qutab, S. (2010). Internet use behaviour and attitude of college
students: A survey of Leadership Colleges' Network. Library Philosophy and Practice
(e-journal), 366.
Sato, T. (2006). Internet addiction among students: Prevalence and psychological problems in
Japan. Japan Medical Association Journal, 49(7/8), 279.

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APPENDIX

FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ZARIA


SCHOOL OF SECONDARY ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES

QUESTIONNAIRE ON THE EFFECTS OF INTERNET ON CRS STUDENTS

Dear Respondent,

This questionnaire is designed to elicit responses from you based on the above title.
Kindly tick the option(s) that represent(s) your opinion most closely. Be assured that the
information given will be treated with utmost confidentiality.

Thanks for your anticipated cooperation.

SECTION A: DEMOGRAPHY

Please kindly tick (√) the correct option as relevant to you

Gender: (a) Male( ) (b) Female ( )

Programme: (a) B.Ed. ( ) (b) NCE( )

Level: (a) 100( ) (b) 200( ) (d) 400( ) (c) 300( )

Age: 15 - 19 ( ) 20- 24 ( ) 25-29 ( ) 30 and above ( )

SECTION B: FREQUENCY OF THE USE OF INTERNET

Please kindly tick (√) the correct option(s), on the frequency of your usage of the internet.
The response modes for this section are Strongly Agreed(A), Agreed (A), Undecided (U),
Disagreed (D), and Strongly Disagreed (SD)
S/No. ITEM SA A U SD D
1 I use the internet every day
2 I use the internet once in a month
3 I use the internet only when the need arises
4. From where do you access the internet?
Anywhere ( ) Home ( ) School( ) Library( ) Cybercafé( )

46
SECTION C: POSITIVE EFFECT OF INTERNET 0N CRS STUDENTS

Please INDICATE with a tick (√) the extent to which you agree with the following statement.
The response modes for this section are Strongly Agreed(A), Agreed (A), Undecided (U),
Disagreed (D), and Strongly Disagreed (SD)
S/No. ITEM SA A U SD D
1. The internet is my fastest way to reach knowledge
2. The internet has helped me develop good social skills
3. I find it easier to learn using the internet than other sources
4. The internet affords me the opportunity to be up-to-date on
what is happening in the world around me
5. The internet has helped me to make contributions to my
community and society through public discussions.
6. The internet has helped me religiously through assessing
religious content such as concordance, commentary bible
and audio messages from it.
7. The internet has helped to increase my personal quality and
worth through the opportunities it made available.

SECTION D: NEGATIVE EFFECT OF INTERNET ON CRS STUDENTS

Please INDICATE with a tick (√) the extent to which you agree with the following statement.

The response modes for this section are Strongly Agreed (A), Agreed (A), Undecided (U),
Disagreed(D), and Strongly Disagreed (SD)

S/No. ITEM SA A U SD D
1 I am addicted to the internet such that I cannot do without it
everyday
2 I engage in betting and other anti-social activities on the
internet.
3 The internet separates me from others due to the time it
consumes thereby leading to loneliness
4 I sleep less because of the internet
5 I engage in cybersex and other unfavorable internet
activities
6 My relationship with others has reduced due to the internet.
7 The facts I find on the internet are contrary to my religious
beliefs

Thanks for participating in this Research.

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