A Study On Internet Use By Students And Their Academic Achievements In The Present Education System

Abstract

Abstract: Technology has changed the present education system in India. Internet has provided access to social
networking sites such as Facebook, twitter, educational websites which are very popular among all college or university
going students. It is well known that success in academic is very necessary for students to get in to higher studies. The low
academic achievement in exams is mostly due to the social networking that can be easily found on this kind of site. The
current research paper explores the correlation between student’s academic performance and internet usage. Our finding
shows that the marks obtained by these students during the semester examination are very poor. The present study also
indicated the heavy internet usage by students (up to six hour) which could be correlated with their low academic
achievements. It is suggested that a healthy balance between study and internet use has a positive impact on academic
performance but excessive use of internet can be harmful for academic achievement.

Full text

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International Journal of Innovative Research and Advanced Studies (IJIRAS)
Volume 5 Issue 4, April 2018
ISSN: 2394-4404
A Study On Internet Use By Students And Their Academic
Achievements In The Present Education System
Dr. Leena Muralidharan
Dr. Sangeeta Gaur
V. K. K. Menon College of Commerce and S.S. Dighe College of Science,
Bhandup (East), Mumbai
I. INTRODUCTION
During ancient time, in India the education system was
very unique and with high qualities. This type of system can’t
be found anywhere in the world. This system had great
success because of a healthy and live relationship between
teachers and students. Teachers passed on their knowledge to
their student by three methods:
 Sravana: means knowledge is gained by listening to
teacher.
 Manana: It means that after listen the lesson taught by
teacher it’s the time for student to think and analyse and
make their own interpretations.
 Nidhyasana: The meaning of this word is whatever they
learnt by their teacher they have to use it into real life [1].
In the present time, technology has changed manner of
teaching. In ancient time students had to travel to their
Gurukul (Teaching centre) to obtain the precious knowledge,
however, today internet has become major source of
information. Even formal learning is also easily available
online. On the one hand, e-mail has helped in better
connectivity with people across globe and hence sharing of
knowledge and information thus their time is consumed
significantly [2]. On the other hand, internet has also provided
access to social networking sites such as Facebook, twitter
which are very popular among all age groups but college or
university going students are crazy about these social network
they can be easily found on these kind of site [3]. It was found
that the students of age group 18-29 years have accounts on
facebook and they use it daily [4]. It was also observed that
beside facebook students also spend their time on Instagram,
Snapchat, and Twitter on daily basis [5]. Students
approximately spend 2 to 3 hours online a day, 80 percent of
that time on social media [6].
Internet has both positive and negative effects. It also
affects their academic performance and social life [7, 8].
Internet use affects student’s ethics, behaviours, culture,
language and physical and psychological health [9]. They also
found that youngsters of age 16-25 years uses internet just for
enjoyment. It was suggested that students are more distracted
by online activity and they spend less time on their studies
[10]. It is well known that success in academic is very
Abstract: Technology has changed the present education system in India. Internet has provided access to social
networking sites such as Facebook, twitter, educational websites which are very popular among all college or university
going students. It is well known that success in academic is very necessary for students to get in to higher studies. The low
academic achievement in exams is mostly due to the social networking that can be easily found on this kind of site. The
current research paper explores the correlation between student’s academic performance and internet usage. Our finding
shows that the marks obtained by these students during the semester examination are very poor. The present study also
indicated the heavy internet usage by students (up to six hour) which could be correlated with their low academic
achievements. It is suggested that a healthy balance between study and internet use has a positive impact on academic
performance but excessive use of internet can be harmful for academic achievement.
Keywords: Academic performance, Education, Examination, Internet use, Website

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International Journal of Innovative Research and Advanced Studies (IJIRAS)
Volume 5 Issue 4, April 2018
ISSN: 2394-4404
necessary for students to get in to higher studies. The low
academic achievement in exams as “Low or weakness of the
student's mark under the normal average in a study subject
level as a result of a variety of reasons, including those related
to the student himself, or those related to family, social and
academic environment.” This low performance may lead to
frequently failure [11]. Aim of the present study is to identify
the causes and results of low academic achievement from
students in current era. We also tried to provide the suitable
solutions of this increasing problem.
II. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Total 120 local students of the age 17-20 years were
selected for the present study. For the current research paper
we have designed a questionnaire to evaluate the relationship
between internet use by students and their academic
performance. The questions in questioners are as following:
 What is your age?
 What is your gender?
 Do you know how to use computer?
 Do you use internet?
 Where do you use internet more?
 How frequently do use the internet?
 How much time per day you spend on internet?
 For what you use internet?
 How many times you use internet for e-mail in a week?
 Do you use online chatting?
 Your web searching is primarily related for what?
(Educational research/ Shopping/ For product related
information)
 Do you use internet just for time pass? (Communication
with friends/ Other; not by e-mail)
 How much time you spend on social media?
 Do you use internet for watching movies or videos?
 Do you use books or newspaper for study purpose?
 How much time you spend on reading your study books/
Journals?
 How much marks you get at the end of term exams? (0-20
marks; 20-40 marks; 40-60 marks; 60-80 marks; 80-100
marks)
 How much time you spend personally with your parents/
friends?
 How many time you interact with your relatives/
neighbours in a week?
 What do you think about internet effects on your study?
(Positive/ Negative)
 Do you have exam fear?
 According to you what are the reasons for this exam's
anxiety?
III. ANALYSIS OF SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE
In the present research survey we found that students use
internet for different activities and studies. They used the
websites approximately one to six hours (Table 1; Graph 1)
per day for different kind of activities like studies, document
writing, movies and videos, internet surfing for shopping,
online games, e-mails, online chatting and creating
presentations.
Students reported that due to all above activities they have
less time to spend with their family. They live with their
parents in same house but they don’t spend their time with
parents or sibling due to these activities. In our survey we
found that 30% students spent almost 4 hours with family
whereas 10% student told that they have just 1 hour for family
(Table 1; Graph 2).
In questioner student answered that they spent their time
in study too but they have their phone with them while
studying. Due to these online messages and phone calls they
are distracted by their academic activity. 20% student told that
they spend 30 minutes daily for their study but they are unable
to fully concentrate on study due to their phone/ internet. 35%
students manage approximately 40 minutes for academic
purpose. 8% students give 1 hour (60 minutes) to their study.
Only 2% students spend 3 hours (180 minutes) for studies
(Table 2; Graph 3).
After survey we found that highest number of students
used this technology for watching movies and videos and for
chatting on social media (90% Students) followed by online
shopping (80%). Only 30% students uses internet for
educational purpose to prepare study documents or reports and
class activities. 4% students reported that they use internet for
clarifying doubts about topics or grammar (Table 2; Graph 4).
Present study also revealed the marks obtained by
students during the semester examination. 30 % students
scored 0-20 marks, 40% students scored 20-40 marks, 20 %
students scored 40-60 marks, 8 % students scored 60-80
marks, and only 2 % students scored 80-100 marks (Table 2;
Graph 5).
The students who performed significantly low in
academics told that they have suffered from exam anxiety due
to family issues and exam phobia. 70% students blamed
improper preparations whereas 80% student told wastage of
time in chatting is the cause of their low academic
performance (Table 1; Graph 6).
IV. DISCUSSION
It is observed from our studies that one of the challenges
of the students is their academic performance. Educational,
social, cultural, psychological, lack of positive environment
and support, intelligence, behaviour, attitude, confidence level
and self concept are related with this lower achievement in
examination. [11] [12]. Numerous research works had been
done in past regarding low academic progress and factors
associated with them.
In present study students showed heavy internet usage up
to six hours. It can be correlated with their low academic
achievements. Most of the student’s low performance was due
to loneliness, wake up till late night, fatigue, sleepiness and
missing class which can also be correlated with internet
caused destruction [13]. It was also observed that some
students uses internet just for passing time or for playing
online games. This can be significantly correlated with
internet addiction [14]. Scientist suggested that these kinds of
activities are more addictive than other online activities like

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International Journal of Innovative Research and Advanced Studies (IJIRAS)
Volume 5 Issue 4, April 2018
ISSN: 2394-4404
communication by e-mail or web-surfing [14]. The present
research work shows that heavy internet user cannot
concentrate on their studies and that’s why they lag behind
their counter peers. It was noticed that student who uses
internet for more time are more likely to be depressed,
physically ill, and introverted. Our studies also showed that
students who spend more time on internet were isolated from
society which letter on can fall in depression. It was reported
that students who are socially active are happier and healthier
[9] [10]. Heavy use of internet has negative impact on
student’s academic achievements [15] [16] [17] [18]. Few
students got higher marks at the end of the term exams which
was due to their limited use of internet. It can be suggested
that healthy and wise use of internet is helpful for studies.
Time on Internet
Time spent with
family
Reasons for exam anxiety
Time
% of
Students
Time in
hour/day
% of
Students
Reasons
% of
Students
1-2
hr.
30
1
10
Improper
preparation
70
1-3 hr
20
2
40
Wastage of
time
80
2-5 hr
35
3
20
Family issues
10
3-6hr
15
4
30
exam phobia
50
Table 1
Purpose of Internet use
Marks obtained at the
end of the term exams
Time spent on study
Purpose
% of
Students
Marks
range
% of
Students
Time spent
on study in
min./day
% of
Student
s
Movies and
videos
90
0-20
30
30
20
Educational
Purpose
30
20-40
40
40
35
Social
media
90
40-60
20
20
40
Online
Shopping
80
60-80
8
60
8
Clarifying
doubts
4
80-100
2
180
2
Table 2
30%
20%
35%
15%
Graph 1: Time spend on internet (hour/day)
1-2 hr.
1-3 hr
2-5 hr
3-6hr
Graph 1
10%
20%
30%
40%
Graph 2: Time spend with family (hour/day)
1
2
3
4
Graph 2
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
1
2
3
4
5
30
40
20
8
2
% of students
Time spent on study in
min
Graph 3
31%
10%
31%
27%
1%
Graph 4: The purpose of internet use
Moveis and videos
Educational Pur pose
Social media
Online Shopping
Clairyfing douts
Graph 4
30%
40%
20%
8%
2%
Graph 5: Marks obtain at the end of term exams
0-20
20-40
40-60
60-80
80-100
Graph 5
33%
38%
5%
24%
Graph 6: Reasons for exam anxiety
Improper prepar ation
Wastage of time
Fsmily issues
exam phobia
Graph 6
V. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS
In present work it is concluded that use of internet should
be limited and healthy. A person can be internet addict by
excessive use of this. It is recommended to the students that
they should use this facility for educational purpose not for
Graph 3: Time spent on study (min./day)

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International Journal of Innovative Research and Advanced Studies (IJIRAS)
Volume 5 Issue 4, April 2018
ISSN: 2394-4404
time pass or online surfing. Teachers also give some projects/
task to their students to use the internet for educational
purpose that can give a positive impact on student’s point of
view towards uses of internet. Healthy balance between study
and internet use is perfectly good. Spending little bit time on
internet is fine as long as it doesn’t harm real in any aspect.
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