Impact of Using the Internet on Students: A Sociological Analysis at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalganj, Bangladesh

Abstract

This is an exploratory research to examine the possible impact of using the internet on students’ academic, personal and social life. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used in this study. For collecting quantitative data, a total of 85 samples were drawn purposively and interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. In addition, 2 case studies were conducted for the qualitative part of this study. Findings reveal that almost every student in the study area uses the internet to some degree. From the study it is found that about 56% of respondents use the internet for educational purpose, 24% of them use the internet only for recreation and 44% were found who use the internet to browse social networking sites. The study also indicates that the majority of the students use the internet for 0 - 4 hours per day. A significant proportion of the respondents said that the internet can positively enhance their academic performance and as well as improve their quality of life. On the other hand, results have shown that internet addiction has a negative impact on students’ academic performance and social life. Overall, the internet plays a vital role in improving students’ academic performance and quality of life.