ABSTRACT

This study was undertaken to explore the internet utilization practices of Home economics students in three (3) tertiary institutions in Abia State. investigation was carried out to find out the types of internet services! facilities available and accessible, the particular internet services which Home economics students prefer to use, what the students use Internet service for, the degree of satisfaction of the available and accessible internet facilities, factors hindering effective and ll utilization of these internet services and ways in which the internet services can be improved for learning. This study employed the survey research design which involves the collection of data about a target population using a selected sample and putting together the result findings obtained for analysis. The sample techniques used was the random sampling techniques. Questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection and total sample size was 110. The data collected were analyzed using frequency tables, percentages, mean. The study revealed that all the selected tertiary institution in Abia State are ICT compliant and have Internet connectivity, although in varying degrees. World Wide Web, electronic mail chat! online discussion, digital signature are available and accessible, where as video conferencing, Java script, internet phone are not available in all the tertiary institutions. The study equally revealed that some of the home economics students of these institutions have relevant technical skills for internet use although majority of them actually utilize the E-mail and www facilities more than any other internet resources. Moreover, they did not derive satisfaction from the utilization of internet facilities because of problems encountered in their learning and research activities and finally in spite of the under utilization of the internet service in tertiary institutions in Abia State, Home economics students agreed that the internet has affected the quality and quantity of their academic activities. In view of the above findings the research recommends that all the Home economics students training on how to explore the full potential of the internet be organized for all the students of the institutions. The major challenges to major challenges to effective and lull utilization of internet facilities include: poor network condition, tight academic schedule, sy