A five-year study of on-campus Internet use by undergraduate biomedical students

This paper reports on a five-year study (2005–2009) of biomedical students’ on-campus use of the Internet. Internet usage logs were used to investigate students’ sessional use of key websites and technologies. The most frequented sites and technologies included the university’s learning management system, Google, email and Facebook. Email was the primary method of electronic communication. However, its use declined over time, with a steep drop in use during 2006 and 2007 appearing to correspond with the rapid uptake of the social networking site Facebook. Both Google and Wikipedia gained in popularity over time while the use of other key information sources, including the library and biomedical portals, remained low throughout the study. With the notable exception of Facebook, most ‘Web 2.0’ technologies attracted little use. The ‘Net Generation’ students involved in this study were heavy users of generalist information retrieval tools and key online university services, and prefered to use externally hosted tools for online communication. These and other findings have important implications for the selection and provision of services by universities.     

Ownership versus on-campus use of mobile IT devices by university students

This study investigated ownership and on-campus use of laptops, tablets, and smartphones, using survey information on Dutch university students. We show that 96% of students own at least one of these mobile IT devices (i.e., a laptop, tablet, or smartphone). Using econometric modelling, we also show that student income, parental income, gender, immigrant parents, and household type (e.g., living with parents) have a statistically significant but small effect on mobile IT device ownership. The demand for tablets is relatively income inelastic, and the demand for laptops and smartphones extremely so. Therefore ownership rates are high for all student groups, including lower income students. However, students leave their laptops (and tablets) at home most of the time, mainly because they find it cumbersome to carry a laptop, and the vast majority of students hold the opinion that abolishing computer labs while facilitating laptop use is a bad idea, despite the didactical advantages this may have during lectures. Thus, it appears that the current high ownership rates of mobile IT devices by no means imply students' preference or support for university Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) strategies.     

Cheating behaviours,the Internet and Education undergraduate students

This paper describes an illuminative small‐scale study that piloted an initial survey instrument intended to investigate correspondences between 47 undergraduate Education final year students' use of information and communications technology (ICT), including the Internet, and – within the context of their adoption of tactics intended to impress lecturers or to exploit the hidden curriculum – students' engagement in cheating behaviours such as plagiarism. The study disclosed that 0.23 of the sample had reported single instances of cheating behaviours and that 0.21 of the sample had reported multiple instances of cheating behaviours. Analysis of data discerned correspondences between these cheating behaviours and personal factors. However, indicators of ICT capability and the Internet did not correlate significantly with cheating behaviours. Those students who had reported multiple instances of cheating behaviours were found to rate their ICT capabilities higher than their peers but had a tendency to report less frequent use of the Internet for coursework. Inferences are tentatively drawn for further research and for academic practices.     

Level of Internet use by Chinese businesses: A preliminary study

A preliminary study of the level of Internet use by Chinese firms was carried out. Data were collected by a questionnaire survey of a convenience sample of Chinese managers. The major finding is that firm size plays a role only in influencing a firm’s decision regarding whether or not to have Internet access. Within the Internet-using sub-sample, firm size is not significantly related to the overall level of Internet use, or to the use of individual Internet features. In addition, the data reveal that there are a high proportion of Chinese businesses that have Internet access. Chinese Internet using firms use an average of three features, with e-mail and buying and selling online being the two most widely used features. The results are also compared to similar studies in other countries. The limitations of this study and future research are discussed.     

Level of Internet use by Chinese businesses: A preliminary study

A preliminary study of the level of Internet use by Chinese firms was carried out. Data were collected by a questionnaire survey of a convenience sample of Chinese managers. The major finding is that firm size plays a role only in influencing a firm’s decision regarding whether or not to have Internet access. Within the Internet-using sub-sample, firm size is not significantly related to the overall level of Internet use, or to the use of individual Internet features. In addition, the data reveal that there are a high proportion of Chinese businesses that have Internet access. Chinese Internet using firms use an average of three features, with e-mail and buying and selling online being the two most widely used features. The results are also compared to similar studies in other countries. The limitations of this study and future research are discussed.     

Computer use and musculoskeletal symptoms among undergraduate university students

The use of computers has been shown to have the potential for detrimental effects on the musculoskeletal system. Previous research has identified risk factors for computer-related musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS) in the workforce, but the focus of investigation on university students is comparatively recent. There appears to be a relative paucity of research into computer-related MSS in European universities and none to date in Ireland. The primary aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of computer-related MSS in a cohort of undergraduate university students in Ireland. The cross-sectional study design involved a questionnaire of two parts. Part A was a questionnaire adapted from previously used questionnaires and included questions relating to demographic information regarding age, gender, year of study, hand dominance and details of computer use. Part B was a modified (to include only computer-related symptoms) Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. A total of 312 Health Sciences students were surveyed and 241 responded, giving an overall response rate of 76.9%. All students used a computer, with 95.4% using a laptop. Although the reported duration of computer use was quite low, the prevalence of computer-related MSS was high (52.8%). Increased prevalence of MSS was significantly associated with year of college, average daily laptop use and right hand dominance. A considerable proportion of students reported that MSS impacted on their work (18.3%) and leisure activities (23.6%) and furthermore 17.1% sought medical attention. The current study suggests that further research should be carried out on students from other disciplines and on students in other European universities to facilitate a greater understanding of the risk factors for computer-related MSS in undergraduate students.     

Internet use and parental mediation: A cross-cultural study

The aim of this research project was to analyze the relationship between Internet use and parental mediation in a cross-cultural sample group. It also aimed to explore the relationship between parental mediation in Internet use and television viewing. The sample group comprised 1238 adolescents aged between 14 and 19, from eight different cultural contexts. The television viewing habits questionnaire (CH-TV.02) was used to analyze the following indicators: reason for use and hours spent on the Internet, parental mediation in Internet use and parental mediation in television viewing. The data were collected both by means of an online platform and in person. The results show a moderate use of the Internet with context-based variations, although the communicative function was predominant in all cultural contexts studied. Although significant differences were found between the different contexts, they were moderate in nature and should be interpreted with caution, given the size of the sample. In relation to parental mediation in Internet use, an exploratory factorial analysis found three types of mediation, with restrictive mediation and co-viewing being particularly relevant. As regards the profiles found, a Cluster analysis identified four profiles in the group of young people studied: instructive, inhibited, co-viewing and restrictive, with the inhibited profile being the one most frequently perceived by adolescents, followed by co-viewing, with significant differences being observed between cultures. Differences were observed in parental mediation in Internet use and television viewing in accordance with the medium in question and the context, a finding which may indicate that parents find it harder to engage in instructive mediation and co-viewing in relation to the Internet, since it is a medium that is less ergonomic and user-friendly than television.     

Internet use and psychological well-being among college students: A latent profile approach

Studies of correlations between Internet use and psychological well-being (PW) have produced mixed results. The present study used a latent profile analysis to distinguish among populations in terms of PW profiles, and then used a multinomial logistic regression to determine how online entertainment, social use, problematic Internet use (PIU), and gender predicted each latent PW profile. The initial sample consisted of 757 Taiwanese college freshmen. Four ordered latent groups were established as follows: good PW, normative, minor-disadvantageous, and severe-disadvantageous. No latent PW profile stability was found in subsequent years: three groups (normative, minor-disadvantageous and severe-disadvantageous) emerged in Year 2, and only one group emerged in Year 3. The results indicate (a) no relationship between PW and online entertainment or gender, (b) greater PIU increased the likelihood of disadvantageous PW and decreased the probability of good PW, and (c) greater use of online resources for social purposes was related to increased probability of a participant being in the good PW group, but not associated with fewer PW problems.     

Incidence and correlates of pathological Internet use among college students

This study surveyed 277 undergraduate Internet users, a population considered to be high risk for pathological Internet use (PIU), to assess incidence of PIU as well as characteristics of the Internet and of users associated with PIU. Pathological use was determined by responses to 13 questions which assessed evidence that Internet use was causing academic, work or interpersonal problems, distress, tolerance symptoms, and mood-altering use of the Internet. Approximately one-quarter of students (27.2%) reported no symptoms (NO) while 64.7% reported one to three symptoms (Limited Symptoms) and 8.1% reported four or more symptoms (PIU). Based on popular stereotypes as well as previous research, it was predicted that pathological Internet users would more likely be males, technologically sophisticated, use real-time interactive activities such as online games and chat lines, and feel comfortable and competent online. Further, it was hypothesized that pathological users would be more likely to be lonely and to be socially disinhibited online. Partial confirmation of this model was obtained. Pathological users were more likely to be males and to use online games as well as technologically sophisticated sites, but there was no difference in Internet Relay Chat use. Although reported comfort and competence with the Internet was in the expected direction, differences were not significant. Pathological users scored significantly higher on the UCLA Loneliness Scale, and were socially disinhibited online.     

A longitudinal study of the association between Compulsive Internet use and wellbeing

ObjectiveCompulsive Internet Use (CIU) has been linked to lower wellbeing, especially among adolescents. Yet, questions regarding the directionality of this association remain unanswered: CIU may influence wellbeing and vice versa. Theoretically, both directions are plausible, yet so far no studies have examined the directionality of these effects among adults. This article aims to shed light on the directionality of the relation between CIU and both positive and negative wellbeing, using a prospective, longitudinal sample of adults (n = 398).MethodsOver the course of four years, participants completed five assessments of their CIU and both positive and negative indicators of wellbeing. Participants were married couples who were recruited in the municipalities where they were married.ResultsCIU predicted increases in depression, loneliness and stress over time, and a decrease in happiness. No effect of CIU on the change in self-esteem was found. Further, happiness predicted a decrease in CIU over time.ConclusionsThe results suggest CIU lowers wellbeing. This is important given that lowered wellbeing may affect health. Happiness is suggested to be a buffer for developing CIU.     

The prevalence of neck pain and associated risk factors among undergraduate students: A large-scale cross-sectional study

BackgroundNeck pain is a pervasive ailment causing work absenteeism, disabilities, and sleep disturbance among working adults. While the onset of neck pain in many individuals may date back to college-age, little is known regarding the prevalence of neck pain and associated risk factors among undergraduates. The current study aimed to compare the prevalence of neck pain among students in different undergraduate programs and to investigate their risk factors.MethodsUndergraduates from two universities were invited to participate in a self-administered online survey. The survey collected data regarding demographics, previous and the current neck pain symptoms, and potential risk factors (e.g., gender, age, body mass index, study programs, electronic devices usage, study hours, sports participation, and anxiety and depression levels, etc.). Multiple logistic regressions were conducted to identify risk factors for neck pain.ResultsA total of 5,195 invitation emails were sent. Of 1,002 respondents, 22.3% reported having current neck pain. Physiotherapy (26.5%) and nursing students (26.1%) had significantly higher prevalence of neck pain as compared to business students (13.2%). Anxiety (odds ratio (OR):1.11, 95%CI:1.07–1.16), concurrent low back pain (OR:3.28, 95%CI:2.15–5.00) and senior years of studies (OR:1.19,95%CI:1.01–1.41) were significantly associated with the presence of neck pain. Taller students (OR:1.02,95%CI:0.99–1.05) and prolonged smartphone usage (OR:1.05,95%CI:0.99–1.12) appeared to be associated with the presence of neck pain.ConclusionThis study not only revealed the high prevalence of neck pain among undergraduates but also identified several modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for neck pain in this population. Specific prevention strategies should be developed and implemented to reduce the risk of neck pain in vulnerable students.     

Human features recognition with CNM: An applied study concerning undergraduate students

In this paper we apply the Combinatorial Neural Model (CNM) to help scientists in Applied Social Sciences to understand a proactive agent in relation to the social environment. CNM is a hybrid neural network that represents an alternative to overcome the black box limitation of the Multilayer Perceptron by applying the neural network structure along with a symbolic processing. The model built comprises the recognition of patterns from a socioeconomic survey and from a set of written texts, and aims at understanding the student point of view about its role in the society. The self-perception of the young in relation to willingness for social proactivity was studied. Proactivity was taken as the possibility of transforming society from the perspective of social inequality. The whole process was driven under CRISP-DM guidelines. The model succeeded in identifying different rules that characterize non-proactive students. Results show that current approach is useful for subsidizing educators and managers of educational institutions in decision making with information on students’ profile.     

Characterizing human features: An applied study on proactivity perception of undergraduate students

Human beings live in a structural, natural, social, cultural, and linguistic coupling and continuously regenerate the processes that organize themselves. The proactive agent in relation to the social environment was studied. The proactivity was taken as the possibility of transforming society from the perspective of social inequality. In this sense, it was studied the self-perception of the young in relation to willingness for social proactivity. The Combinatorial Neural Model was applied to recognize patterns from a socioeconomic survey and texts written during the selection for entering the undergraduate courses aiming at understanding the student view on her/his social role. The whole process was conducted under the CRISP-DM guidelines. The model succeeded in identifying differents rules that characterize non-proactive students. Results show to be useful for subsidizing educators and managers of educational institutions in decision making with information on students’ profile.     

Genetic and environmental influences on problematic Internet use: A twin study

Despite many studies on the prevalence and correlates of problematic Internet use (PIU), we know little about its etiological components. Our main aim is to find out to what extent PIU is influenced by genetic and environmental factors using the classic twin design. A total of 237 Turkish twin-pairs aged 10–25 participated in the study. PIU was measured using the ‘Problematic Internet Use Scale’ (PIUS) developed by Ceyhan, Ceyhan and Gürcan. For male twin-pairs, the monozygotic (MZ) twin correlations were larger than the dizygotic (DZ) twin correlations, indicating that genetic factors influenced scores on the PIUS. However, for female twin-pairs, the MZ correlations were smaller than the DZ correlations for the PIUS, showing that genetic factors did not play a role in female twin-pairs. The influence of both genetic and environmental factors was explored with model-fitting analysis. Results showed that both for the “social comfort/benefit” and “negative consequences associated with the Internet use” sub-dimensions, the best-fitting models were the ADE models whereas both for the “excessive use” sub-dimension and “PIUS-Total”, the best-fittings models were the ACE models. The key result of this study is that the genetic and non-shared environmental effects are equally influential on the overall PIU in male twin-pairs.     

Life satisfaction and family functions as-predictors of problematic Internet use in university students

One goal of this research was to analyze problematic Internet use in university students according to such variables as gender, grade point average, satisfaction with one’s department, mother’s/father’s education level, smoking, alcohol consumption, gambling behavior, relationship between parents, length of Internet use, amount of time spent on the Internet daily, and using the Internet for academic purposes. Another goal was to analyze family functioning and life satisfaction as predictors of problematic Internet use in university students. The study sample comprised 663 university students from Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir. The Problematic Internet Use Scale, Family Evaluation Scale, Life Satisfaction Scale, and a questionnaire requesting demographic information were administered. The results revealed that the family functioning dimensions of problem solving, roles, and behavioral control, as well as gender, age, gambling behavior, perception of the relationship between one’s parents, number of years of Internet use, amount of time spent on the Internet daily, and using the Internet for academic purposes explained 48% of the total variance in Internet use. There was also a significant relationship between university students’ life satisfaction and total Internet use, rate of Internet overuse, and the social benefits and negative consequences of Internet use.     

Long-term study of safe Internet use of young children

The Internet is an evolving medium that continuously presents new functionalities. Accordingly, also children’s Internet usage changes continuously. This requires being vigilant about related Internet risk behavior and safe Internet use. The present article presents a structured overview of Internet risks and summarizes approaches to foster safe Internet behavior. Based on a long-term cross-sectional study, Internet usage of young children has been researched. The focus is on contact risks and content risks. Based on the analysis of survey data from 10000 children, trends in their (un)safe Internet usage are studied in the years 2005–2006, 2007–2008, and 2008–2009. An Unsafe Internet Usage Index (UIUI) is calculated. The average results point at a rather low level of unsafe Internet usage. But these average results hide between-subject differences and a number of children clearly reflect risky unsafe Internet usage. Also, no consistent reduction in unsafe Internet behavior is being observed over the years. Parental and teacher control hardly increase, and hardly seem to impact the level of unsafe Internet behavior. Considering a number of limitations of the present study, directions for future research are discussed.     

A cognitive-behavioral model of pathological Internet use

This article introduces a cognitive-behavioral model of Pathological Internet Use (PIU). While previous studies on Internet addiction have described behavioral factors, such as withdrawal and tolerance, the present article focuses on the maladaptive cognitions associated with PIU. The cognitive-behavioral model of PIU distinguishes between specific PIU and generalized PIU. Specific PIU refers to the condition in which an individual pathologically uses the Internet for a particular purpose, such as online sex or online gambling, whereas generalized PIU describes a more global set of behaviors. The model implies a more important role of cognitions in PIU, and describes the means by which PIU is both developed and maintained. Furthermore, it provides a framework for the development of cognitive-behavioral interventions for PIU.     

Problematic Internet use,loneliness and dating anxiety among young adult university students

The Internet, an important modern means of obtaining information and establishing communication with others, has become an increasingly essential element of human life. Although Internet use makes life easier, it can become problematic in the event of non-functional use. Debate and research into whether Internet addiction is a cause or an effect are continuing. This study investigates problematic Internet use among young adult university students and examines correlation between problematic Internet use and loneliness and dating anxiety. University student Internet use patterns are also investigated. The study was conducted among 493 students from the Karadeniz Technical University Fatih Faculty of Education. The Online Cognition Scale, Dating Anxiety Scale, Loneliness Scale and Personal Information Questionnaire were employed in the collection of data. Pearson correlation analysis, the t-test, one-way analysis of variance and chi-square test were used for data analysis. The Pearson correlation analysis results reveal a significant positive correlation between problematic Internet use and loneliness (r = 0.194, p < 0.001), communication anxiety (r = 0.15, p < 0.001), unpopularity anxiety (r = 0.174, p < 0.001) and physiological symptoms (r = 0.125, p < 0.001) dating anxiety sub-scales. One-way analysis of variance was used to examine whether problematic Internet use varies according to length of Internet use, and a significantly high level of problematic Internet use was observed among those going online for more than 5 h a day compared to other users (F = 14.327, p < 0.001). Chi-square results reveal a significant association between length of Internet use and how students feel when they do not go online (chi-square = 116.543, p < 0.001). The t-test was used to determine whether there was a significant difference in levels of Internet use according to gender, and levels of problematic Internet use were significantly higher among male students than females (t = 4.046, p < 0.001).     

Gender and cultural differences in Internet use: A study of China and the UK

This study investigates differences in use of, and attitudes toward the Internet and computers generally for Chinese and British students, and gender differences in this cross-cultural context. Two hundred and twenty Chinese and 245 British students’ responses to a self-report survey questionnaire are discussed. Significant differences were found in Internet experience, attitudes, usage, and self-confidence between Chinese and British students. British students were more likely to use computers for study purposes than Chinese students, but Chinese students were more self-confident about their advanced computer skills. Significant gender differences were also found in both national groups. Men in both countries were more likely than women to use email or ‘chat’ rooms. Men played more computer games than women; Chinese men being the most active games players. Men in both countries were more self-confident about their computer skills than women, and were more likely to express the opinion that using computers was a male activity and skill than were women. Gender differences were higher in the British group than the Chinese group. The present study illustrates the continued significance of gender in students’ attitudes towards, and use of computers, within different cultural contexts.