INTRODUCTION
In this age of information and communication technology (ICT) the use of internet has become the norm. Developing countries like Nigeria are not exempted from this trend. The caving for the internet stem from it’s central role in ICT with access to free online journal, magazines and other information resources anytime and from any where for academic and research purpose (Kode and Kode 2003).
The internet stated in August 3RD
1962, BY j.c. r. Lichider a MTT USA as just and ordinary network design. The use of the internet in the educational environment has enabled easy access to many resources and information sharing has there significantly increased. Moreover, the prevalence of the sharing has brought additional benefits in these resources, can be used in any location and anytime. Although, the efficiency of this technology, it is evaluated with use of proportion of the desired results in students achievement.According to Benson (2002), the internet is a loose of inter-connecting commercial and non-commercial computer networks. The constituent networks are tied together by telecommunication lines and by their shared reliance on standard communications controls. The internet with a capital “I” refers to a world wide system of linked computer system. When used with a small ‘I” it means a group of inter-connect local networks. The net is the global association of thousand of networks and millions of computer across the world that caries data and makes the exchange of information possible. This network of computer is also referred to as global information system or information super high way. The internet is also known by some people as the web, this is the largest computer networks with thousands of network using a communication protocol, internet protocol.
The internet sometimes called simple. “This net” is a world wide system of computer networks (connections) actually, it is a network in which users or anyone who uses one computer can, if they have permission to get information from any other computers on-line chat.
The use of internet is gradually becoming popular in Nigeria. Statistic shows that Nigeria with in estimated population of 138,283,240 people has 10,000 internet users representing 7.2 percent of population ((Interest World Status 2009).
Basically, the internet was in emergency military communication system operated by the department of defense advanced research project agency (ARPA).
The whole operation was referred to as AKPANET. The speed of internet has changed the way people receive the information. It contributes the immediately of broadcast with the in-depth coverage of newspaper making it perfect sources for news and weather information. Even with the much media excitement of the web, electronic mail (e-mail) is the most frequently used application of the internet. Many people who have access to the internet at school, home and at work place use the internet for another purpose than to send and to receive the mail. It is just friends and co-workers that are receiving e-mail wherever you look, the web is providing e-mail address. This web has made communication between the strangers easier than ever. Chatting is one of more popular activities on the internet. People can talk to anyone across the world. Introduction to social on line networking site has facilitated communication. These
Many youths are becoming addicted to the internet, they spend more and more time playing computer games or just surfing the net without any particular reasons. Accordingly, the time they spend on studying is automatically reduced, which in turn causes lower academic achievement. Moreover, some of them go to the extreme, becoming serious internet addicts, and they even refuse to go to school as they cannot escape from the trap of the internet.
The internet also hinders youths from doing their home work or assigned tasks on their own. Thanks to the internet youths can obtain the information they need with a great ease by simply clicking the button.
However, this great accessibility to any kind of information can be abused. F or instance, when youths are given an assignment, what many of them do is just go on websites or blogs where the seemingly needed information is posted, and drag, copy and paste it without working the materials thoroughly later. This is called “Plagiarism’ and is illegal. Some youths even just down load the materials which someone else has already done and submit it as if it were their own work. It’s clear that the internet has serious detrimental effects on youths for one thing, youths are so vulnerable to becoming addicted to the interest. Additionally, they do their home work not with their own effects but with the entire dependence on internet resources. Thus young youths should use internet with great caution to prevent any harmful effects.
The project therefore tend to discuss the negative impact of interest on youths, using institute of Management and Technology (IMT), as the case of study websites were users can create a profile , they are web based service that allowed individuals to:
It is a well known fact that internet is one of the most important social and economic institutions in the society which needs to be given serious and special attention to, so as to avoid internet crime among students and offer some suggestions for improvement among our students towards internet.
Some people believe that the internet has a positive impact on youths by providing a variety of resources for their studies. However, we strongly disagree with that.
The objectives of the study is to analyze the negative impact of internet in lives of Nigerians students in institute of Management and Technology Enugu State an to find out adequate and meaningful ways to solve the problems of internet.
In the course of this study the problems militating against internet will be highlighted and discussed after a fruitful research work or exercise. In the research is intended to look into the problem faced by IMT students in relation to the impact of internet with a view of satisfying the quest of the impact of internet.
The study has a lot of significance in that it represents a symbol of academic achievement as having contributed to the already record of research in communication arts in addition the study will shall be useful to the future researchers and the entire students in the field of mass communication as they shall resort to it their various research work on the same topic of study in future.
The research shall be relevant to student of IMT in general. Even the government and general public will see the commendations as a reference points on how to use internet in their tertiary institutions.
Agenda Setting Theory
Agenda Setting Theory was used in this theoretical framework based on its importance to the study. Agenda setting describes a very powerful indolence of the internet, due to ability to let us know what issues are of importance and get information. These issues that the internet chose to publicize immediately become the issue that would be thoughts and talked about. According to this theory, these topics issues, thoughts about, becomes important because use of the information the internet gives to the work which possible when there is proper impact negative of internet among youths in IMT.
The theoretical frame work that relates to this study is the “social learning theory”. This theory holds that media can have direct effects on people and their influence does not have to be mediate by personal influence or social networks. Bandura (2002:140). It has a relation in this topic of study in that internet has direct effect on children.
The basic idea is that human beings cannot learn all or even much of what we need to guide our own development and behaviour from direct personal observation and experience alone. We have to learn much from indirect sources, inducing mass media. According to Bandura (1986) there are four basic processes of social learning that occurs by sequences, attention, retention, production, and motivation. Children’s attention directed at media content of potential relevance to children’s lives and personal needs and interests. We may then retain what we have learnt and add it to our stock of prior knowledge. Production is the third stage which refers to the actual application in behaviour of lessons learnt, where it may be reinforced, leading to the greater or less motivation to follow any particular path. This theory has a general application to socialize effects of media and the adoption of various models of action. It applies to many, every day matters such as clothing, appearance, styles models of interactions and personal consumption etc. the theory also implies an actives engagement on the parts of the learner, and on the individuals self reflection capability.
The study is mainly concerned with the negative impact of internet in the life of Nigerians youths in Institute of Management and Technology Enugu, Enugu State.
The research work was limited in the following ways:
There is need for definition of words in this study. This if not for any reason will help to clarify the ambiguous nature of some words easy understanding of the work.
The negative Impact
Internet
Internet is a network of linked computers which are located at different points all over the world that provide easy communication between persons and organization no matter where they are located.
Internet is a place where students in long provide communication between themselves and send messages across to each other.
Youths
According to Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary as the time of life when a person is youth especially before the child becomes an adult.
Students in IMT can be referred to as youths because they are young and will be adult one day.