The rapid growth of the Internet has had a great effect on education and students' University life. The purpose of this descriptive and baseline study, which was conducted through a mail survey, was to describe and identify Internet use by students at the South Valley University (SVU) (Egypt). It examined some of the most important factors related to the access and use of the Internet by both Internet users and non-users in the University.
Major findings of the study determined that most of the students (77.1%) at the South Valley University were found to not use the Internet. They were more likely to be females, undergraduates, aged over 40 years, with monthly income less than E.P. 100 ($20), and from Commerce, Biology, and Arabic majors. On the other hand, students (22.9%) who were found to be Internet users were more likely to be males, graduates, aged over 30 years, with monthly income over E.P. 400 ($80), and from Computer Science, Education, and English majors. The study found that there were statistically significant differences in Internet use by education level, age, income, academic majors, and computer use of both Internet users and non-users. Gender was not a major contributor toward their Internet use.
It was also found that there were statistically significant differences in Internet use by the factors of lack of availability of the Internet, lack of knowledge, lack of awareness, lack of Internet training, lack of appropriate Internet hardware and software, lack of language skills, and lack of adequate funds related to Internet use. The study found also that students who majored in the Hard Science group were found to use the Internet more than students who majored in the Arts & Science and Liberal Arts.
The study reached conclusions that students' experience and duration of Internet use, as well as their socio-economic factors are major predictors for Internet use. The study recommended that the South Valley University should enhance students' awareness of the advantages of using the Internet by integrating it into curricula, classrooms, libraries, and labs, as well as by providing a convenient and fast Internet access.
