Harerimana, Alexis, and Msthali, Ntombifikile Gloria (2018) Internet usage among undergraduate nursing students: A case study of a selected university in South Africa. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 8 (8). pp. 75-85.

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Abstract

Background: The internet has become an indispensable tool for teaching and learning, research, and communication in today’s educational landscape. Nursing students, in particular, rely heavily on the internet to access scholarly resources, collaborate with peers, and engage in online learning activities. This article explores the general internet usage of undergraduate nursing students at a selected university in South Africa.

Methods: This study used a quantitative, non-experimental, exploratory, and descriptive design with 115 undergraduate nursing students. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and were analysed descriptively.

Results: Undergraduate nursing students used the internet for academic purposes (96.5%), communication (82.6%), leisure activities (71.3%), and work-related tasks (53.9%). Facebook was the most frequently used social network (77.4%). Barriers to internet use include restricted access to certain websites (62.6%), slow internet connection (55.7%), limited training in internet usage (38.3%), and a scarcity of computers (37.4%).

Conclusion and recommendations: Educational institutions and policymakers should explore strategies to enhance students’ digital experiences. This can be achieved by improving internet infrastructure, offering comprehensive internet usage training, increasing computer accessibility, and reevaluating website restrictions. Emphasising internet literacy, promoting diverse online platforms and fostering a more inclusive online environment are recommended.

Item ID:	82580
Item Type:	Article (Other)
ISSN:	1925-4059
Keywords:	Internet, ICT, nursing students, undergraduate
Copyright Information:	Copyright © Sciedu Press
Date Deposited:	19 Jun 2024 01:25
FoR Codes:	39 EDUCATION > 3904 Specialist studies in education > 390405 Educational technology and computing @ 40% 42 HEALTH SCIENCES > 4205 Nursing > 420599 Nursing not elsewhere classified @ 40% 46 INFORMATION AND COMPUTING SCIENCES > 4699 Other information and computing sciences > 469999 Other information and computing sciences not elsewhere classified @ 20%
SEO Codes:	16 EDUCATION AND TRAINING > 1603 Teaching and curriculum > 160304 Teaching and instruction technologies @ 40% 20 HEALTH > 2099 Other health > 209999 Other health not elsewhere classified @ 20% 22 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION SERVICES > 2201 Communication technologies, systems and services > 220199 Communication technologies, systems and services not elsewhere classified @ 40%
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