Availability and utilisation of the internet by graduate students of the University of Cape Coast.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to ascertain the availability and utilization of Internet by graduate students of` the University of Cape Coast (UCC) to facilitate their academic work. The descriptive survey was adopted for the study. Out of a study population of 1140, a sample size of 382 was selected but 321 respondents responded to the questions. The reliability test for the pilot study yielded .721 Cronbach’s alphalevel. The statistical tools used for the data analysis were frequencies, percentages, means and Mann Whitney U test. Although the Internet was available and was distributed to the graduate students at vantage points on the university campus by the Computer Centre of the university, it was discovered that the Internet was unreliable and not easily accessible by the graduate students. This was due to erratic electricity power supply and very slow speed of the Internet. It was also found out that the graduate students always use the university’s Internet to gather information to write thesis and assignments and to send and receive e-mails. Data from the interview conducted indicate that the state of the Internet infrastructure at the UCC was not of its best quality. Most of the Internet equipment was inadequate, obsolete and inefficient to meet the growing demand of Internet at the UCC. The study concluded that the Internet was available at the university and the graduate students were using it to enhance their research based programs on campus. Management of the university should raise enough funds through its alumni and private individuals to procure state of the art Internet infrastructure for the university.