University Students' Usage and Perceptions of the Internet

Abstract

This study explored how university students used the Internet and how attributes, such as university major, gender, and age, were implicated in the Internet usage factors—enjoyment, usefulness, anxiety, and self-efficacy. The data revealed that university students used the Internet very frequently, with the majority on a daily basis. Factorial ANOVA analysis revealed that statistically significant differences of enjoyment was found between male and female students, the younger and older students, and students' different majors across age groups. Differences on the Internet usefulness was found between female and male students and between students' different majors across age groups. Multiple regression revealed that students' enjoyment, feeling of the Internet usefulness, and self-efficacy significantly contributed to their anxiety level toward utilizing the Internet.