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.