Impact of internet usage on students' academic performance

This study will explore the impact of internet usage on students' performance. Using a model adapted from Norzaidi and Salwani (2009), task-technology fit model, this research will investigate the impact of internet usage, technology satisfaction and technology resistance on students' academic performance and will explore whether the independent variables predict students' academic performance. The research was organised at a Higher Education Institute in Wales and 120 questionnaires were distributed to undergraduate year 1 and 2, graduate and postgraduate students. This study used the following techniques: factor analysis, multiple regression and correlation. The results from the regression analysis of this research indicate that technology resistance it does predict students' academic performance. Furthermore, there is a significant positive association between students' academic performance, internet usage, technology resistance and technology satisfaction. The study built on a previous model in educational system in Malaysia and adapted to a Higher Education Institute in Wales. It focused on the impact of internet usage and technology resistance upon students' academic performance. The model is trying to incorporate an adopted structure from another educational system into a Higher Education Institute in Wales and to increase the effectiveness of internet usage in higher education. The results of this research can be adopted by other Higher Education Institutes in the UK. This study will be beneficial for students as well as for higher education institutions by increasing the effectiveness of services. The study is bringing a contribution to the development of students' satisfaction by eliminating the barriers (technology resistance) in accessing technology and will increase students' potential to use the internet. The study explores a very actual topic by addressing the internet usage in Higher Education (HE).