Malaysian Students' Iternet Use: Some Research Evidence

Abstract

The Internet has become an essential tool in all levels of education. It is not only used as a tool to acquire information but is also widely used for academic, communication, entertainment and social purposes. It is no wonder that Internet usage in tertiary institutions is increasing at a phenomenal rate. Malaysian universities are beginning to allow greater Internet use and access within its campus grounds. This is the right step forward as tertiary students whose ages range between 20 and 24 years old are well within the age range of users identified as one of the biggest groups of Internet users in Malaysia (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, 2010). Based on the literature review, this paper reports on the scenario of the Internet use in Malaysia. It also explores how students use this medium in general. It then highlights their Internet pattern usage and how they respond to the Internet through a review of academic papers and dissertations published between 2003 and 2012.