INTERNET USE AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOLS STUDENTS AND ITS EFFECTS ON THEIR LEARNING

Internet represents the greatest collection of human knowledge and has enabled many communities in the world to manage communication and solve problems faster. The Internet has made it possible for students, teachers, and educational technologists, to communicate, create content, services, applications and innovations for their staple endeavors. With the Internet access, a wide range of ideas, teaching and learning resources, techniques and innovations have been widely shared. This study explored internet use among secondary school students and its effects on their learning. Mixed methods research with the descriptive design was employed and data were collected from 310 students using questionnaires, semi-interviews and observation. The results unveiled that majority of students 170 (54.8%) had accessed to the internet through smartphones, internet cafes 100(32.3%) personal computers, 15(4.8%) via schools infrastructures, and homes 25(8.1%). Findings report that although the internet uses for educational purposes had improved among secondary school students most of them used the internet as a social media for chatting and socializing, watching movies and listening to music. Wastage of time, delay on schoolwork submission, poor academic results and school dodging were reported among effects associated with the internet uses among secondary students. However, educational related websites widely used was the National Examination Council of Tanzania (NECTA), e-SHULE, and e-School programme. The results of this study shed light on the most effective use of the internet in the teaching-learning process among students on the proper use of the internet.