PERCEIVED INFLUENCE OF INTERNET-ENABLED MOBILE DEVICES ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, MINNA, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study investigated the perceived influence of internet-enabled mobile devices on the academic performance of undergraduate students in Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna, Niger State. The study was guided by four specific objectives with corresponding research questions. Descriptive research designed was adopted. The target population of 21.617 undergraduate students in FUT. Minna as at 2019/2020 academic session was used for the study. A sample of 200 undergraduate students was selected from the target population. Convenient and simple random sampling techniques were used to select 24 undergraduate students from each of the eight schools while eight under students was randomly selected from the 9th School of Entrepreneurship and Management Technology (SEMT). Structured questionnaire with four-point rating scale was randomly and conveniently used for data collection and 200 copies were administered on the respondents across the nine schools. Results showed the return rate of 156 completed copies of the questionnaire. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics. Findings revealed that majority of the respondents use different kind of internet mobile phones for one reason or the other and are useful, and enhancement to their academic activities. It was found that internet mobile phones have contributes to perceived academic performance of undergraduate students. Other findings include unstable power supply and network service and high cost of data were the serious problems to the use of internet mobile phones by undergraduate students. The study concluded that the mobile phones will enhance academic activities of undergraduate students if well utilized. It was recommended that University management should collaborate with manufacturers of mobile phones on the appropriate mobile phones to be used by undergraduate students for their academic activities: encouragement of collaborative learning through mobile phones while University management should provide alternative sources of power supply (solar, inverter, and standby generating plant) as well as subsidizing the price of data purchase.