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Asia-Pacific Forum
on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 12, Issue 2, Article 14 (Dec., 2011) |
The effect of Internet usage on technology comprehension of physics students: A case study
Hatice GUZEL
Selçuk University, Ahmet Keleşoğlu Education Faculty, SESMB Education, Dept. of Physics, Konya, TURKEY
E-mail: hguzel@selcuk.edu.tr
Received 20 Oct., 2011
Revised 20 Dec., 2011
Rapid technological enhancements and changes necessitate people who can understand the relation between science and technology and perceive as well as comment on technological enhancements. The aim of the present study was to determine physics students comprehension of the operation principles of wired telephone, mobile phone, and latest medical imaging devices such as ultrasonography, magnetic resonance (MR) and computed tomography (CT) and whether their comprehension results change according to their computer and internet usage or not. 199 students from 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades of physics education department are included in the sample of the research conducted using survey method. Relevant data were collected using a survey developed by the researcher. Statistical data analysis was conducted using frequency distribution, percentage and χ2 (chi square) tests.
According to the results of the research, 34% of the physics department students considered the waves transmitted in wired telephones as sound waves. 27% of the students answered also as sound waves to the question “What is kind of a wave is transmitted in mobile phones? This outcome is both upsetting and worrying. There was a significant difference in the answers of the students to the question related to mobile phones and their internet usage (χ2 =6.634; sd=1; p = 0.010 <0.05 ). Students who have excess internet access answered this question more accurately. The operation principle of MR device, on the other hand, was known accurately by 23% of the students. No statistically significant differences were found between other variables.
Keywords: Internet, Level of Technology Comprehension, Students, Physics Department.
