Internet is an ever-changing concept and has become a useful instrument which has fostered the process of making the world a global village. A universally accepted fact is that this concept has a great impact on student’s academic achievements and social life. Thus, the purpose of this research is to identify the impact of internet usage on academic performance among Sri Lankan undergraduates. The study will aid university students, researchers, lecturers and curriculum developers to identify the correlation between internet usage and academic performance. Three main areas were looked at with regard to internet usage academic, social and recreational oriented internet utilization. Quantitative data was gathered from 114 Sri Lankan undergraduates through questionnaires and six other students were approached to obtain qualitative data for in-depth understanding. The data collected was analyzed using the SPSS software and statistical measures used to identify patterns were; one-way ANOVA, descriptive analysis and Pearson correlation technique. When comparing results obtained from both qualitative and quantitative means a significant relationship amid internet usage and academic performance can be identified.
Akhter, N. (2013). Relationship between Internet Addiction and Academic Performance among University Undergraduates. Journal of Science and Technology Education Research, 8(19), pp.1793-1796.
Alavi, M. (1994). Computer-mediated collaborative learning: an empirical evaluation. MIS Quarterly, 5, 6, 325–350.
Al-Nuaimy, W., Zhang, J. and Noble, A. (2001). Web-based learning environment for a communications module. Computer Applications in Engineering Education 9, 2, 114–121.
Annenberg School of University of Southern California, (2000). Annual reports of “Surveying the Digital Future,” Center for the Digital Future at Annenberg School of University of Southern California, Retrieved from
http://www.digitalcenter.org/pages/site_content.asp?intGlobalId=20
Asdaque, M., Khan, M. and Rizvi, D. (2010). Effect of internet on the academic performance and social life of university students in Pakistan. British Journal of Sociology of Education. [online] Available at:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279894186 [Accessed 11 Oct. 2018].
Awais, Bilal, Usman, M., Waqas, M. and Sehrish (n.d.). Impact of Internet use on student’s academic performance. [online] Available at:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/9191411/ImpactsofInternet-Usageon-Students [Accessed 30 Oct. 2018].
Bargeron, D., Grudin, J., Gupta, A. and Sanocki, E. (2002). Asynchronous collaboration around multimedia applied to on-demand education. Journal of Management Information Systems, 18(4), pp.117-145.
Barker, P. (2002). Innovation in open and distance learning—successful development of Online and web-based learning. Innovations in Education and Training International, 39, 1, 82–85.
Bodhi, V. and Kaur, J. (2017). Impact of internet use and academic performance. International Journal of Education and Management Studies, 7(4), pp.515-517.
Borzekowski, D. L. G., and Robinson, T. N. (2005). The remote, the mouse, and the no.2 pencil the household media environment and academic achievement among third grade students. Achieves of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 159, pp. 607-613.
Brown, U. J., Ellore, S. B., and Niranjan, S. (2014). The Influence of Internet Usage on Academic Performance and Face-to-Face Communication. Journal of Psychology and Behavioral Science, 2(2), pp. 163-186. ISSN: 2374-2380.
Carswell, L., Thomas, P., Petre, M., Price, B. and Richards, M. (2000). Distance education via the Internet: the student experience. British Journal of Educational Technology, 31, pp.29-46.
Chandler, B. (2002). Innovation in open and distance learning. Successful development of online and web-based learning. Studies in Higher Education, 27, 1, 122–123.Chen, S. Y. and Paul, R. J. (2003). Editorial: individual differences in web-based instruction—an overview. British Journal of Educational Technology, 34, 4, 1–5.
Cheung, W., and Huang, W. (2005). Proposing a framework to assess internet usage in university education: An empirical investigation from a students’ perspective. British Journal of Educational Technology, 36 (2), pp. 237-253.
Choi, K., Son, H., Park, M., Han, J., Kim, K., Lee, B. and Gwak, H. (2009). Internet overuse and excessive daytime sleepiness in adolescents. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 63, pp.456-462.
Chou, C., and Hsiao, M. C. (2000). Internet addiction, usage, gratification, and pleasure experience: the Taiwan college student’s case. Computers and Education, 35, 65-80.
Coppola, N., Hiltz, S. R. and Rotter, N. G. (2002). Becoming a virtual professor: pedagogical roles and asynchronous learning networks. Journal of Management Information Systems, 18, 4, 169–189.
Coyne, S. M., Padilla- Walker, L. M., and Howard, E. (2013). Emerging in a digital world a decade review of media use, effects, and gratifications in emerging adulthood. Emerging Adulthood, 1(2), 125-137.
Dahlstrom, E., Boor, T., Grunwald, P. and Vockley, M. (2011). The ECar National study of the undergraduate students and information technology, research report. [online] Avail
In-Text Citation: (Madhavika & Kodithuwakku, 2019)
To Cite this Article: Madhavika, W. D. N., & Kodithuwakku, K. C. (2019). Internet Usage and Academic Performance of Sri Lankan Undergraduates. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 9(7), 761–783.
Copyright: © 2019 The Author(s)
Published by Human Resource Management Academic Research Society (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
