الملخص الإنجليزي
The present study sought to examine the attitudes of students' of the College of Arts and Social Sciences towards the Internet and its use as an information source at Sultan Qaboos University in order to identify potential problems and find practical solutions. It examined the extent to which the internet was used by students and compared their use against such factors as skill mastery, major, facilities, faculty members, and training. In addition, the study compared the students' attitudes towards the use of the internet as an information source based on gender, cohort, and computer skills. . The data were collected through a questionnaire distributed to students in eight majors from cohorts 2002, 2003, and 2004. The sample consisted of 590 students who constituted about 41% of the target population. The validity of the questionnaire was checked by a number of judges. The reliability index of the instrument was .87 according to Alpha Crombach.
The study led to very important results about the students' use of the internet. Below is a summary of the major findings:
1. The students scored low in their mastery of skills related to internet use such as searching, retrieving, and evaluating information. This finding was supported by the students' interest to acquire more skills
2. Internet use varied according to factors related to the educational system. It was found that the student specialization had the strongest influence, followed by the faculty members and then the training. The facilities supported the students' use the least, due to the inadequacy of computers for all students.
3. The students' attitudes towards the internet were not influenced by the factors mentioned in the previous point.
4. There was no statistical significance with regard to the students' attitudes based on gender, English proficiency, or GPA.
5. There was a statistical significance at alpha .05 as to the students' attitudes in favor of cohort 2003, computer skills, possession of a computer connected to the internet at home, and frequency of use.
Based on these findings, a number of recommendations were made. It was recommended that a course on internet use be introduced, regular training courses at different levels be offered to students, and the computer and internet infrastructure in the Colleges be upgraded. It was also suggested that English language and computer skills be developed and practiced in college courses.
