Exploring preservice mathematics and social studies teachers’ internet addiction as connected with gender and grade point average

Abstract

"No doubt the internet has become a globally recognized conduit for information trading and schmoozing. However, there is a rising case of internet addiction among young adults of which preservice mathematics and social studies teachers are implicated. This study investigated the correlation between preservice mathematics and social studies teachers’ internet addiction and their grade point average (GPA). Likewise, the study examined the influence of gender on internet addiction. A descriptive survey research design was implemented in the study with 300 preservice mathematics and social studies teachers and primary data collected with Internet Addiction Test (IAT, Cronbach alpha coefficient=0.92) were analysed using mean, standard deviation, independent samples t-test, Pearson product moment correlation coefficient and simple linear regression analysis. The results showed that preservice mathematics and social studies teachers’ internet addiction had statistically significant negative relationship with their GPA. More so, internet addiction contributed significantly to the prediction of preservice mathematics and social studies teachers’ GPA. Gender contributed significantly to the prediction of preservice mathematics and social studies teachers’ internet addiction. In addition, there was a significant influence of gender on preservice mathematics and social studies teachers’ internet addiction with males showing higher internet addiction than their female counterparts. In line with the above findings, it was recommended that preservice mathematics and social studies teachers should lower their usage of internet and follow examples of good usage of internet technology to improve their scholastic achievement in the university. "