Pattani's community perception on high school students use of internet and their wellbeing

• Main Author: Daraha, Kanlaya
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: LB2300 Higher Education; T Technology (General)
• Online Access: http://repo.uum.edu.my/8739/; http://www.icois2013.uum.edu.my/

The internet has been widely used by the global populations of all genders and ages.Many previous studies show various effects of the Internet, both positively and negatively. This present quantitative and qualitative study aimed to 1) explore the use of the Internet among Pattani's High School students 2) explore the Pattani's High School students' perception of the use of Internet 3) explore Pattani's community perception of High School Students use of internet on their wellbeing(4) explore Pattani's community views of the need of having social workers in school (5 suggest a model for social workers in school to enhance Pattani's high School students' wellbeing.The sample consisted of 600 high school students in grades ten to twelve from 75 high schools in Pattani Province of Thailand, high school teachers, high school students' parents and the owners of Internet cafes and communities by sample schools.The study indicates that there were both positive and negative relationships of the internet on some of Pattani high school students' developments. Physically, their length of Internet use related to their physical pains including aching, burning, or stabbing pain in back anns, wrist or fingers (p = .000).swelling of fingers or wrist (p = .024) and a neck pain (p = .007). Their weekly frequency of Internet use related to their weight increase during the last three months (p = .018) and aching, burning, or stabbing pain in back arms (p = .007) and a back pain (p = .038).Socially, their weekly frequency of internet use related to some of their social relationship with peers and families, that was their participation in extracurricular activities (p = .O12). There was also a discovery of a relation between their time spent with their families and their weekly hours spent on the Internet (p =.027) and cognitive developments, their length of Internet use related to their cognitive performances in the latest grade in English(p -.000) and the latest grade in English ( p=.001) Qualitative findings indicate many similar views of high school students, parents, teachers, school directors, social workers, the police, general people and internet cafe owners on the Internet and youth. Appropriate use and proper time spent on the Internet were considered greatly significant. Various useful suggestions were produced.Some opinions imply relations between social Internet effects and users' economic status.A new idea of introduction of school social workers and Student Care and Support System were proposed for conducting wellbeing of high school students.