The Influence of Proliferation of Technology on Social Interactions Among Undergraduate Students at Selected Universities in Nigeria

The Influence of Proliferation of Technology on Social Interactions Among Undergraduate Students at Selected Universities in Nigeria

Florence F. Folami, Blessing F. Adeoye
DOI: 10.4018/IJICTE.2018100107
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Abstract

The advent of technology has resulted in an information explosion and has affected all aspects of human behaviors. The advent of technology does not only affected communication, but also social conditions, on-going economic change, new political trends, and cultural shifts over time. Academic institutions house an entire generation of young students whom have used technology throughout their lives. The article explores the proliferation of technology on social Interactions and also answered how the proliferation of technology hindered nursing students' interaction. A survey was administered to 101 undergraduate students at selected universities in Nigeria. Students were asked some questions regarding their technology use, habits, and perceptions of face-to-face communication in the presence of technology. Simple random sampling (balloting) method was used to select the undergraduate program that was included in the study. Convenience sampling method was used to select the respondents that participated in the study. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics in form of frequencies counts and percentages. Majority of students felt the quality of their conversations tarnished in the presence of technology. Many of the participants were bothered when friends or family used technology while spending time together. A good percentage of survey respondents communicate more frequently with friends and family via technology than in person, indicating that face-to-face interactions have decreased both in quality and in quantity. This article will help both students and instructors to plan well on how to achieve educational objectives using a mix between traditional pedagogy and technology (in a constructivist approach).
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Introduction

The advent of technology has resulted in an information explosion and has affected all aspects of human behaviors. The advent of technology does not only affected communication, but also social conditions, on-going economic change, new political trends, and cultural shifts over time (Hilbert, 2015). Two issues of interest arise when studying technology’s effect on the way people communicate and interact with each other. First, how are people using technology to communicate; and secondly what effect does this use have on habits of interaction? This study focused on the influence of proliferation of technology on social interactions among Undergraduate Nursing Students.

Technology helps student to become independent, effective and proficient in learning and conducting research. Technology is rapidly changing the way students learn and how instructors teach as well (Newman, 2012). It has transformed the way society collaborates, socialize, conduct businesses and educate one another. There has been a revolution driven by technological, political, and economic services that changed the structures and practices that make up the society (Hilbert, 2015). Little by little, Internet and mobile technology seems to be subtly destroying the meaningfulness of interactions we have with others, disconnecting us from the world around us, and leading to an imminent sense of isolation today. Instead of spending time in person with family and friends, we prefer making calls, sending text or instant message to them. It may seem simpler, but we ultimately end up seeing our family and friends face to face a lot less.

In addition, academic institutions house an entire generation of young students whom have used technology throughout their lives (Aston, 2016). According to Aston (2016), it is obvious that technology is the key to improving student engagement across all stages of education from physical devices and infrastructure to the teaching techniques and level of activity that students undertake. The Internet has helped interconnect with people from a long distance to people nearby, but it has been abused and consequently has disrupted human interaction (Aston, 2016). Each day people are becoming more and more dependent on the Internet along with other technological devices. Although, things can be done easier than it was before; consequently, human interaction is diminishing.

Society has become so attached to the virtual environment that human interaction is left out as not as important as being on the Internet or social media. It has come to the point where being in a relationship and posting it on Facebook has become more important than the relationship itself (Penenberg, 2010). Regardless of all these, according to Shroeder (2011), there are a significant number of people who still prefer the outside world than interacting in the virtual world. The needs for face to face interaction, hand shaking, and hugging are more are critical when we are dealing with certain people. The lack of human interaction may affect society in good and bad ways.

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