Effect of Internet Addiction on Physics Practical Work among Secondary School Students

Physics education possesses great potential in providing an outstanding opportunity to drive and shape sustainable development for the future world. Perhaps, the subject is among the science subjects that are better learned through laboratory experiments. Practical physics work enables students to do experiments on the fundamental laws and principles and gain experience of using a variety of measuring instruments and other physics-related apparatus. However, insinuation suggests that most students show less commitment to practical work, attributed to various factors. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to examine internet addiction as a factor that could explain the variation in students participation in physics practical. One hundred and forty-four students who met the inclusion criteria were selected from secondary schools in the Kogi state as the participants. The respondents completed a self-report measure of internet addiction and practical physics participation. The result revealed that compulsive internet usage significantly predicts participation in physics practical. Thus, the study concluded that internet addiction is a positive determinant of students engagement in physics practical.