Internet Uses and Motivations Among College Students in Kenya

This book reports the findings of a research conducted in 2007 in a leading college in Nairobi, Kenya. It demonstrates the relevance of the uses and gratifications theory in the study of new media such as the Internet. The study established that there was a positive relationship between exposure to Internet and uses and gratifications sought by college students.The students use and get motivated to use the Internet for many purposes, least of which is for accessing e-learning resources provided in libraries. The results indicated that the most frequently used Internet services were: e-mail, World Wide Web, Instant Messaging and File Transfer Protocol. Very few students indicated using the e-learning resources provided. The students used and were motivated to use the Internet more for communication, information seeking, developing and maintaining online and social interactions than for entertainment, coping with peer pressure, escape from problems, improving personal status and aesthetic experiences. Internet interactivity was also a factor motivating the students to use the Internet. The uses and gratifications sought by students were influenced by various demographics.