Primary School Students’ Internet Perceptions And Use Experiences: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

The Internet is often used in almost all fields of life. The age of use of the Internet, which allows people to get many jobs done quickly and easily, is decreasing as well. Because of this, it was considered important to determine primary school students’ perceptions of the internet and their usage experiences. The study used phenomenology design which is one of the qualitative research patterns. Typical case sampling method was used to determine the study group. 10 4th graders formed the sample. The pictures drawn by the students, their explanations of the pictures, and the focus group interview form were used to collect data. Document analysis and thematic analysis were used in the data analysis. The results showed that technological devices, social media, and smartphone applications shaped the Internet perceptions of primary school students. The foci of primary school students' internet usage were doing research, doing homework, and entertainment. It was found that the students encountered inappropriate pictures, betting ads, games, and videos containing violence while using the Internet. Primary school students received information from their schools and families regarding the proper use of the Internet, and families are taking a number of measures regarding its use.