Learning via the internet: persistence, need for knowledge and self-efficacy in acquiring the knowledge – the net generation

Vesna Bilić

Summary:  Avtor: Vesna Bilić : The aim of this study was to examine students’ attitudes towards modern methods of learning via the Internet, as compared to traditional methods (books and textbooks), and to analyze the relationship between attitudes and perseverance, the need for knowledge, self-efficacy, and the characteristics of the students that might be influenced by situational factors. The study included 286 students (58.7% females; 41.3% males), whose average age was 13.8 years, and who were enrolled in primary and secondary schools in Croatia. The results showed that no difference in attitudes existed among the students with regard to whether they preferred to learn via the Internet or via the traditional methods of books and textbooks. The results were consistent across type of school, place of residence, and school performance. However, differences were found according to gender. The boys preferred to learn via the Internet significantly more than did the girls, who were equally happy to learn from textbooks and the Internet. Pupils who generally use the Internet on a daily basis, and those who use it to search for information unrelated to school or to socialize in a virtual space, have a more positive attitude towards learning via the Internet. Moreover, students who prefer learning from books and textbooks showed a statistically significant greater persistence and a strong need for knowledge, as well as greater academic and emotional selfefficacy than did their peers who prefer learning via the Internet.