Abstract:
This research aims at studying purposes and behavior of Srinakharinwirot University’s students regarding to the internet usage related to their studying and examining demographics which affect to internet usage behavior in political participation of students. It also studies the relationship between the internet usage behavior in education and political participation. Questionnaires were used in collecting data. The sample was 400 students who were accidentally selected from students attending bachelor degree in Srinakharinwirot University. Independent variables were (1) demographic factors such as gender, field and year of study, domicile and income and (2) internet usage behavior related to the studying (searching information, following up and usage of information and university’s policy in supporting the access of internet usage). Dependent variable was internet usage behavior related to political participation. The statistical analysis of variance was t-test, one-way analysis of variance and Peerson Product Moment Correlation. The results are as follows: 1. The majority of the sample group was female, studying at Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Humanities, was the second year student, lived in Bangkok and the perimeters and average income per month was lower than 6,000 Baht. 2. Demographic survey reveals that students with different genders and fields of study had different behavior on the usage of internet related to political participation at a statistical. Students with different year of study and domiciles had no different behavior on the usage of internet related to political participation. 3. The internet usage behavior in searching, following up and using of information and university’s policy in supporting the internet access were positively correlated at low level with behavior on the usage of internet related to political participation on the effect of decision making in political expression at a statistical significant level of .05. 4. The internet usage behavior in studying regarding to searching, following up and using of information and university’s policy in supporting the internet access was positively correlated at very–low level with internet usage behavior related to political participation in following up political news at a statistical significant level of .05.