USE OF MOBILE PHONES BY PHARMACY STUDENTS IN NIGERIA UNIVERSITIES

USE OF MOBILE PHONES BY PHARMACY STUDENTS IN NIGERIA UNIVERSITIES

ABSTRACT

This work is on use of mobile phones by pharmacy students in Nigeria universities with pharmacy department University of Benin as a case study. The process of data collection for study was guided by the five objectives formulated for the study. The objectives are to find out whether pharmacy department university of Benin student spend time in making calls; To determine the reasons for using mobile phones by students of pharmacy department university of Benin; To ascertain the roles of mobile in students academic.
Programmes; To know whether the use of mobile phones do satisfy students information need; To identify and highlight the problems of students use of mobile phones and proffer workable solution.
The survey research design was adopted while carrying out the study with the questionnaire used as instrument for data collection. In presenting and analyzing the data, frequency percentage tables were used.
The findings of the study revealed that pharmacy department university of Benin students spends time in making calls. The study also revealed that students of pharmacy university of Benin have reasons of using mobile phones.
According to findings mobile phones help pharmacy student in university of Benin in their academic programmes.
It also revealed that students of pharmacy department university of Benin are satisfy with the information needs of mobile phone. But there are still some problems hindering student use of mobile phone and there are high cost of recharging and poor network services of mobile services operators.
The study therefore recommends that in line with the objectives of the study in order to ensure effective utilization of mobile phone by pharmacy student university of Benin.
GSM service provider should as a matter of necessity expand their network base to the immediate environment of our tertiary institution to reduce the rate of call interferance.
The use of mobile phone should be encourage in the academic environment as it facilitate information retrieval processes.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION 
Mobile phone also known as G.S.M. Hand phone, wireless phone, cell phone, cellular phone and telephone is a long-range electronic device used for mobile voice or data communication over a network of specialized based stations known as cell site (Blake, 2004).
According to Blake (2004) standard voice function of a mobile phone, telephone, current mobile phones may support many additional services and accessories, such as Short Message Service (SMS) for text message, email, packet switching for access to the internet, gaming, Bluetooth, infrared, camera with video, recorder and multimedia service (MMS) for sending and receiving photos and video, mp3 player and radio.
Many students of various academic institution make use of mobile phones for their research work. Majority of phones are now connected to the internet students find it very easy to browse with their phone other than going to the cyber café.
Mobile phones is used by students to communicate with friends and families. It has helped a lot of students to get information or programmes in the school through calling or texting the person involved. Students also use mobile phones to share experiences and receive emotional and psychological support from their parents.
Majority of students finds it difficult to purchase a quality phone due to the cost price.
The issue of low battery affect students use of the mobile phones. In view of the foregoing, it is the intent of the study to empirically find reasons for using mobile phones, role of the mobile phones in their academic pursuit and the problems associated with students use of mobile phones and proffer workable solutions to them and time spent.

USE OF MOBILE PHONES BY PHARMACY STUDENTS IN NIGERIA UNIVERSITIES