Abstract:

The increasing reliance on digital technologies in higher education has heightened the need to understand how students navigate the ethical challenges of everyday computer use. This study investigated the ethical issues associated with computer usage as perceived by undergraduate students in science education. The study specifically examined students’ level of awareness, the perceived importance of ethical behaviours, the influence of peer pressures, and the factors inhibiting adherence to ethical standards. A descriptive survey research design was employed, guided by three research questions. The study population comprised all undergraduate students in the Department of Science Education at federal universities in the South-East region of Nigeria. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select students from two federal universities in the South-East of Nigeria. Data were collected via online administration using a Google Form questionnaire titled “Questionnaire on Ethical Issues in Computer Usage as Perceived by Undergraduate Science Education Students”. The questionnaire was validated by three experts, and an overall reliability index of 0.88 was obtained using Cronbach's alpha. Mean and standard deviation were used for data analysis. The study found that although students demonstrated a moderate level of awareness of ethical issues in computer usage, peer influence played a significant role in shaping their ethical perspectives. Also, several factors, including digital misconduct, the absence of effective online security measures, financial issues, peer pressure, personal attitudes and beliefs, access to unrestricted information, limited exposure to professional ethical frameworks, inadequate policy enforcement, and a poor understanding of ethical consequences, were identified as barriers to adherence to ethical standards. The study recommends integrating ethical education into the curriculum and that the university foster a culture of ethical awareness through peer-led initiatives and institutional policies, emphasising continuous sensitisation and structured capacity building programs to strengthen ethical competence.

Keywords:

Computer usage, ethics, ethical awareness, peer influence, compliance factors, undergraduate science education students.