Degree Name
EdD (Doctor of Education)
Program
Educational Leadership
Date of Award
5-2007
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Nancy Dishner
Committee Members
Terrence A. Tollefson, John Quigley, James H. Lampley
Abstract
The use of the Internet has grown substantially, especially since the late 1990s. Businesses are relying increasingly on the Internet and intranet as tools to promote productivity. Use of the Internet has several implications for institutions of higher education. Some of the issues institutions are faced with include legal liability for defamatory postings and sexually explicit materials, monitoring versus privacy, motivations to abuse Internet privileges, and use of the Internet to create a corporate culture. Institutions of higher education need to consider how the Internet is being used and how it should be used when acceptable use policies are being formulated.
The purpose of this quantitative study was to gain an understanding of perceptions about acceptable use of the Internet by employees at work, attitudes about personal use of the Internet during working hours, and the knowledge and effectiveness of an acceptable use policy within the context of institutions of higher education. The data gathered could be used as a foundation for an effective, progressive acceptable use policy for higher education.
The data for the research were gathered from December, 2005 through January of 2006. Six 4-year institutions were surveyed. The study revealed older employees responded that the use of the Internet at work as not acceptable, while younger employees, faculty members and respondents with more Internet experience or more hours of overtime indicated that personal use was acceptable. The study identified significant differences in self-reported use of the Internet, both at home and at work. Additionally, a general lack of knowledge existed regarding an institutional Internet acceptable use policy. The results of the study were applicable to the formulation of policy for institutions of higher education.
Document Type
Dissertation - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
King, B.J., "Employee Use of the Internet and Acceptable Use Policies in the Academic Workplace: Controlling Abuse while Creating Culture." (2007). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2161. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/2161
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.