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THE EFFECT OF VIDEO GAMES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF

THE GRADE 6 PUPILS IN KIDALOS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

_________________________________

An Undergraduate Thesis

Presented to the Thesis Committee

Lanao School of Science and Technology, Inc.

Maranding, Lala, Lanao del Norte

_________________________________

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

For the Degree of

Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education

_________________________________

Jevie V. Alia

Belyn B. Acaba

2016-2017
CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Technology is a tool that teachers can use to support learning, but


learning must be foremost. If teachers do not understand how to support
learning, technology use will be ineffective and inefficient. Egbert (2009)
references a quote from Kleiman (2000) “While modern technology has great
potential to enhance teaching, turning that potential into reality on a large
scale is a complex, multifaceted task. The key determinant of our success will
not be the number of computers purchased or cables installed, but rather how
we define educational visions, prepare and support teachers, design
curriculum, address issues of equity, and respond to the rapidly changing
world.”

Technology is used in other ways than for educational benefits. Egbert


(2009) explains technology as hardware, software, and related tools (P.
281).Technology was also produced for recreation and leisure. Technology
created for free time could contain visual, auditory, and kinesthetic/ tactile
simulations, such as a computer, CD-ROM, the internet, television, DVD,
compact discs, iPods, MP3 players, video games and so forth. Video games
are a form of technology encompassing visual, auditory, and
kinesthetic/tactile simulation forms. Not all, but many students are enthralled
in the usage of video games in their schedule of leisure time and relaxation.

Playing video games is a popular activity in today’s society which


attracts a large number of people. For numerous people it has become an
everyday activity and it is not uncommon that some people spend most of the
day’s hours in the worlds of gaming. This has led to countless discussions,
both by media and previous research, about whether the individual is affected
by gameplay and the actual impact of gaming. Something that often comes
into focus is the outcomes from the amount of time spent on video games.
According to Wood, Griffiths and Parke (2007), video gamers have a
tendency to lose sense of time and space when playing which may be a
cause to the high amount of gameplay hours. However, it is important to
understand that the high amount of time spent on video games is not
necessarily something bad as long as there is not some kind of damage to
one’s life, e.g. in terms of psychological, family, social, or school functioning
(Bavelier et al., 2011; Gentile, 2009). Therefore it is of interest to look to the
possible damages that could be brought to one’s life when playing video
games.

The previous research that has been studying how video gameplay
may affect one’s performance in school is not in agreement as the results
vary. Some studies have found a negative correlation between time students
spend playing video games and their performance in school (Anand, 2007;
Gentile, 2011; Burgess. S, Sterner & Burgess. M, 2012; Weaver, Kim, Metzer
& Szendrey, 2013; Ip, Jacobs & Watkins, 2008) and other studies have not
found any significant relation (Sharif & Sargent, 2006; Ventura, Shute & Kim,
2012). One popular theory to explain the correlation of gameplay hours and
academic performance is the displacement hypothesis (Hastings et al. 2009;
Gentile, 2011) which can be described as time spent on playing video games
among school-age children is stolen time from educational activities (Bavelier
et al., 2011). With a critical eye, one as a reader can argue that previous
research have forgotten two important factors when trying to explain the
correlation between time spent on video games and academic performance,
namely the student’s educational habits and their own motivation towards
education. For example, it is possible that a child who struggles in school has
less interest in educational activity such as reading homework and may
instead use video game as a time-killer (Sharif & Sargent, 2006; Weis &
Cerankosky, 2010; Gentile, 2011). To say that all time spent on video game is
time that does not go to educational activity is also partly right. On one hand,
it is time where the student can do something academic productive, but on
the other hand one cannot presume that the student would study all of said
time if video games were removed. One needs to consider if video games are
merely the most attractive option available to those that are less likely to
engage in educational activities (Burges et al., 2012).

In connection, the researchers of this study will describe the effect of


video games on academic performance of the Grade 6 pupils in Kidalos
Elementary School, Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte for the year 2016-2017.
Further, this study will explore the potential relationships between gaming
time and academic performance. It will further test the displacement
hypothesis by looking into the students’ educational activities and motivation
towards education because, as mention earlier, much of the previously
researches have forgotten to take students motivation towards school and
their time spent on educational activities into account. By doing so, this study
may help address some of the limitations of previously research.

Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

Displacement hypothesis. The displacement hypothesis is one popular


theory to explain the correlation between gaming time and academic
performance (Hastings et al. 2009; Gentile, 2011). According to Bavelier et al.
(2011) is time spent on video games stolen time from educational activities. In
this paper the hypothesis will therefore be used and tested to see if video
games really displace time from activities that have educational value such as
studying, doing homework or reading.

In this study, the researchers will focus on four variables such as


gaming time, educational activity, academic performance and pupils’
motivation to learn.

Gaming time. Gaming time is representing the time students spends


on video games. Previous research of Sharif and Sargent (2006) and Gentile,
Lynch, Linder & Walsh (2004) have separated weekday gameplay and
weekend gameplay when measuring the gaming time which have result in
some interesting findings. Sharif and Sargent (2006) shows that gameplay
during weekends were higher than weekdays, but they did not see any
association between weekend gameplay and performance in school. This
study will therefore continuing in the same path and measure the amount of
time each student spends on video game at a daily basis, separating
weekday and weekend gameplay.

Educational activity Educational activity is something that imparts


knowledge or skill to the individual. Based on information from educational
activity (n.d.), this paper will measure the amount of time students spend on
educational activities such as studying homework assignment and how
common it is for the students to physically attend in class, reading books in
Filipino or English, solving math-related problems, and playing educational
games. As mentioned earlier much of the previous researches have not
examined student’s educational activity. By looking further into student’s
educational activity, the displacement hypothesis can be tested to see if there
is some substance in previous speculations explaining the correlation
between gaming time and academic performance.

Academic performance Academic performance is a reflection on how


well a student performs in school. There are different methods that can be
used to measure this variable with can be seen by looking at previous
research. Some have focused on academic performance as one variable
using GPA or SAT scores (Anand, 2007; Gentile et al., 2004; Weaver et al.,
2013) as measurement, while other have focused school subjects individually
(Ip et al., 2008) or used self-evaluated ratings between bad-and excellent
(Sharif & Sargent, 2006). This study will focus on the beginning-and-advance
5 point scales from the four core subjects which are English, Math, Science,
and Filipino.

Student motivation Student motivation is a reflection of the students’


attitude and motivation towards education and school. By collecting the
students’ answers upon given statements regarding the importance of
education, the motivation can be measured. As earlier stated, previous
research has not been focusing on this variable and therefore there is not
much to go on.

Figure 1 shows the conceptual framework of this study:

I. Pupils’ Profile
 Educational Activities
Time
 Pupils’ Motivation to
Learn

II. Video Gaming Time

III. Academic Performance in terms


of:

 English,

 Math,

 Filipino;

 Science

Figure 1 Conceptual Framework of the Study


Statement of the Problem

This study will focus on the effect of video games on academic


performance of the Grade 6 pupils in Kidalos Elementary School, Kapatagan,
Lanao del Norte for the year 2016-2017.

Specifically, this study aims to answer the following questions:

1. What is the pupils’ profile in terms of the following indicators:


1.1 No. of Hours on Education Activities
1.2 Pupils’ Motivation?
2. What is the video game hours spent by the pupils?
3. What is the academic performance of the students in terms of:
3.1 English,
3.2 Math,
3.3 Filipino;
3.4 Science?
4. Is there a significant relationship between the video gaming hours and
the pupils’ profile in terms of:
4.1 No. of Hours on Education Activities
4.2 Pupils’ Motivation?
5. Is there a significant relationship between the video gaming hours and
the academic performance of the pupils?

Statement of the Hypothesis

The following hypothesis of the study is tested for the validity at 5%


level of significance.

1. There is no significant relationship between the video gaming hours


and the pupils’ profile in Kidalos Elementary School, Kapatagan,
Lanao del Norte for the year 2016-2017.
2. There is no significant relationship between the video gaming hours
and the academic performance of the pupils in Kidalos Elementary
School, Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte for the year 2016-2017.

Significance of the Study

This study shall be importance to the following individual and group


who are seen to be direct beneficiaries of the results of these investigations.

Pupils. This study will help pupils on assessing their balance time on
video gaming and educational activities in relation to their academic
performance.

Teachers. This study will help them assess their pupils gaming hours
and educational activities that may or may not affect the pupils’ academic
performance. The integration of the teachers’ instruction will help further
increase the students’ motivation on learning thus improving pupils’ academic
performance.

Parents. These groups will greatly benefit from the result the study
through the insight on the effect of good utilization of technologies and the
academic achievement of their children.

School Administrators, Principals, and Head Teachers. These groups


will benefit through the findings of the pupils which will be furnished to them
later and in effect will allow them to identify what measures are needed in
order to improve the academic well-being of the pupils.

Future Researchers. This study will be a basis on future related studies


of the the imminent researchers.
Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study will deal with the effect of video games on the academic
performance of the Grade 6 pupils in Kidalos Elementary School, Kapatagan,
Lanao del Norte from the year 2016-2017. Moreover, this study will also
investigate the pupils’ profile in terms of no. of hours on educational activities
and their motivation to learn. Additionally, significant relationship between the
variables will also be investigated. There will be twenty-one (21) respondents’
which will be selected through purposive sampling. Questionnaires will be
used to gather data.

Definition of Terms

The following terms were defined conceptually and operationally:

Academic performance - is a reflection of how well a student performs


in school. In this paper it is measured by the student’s beginning-and-
advance 5 point scale of the 4 academic core subjects in English, Filipino,
Science and Math

Displacement hypothesis - refers to that one activity can displace


another activity (Hastings et al., 2009; Gentile, 2011; Bavelier et al., 2011). In
this paper the hypothesis will be used and tested to see if video games
displace time from activities that have educational value such as studying,
doing homework or reading.

Educational activity - is activities that impart knowledge or skill


(educational activity, n.d.). In this paper it is measured by the amount of time
students spend studying homework assignments and how common it is for
the students to spend time on educational activities such as physically attend
in class, reading books and playing educational games.
Gaming time - is time spent on video games. In this paper it is
measured by the amount of time students spend playing games at a daily
basis both on weekdays and weekends.

Student motivation - is a reflection of the students’ attitude towards


education and school. It will be measured through some questions regarding
the importance of education.

Video game - are electronic games were the player manipulating


images on a video screen (Video game, n.d.). In this paper video games is
referring to games on PC, console, mobile phone, electronic tablet or other
possible portable devices.
CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter reviews the related literature that would shed light on the
focus of the study and finds research gaps where this current study tackled.

VIDEO GAMES

Ever since the emergence of video games, there have been only a few
research studies conducted for the sake of finding various types of effects of
video games on human behavior and cognition. There are even fewer studies
conducted to examine the relationship between playing video games and
academic performance. Most video game studies focus on the behavioral
effect of video games, in particular, the effect of violent video games and their
possible effect on the level of aggression. Playing video games is often
associated in our society with poor academic performance. This anecdotal
idea is supported by some research. A 2000 study found a negative
correlation between GPA and time spent playing video games (The Effect of
Videogames on Student Achievement, 2011). However, several older studies
contend that the results of research have been mixed. A 1997 study suggests
that “there is no clear causal relationship between video game playing and
academic performance” (The Effect of Videogames on Student Achievement,
2011).

In 2005, a research paper suggested that video games are changing


education and that games are more than a simple form of entertainment. It
explains that student learning can be enhanced by experiences in vast virtual
worlds. It suggests that students are able to actually experience and
experiment with the things that they are learning rather than simply being told
them as facts or equations (The Effect of Videogames on Student
Achievement, 2011). On the other side, some research concludes there is
little evidence to suggest that interactive media enhances the learning
experience. Other sources have noted positive impacts on student
performance. One study of a game relating to numerical analysis in an
engineering curriculum found that students experienced significantly more
intellectual intensity, intrinsic motivation, positive affect and overall student
engagement when completing homework (The Effect of Videogames on
Student Achievement, 2011)

Modern video games have evolved into sophisticated experiences that


instantiate many principles known by psychologists, neuroscientists, and
educators to be fundamental to altering behavior, producing learning, and
promoting brain plasticity (for reviews, see Bavelier, Green, Pouget, &
Schrater, 2012; Gentile & Gentile, 2008; Green & Bavelier, 2008). Video
games, by their very nature, involve predominately active forms of learning
(i.e., making responses and receiving immediate informative feedback), which
is typically more effective than passive learning (Michael, 2006). In addition,
this active learning usually occurs in a variety of situations, thus promoting
generalization of learning. Most video games also use a dynamic degree of
difficulty that increases along with player skill, ensuring that players are
continuously challenged. Furthermore, many games use a combination of
internal reinforcement (e.g., positive social interactions and feelings of
competence; Przybylski, Rigby, & Ryan, 2010) and external reinforcement
(e.g., points, badges, etc.; King, Greaves, Exeter, & Darzi, 2013). This
reinforcement promotes significant time spent on task, which is the best
single predictor of positive learning outcomes. In addition, this time is typically
distributed over many days, weeks, or even years—a practice schedule that
produces more effective learning than when experience is amassed into only
a few sessions. Finally, video games are highly physiologically arousing and
activate reward systems of the brain that drive brain plasticity (Bao, Chan, &
Merzenich, 2001). Thus, there is a strong scientific basis to suspect that video
games, when properly designed, have the potential to strongly alter the brain
and behavior.
Many studies demonstrate that action video game play improves visual
attentional skills, such as the ability to find a particular target from within a
large field of view when the target is surrounded by task-irrelevant distracting
items (Feng, Spence, & Pratt, 2007; Green & Bavelier, 2003), or to track a
small subset of moving items from within a larger field of visually identical
moving items (Green & Bavelier, 2006). The fact that action gaming benefits
performance in this domain is of particular interest because better
performance on some of these same tasks is predictive of realworld
consequences, such as fewer driving accidents in elderly populations (Myers,
Ball, Kalina, Roth, & Goode, 2000). Thus, while there is still ambiguity
regarding the exact mechanisms by which action video game play leads to
improved task performance, as a whole, the literature supports the conclusion
that action video games can give rise to benefits on a wide array of tasks that
rely on perceptual/ attentional abilities.

Action video game play can enhance a diverse set of higher cognitive
functions. Several studies show that individuals can switch between
competing tasks more efficiently after action video game training (Colzato,
van Leeuwen, van den Wildenberg, & Hommel, 2010; Green, Sugarman,
Medford, Klobusicky, & Bavelier, 2012; Strobach, Frensch, & Schubert,
2012). Other aspects of cognitive function improved by action video game
training include the ability to multitask (Strobach et al., 2012) and the ability to
mentally rotate objects (Feng et al., 2007). Cross-sectional work also
suggests that action video game players perform better on tasks of working
memory (Sungur & Boduroglu, 2012) and fluid intelligence (Unsworth et al.,
2015). However, the latter study failed to find a linear relation between
amount of game play and fluid intelligence, and some studies have failed to
reproduce effects of gaming on cognition (Boot, Kramer, Simons, Fabiani, &
Gratton, 2008; van Ravenzwaaij, Boekel, Forstmann, Ratcliff, &
Wagenmakers, 2014), suggesting that more research is required in this
domain.
The vast majority of research on the effects of action video games on
cognitive function has utilized healthy young adults as research participants.
This is at least partially because many action games contain content (e.g.,
violence) that is not appropriate for children. When researchers have found
age-appropriate action video games, however, the similar benefits to
perception and cognition have been observed as a result of training in
children (Franceschini, Gori, Ruffino, Viola, Molteni, & Facoetti, 2013).
Furthermore, crosssectional studies reveal the same strong associations
between avid action gaming and enhancements in cognitive skills in children
as have been observed in adult populations (Dye & Bavelier, 2010; Dye,
Green, & Bavelier, 2009a; Trick, Jaspers-Fayer, & Sethi, 2005).

In connection with the aforementioned relates studies, the researchers


would determine the effect of video games on the academic achievement of
the pupils in Kidalos Elementary School, Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte for the
year 2016-2017. This will include the gaming time and the type of video
games the pupils are using.

MOTIVATION FOR LEARNING

Motivation is a theoretical concept that refers to an individual’s


impulses and motives for action. Motivation describes how a person responds
to a need or a general desire and initiates various actions to achieve his/her
goals (Elliot & Thrash, 2001). Motivation is the underlying cause of behavior
(Guay et al., 2010), the factor that moves a person to do or not do something
(Broussard & Garrison, 2004). Learning motivation is culturally and socially
constructed, and it has different meanings in different cultures and societies
(Salili & Hoosain, 2007). In recent decades, studies have emphasized the
importance of motivation for learning in students’ adaptation to studying and
ability to manage difficulties and failure (Endler, Rey, & Butz, 2001). In the
educational context, motivation is the most important factor in helping
educators improve learning (Williams & Williams, 2011) and in explaining the
levels at which a student shows interest and ability in various occupations
(Brophy, 2004).

Scholars’ perceptions of educational goals vary, and these perceptions


affect the definition of motivation for learning among students (Valle et al.,
2003). For example, the psychological achievement approach sees the urge
for action as the unconscious motivation of an individual in his/her first years
of life and that is influenced by family, society and culture (Elliot, 2006;
Furtner & Rauthmann, 2011; Robbins et al., 2004).

Self-determination theory (SDT) emphasizes the universal tendency to


develop one’s inherent internal potential and to realize one’s self (Deci, 2008;
Deci & Ryan, 2012, 2008). Similar to the approach of psychological
achievement, self-determination theory emphasizes the effect of social
conditions on increases or decreases in individual motivation. Theories of
self-efficacy and goal achievement approaches suggest that higher motivation
produces more achievements (Roberts & Dyer, 2005).

In connection, this study will include the pupils’ profile in terms of their
motivation for learning in Kidalos Elementary School, Kapatagan, Lanao del
Norte for the year 2016-2017. Hence, the relationship between the motivation
of the pupils and their academic achievement will also be investigated.
CHAPTER III

METHODS OF RESEARCH AND PROCEDURES

This chapter presents the research design, locale of the study,


research subjects/respondents, instruments, data gathering procedures, and
statistical treatment used in this study.

Research Design

This study will use the survey research design to determine the effect
of video games on academic performance of the pupils. Further, it will also
include the educational activities and pupils’ motivation to learn.

Survey design is a collection of a large amount data from a sizeable


population is highly economical way (Shajaha, 2004). The disadvantage of
survey research design is in questionnaire, and in letting the respondent to
answer his own, checking on the accuracy or honesty, which they cannot
emphasize his own. The advantage of survey research design is their
common types of instrument to be used. Questionnaire is the basic way of
collecting data.

Locale of the Study

This study will be conducted in Kidalos Elementary School. Kidalos


Elementary School teaches students in grades first through sixth in
Kapatagan, Lanao Del Norte of Northern Mindanao (Region X). The school
has 6 instructional rooms and 0 non-instructional rooms, which are all
powered by a power grid. With 214 students, class size is around 36
students. The figure below shows the location map of the study.
Figure 2 Location Map

Research Subject/Respondents

The research subject/respondents of this study will be the Grade 6


pupils enrolled in Kidalos Elementary School in Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte
for the year 2016-2017. Pupils as samples of this study were selected through
purposive sampling. The table below shows the research
subjects/respondents of this study according to gender.

Table 1 Research Subjects/Respondents

Gender N %
Male 12 57.14%
Female 9 42.86%
Total 21 100.00%
Instruments

An informed consent will be used to ask approval from the school


principal to conduct the study in the area. Questionnaires will be used to
gather data upon approval of the research informed consent. The
questionnaires will be divided into three (3) parts. Part I will refer to the pupils’
profile in terms of educational activities and motivation to learn. Part II will
refer to the video gaming of the pupils. Part III will refer to the academic
performance of the pupils. Below shows the measurement on academic
performance of the pupils:

Measurement

Point Scale Grade Range Verbal Interpretation


1 90 and above Advanced (A
2 85-90 Proficient (P)
3 80-84 Approaching Proficiency (AP)
4 75-79 Developing (D)
5 74 below Beginning (B)

Data Gathering Procedures

The following research procedures will be followed by the researchers


in gathering the data.

1. Approval of Informed Consent\

The researchers of this study will make a draft of informed


consent to be checked by their research adviser before finalization of
the letter. Upon the finalization of the letter, the researchers will
personally approach the school head of Kidalos Elementary School in
Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte. Uponthe approval of the informed
consent, the researchers will approach the teacher-in-charge of Grade
6 pupils.

2. Distribution Questionnaires and Acquisition of Data


Upon the approval of the informed consent, the questionnaires
will be distributed to the respondent. After the respondents have
answered the necessary questions written in the questionnaires, the
researchers will collect the questionnaires.
3. Data Analysis

After the collection of data, the researchers will use statistical


tools to analyze and interpret the data garnered. Further, presentation
of data will be done in order to fully complete the thesis paper.

Statistical Treatment

The following are the statistical tools to be used in this study:

Frequency-Percentage Distribution – this will be used to determine the


number of responds and its ratio from the total number of responds in each
variable indicator of this study.

Mean – this will be used to determine the average responds on each


variable indicators.

Chi-square Test – This will be used to determine the significant


relationship between the variables of this study.

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