The Study of The Effects of Computer Addiction in the Grade 11 CSS

Students of Rizal High School.

A Research Study
Presented to the faculty of
RIZAL HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

In partial fulfilment
Of the requirements for the course
PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1

Bual, John Michael

Dizon, Henrick G.

Lay, Marjon

Martinez,Edrian V.

Recta, Rico Kennette O.

Uson, Eizen B.

Maragana, Jissel O.

Roca, Mary Rose S.

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 CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Technology has developed so much that it is almost crucial to have electronic devices

particularly the personal computers at home, school, internet café, etc. Teenagers have gotten so

used to have technology around them. However, while having these computers that make life

easier, comfortable, and handy at most of the times, it could also have negative effects on their

lives particularly in their studies when used too much. When these computers are used too much

by these teenagers, they will develop a kind of addiction which is now commonly called computer

addiction. Computer addiction is defined as such a strong involvement with a machine or what can

be displayed on it that the usual criteria for impairment through addiction are met (Lowinson,

2005). This is the most common addiction being observed by the researchers to the teenagers who

are in their first year collegiate level at Mapua Institute of Technology. Computer games, cyber

sex, cyber relationship, internet gambling and information overload are the causes why students

are being addicted to computer. These are the most common things that they do when they are in

front of a computer (Deverensky& Gupta, 2004). These causes can affect the academic

performance of the students. There are high rate of failure and drop out rate of the students. The

nearby computer shops trigger the students to be easily hooked in computer use. That’s why the

researchers believe that computer addiction is the primary cause why most of the first year students

at Mapua Institute of Technology are poor in their academic performances.

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 It is very evident that people specially students nowadays are now attached to computer

the addictive computer programs and not with books in making reports and academic works. For

example: students tend to play games first, browse websites and make friends with new people

by the use of the internet rather than studying. For these reasons, the researchers conducted this

paper to give an overview for the readers to fully understand the causes of computer addiction and

how it affects the academic performances of first year Mapua Institute of Technology students.

This paper is in point a fact about computer addiction and how it declines the academic

performances of first year Mapua Institute of Technology students. The researchers performed

surveys and interview to completely accomplish this paper.

Due to the addiction felt by the students in computer, without their knowledge,

they have started to experience the bad effects of computer addiction. The effects were escapism

to reality, dishonesty, and financial problems. With these effects they have experienced, they

have been also affected academically by their poor performance at class.

Escapism is defined as something such as fantasy or entertainment that makes it possible

to forget about the ordinary or unpleasant realities of life for a while (Encarta, 2009). Students

were addicted to internet surfing day and night, most of them applied what they have perceived

or seen in the computer to their studies. Based upon on the survey conducted by the researchers,

15 out of 16 first year Mapuans agreed upon that they have been applied to their studies what

they perceived in computer. They tend to imitate wrong acts they have seen in the computer even

if they knew that it not all they have perceived in front of the monitor is good for them.

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 Dishonesty or lying is one of the results of computer addiction to the students (Self-Help:

Computer Addiction, 2008). Students tend to lie to their professors, parents, etc. so that they may

be able to continue their addiction to computer. In the survey administered by the researchers at

Mapua Institute of Technology to the first year student, five out of 16 students confessed that they

have lied to their professors, parents, etc. that they have skipped their classes just to go to a nearby

computer shop. They did alibis so that they will be able to cut classes. They also lied about the

amount of time spent on the computer and what they did about it (Self-Help: Computer Addiction,

2008). Having an alibi is one of the actions that was under the category of dishonesty,

students have an alibi always just to play in the computer. Students did not care if they lie to their

parents, professors, etc.

Students nowadays can be easily engaged in gambling. Through the internet in the

computer a student will easily have an access to the gambling sites by faking his or her identity.

According to the survey conducted at OhioUniversity and Mapua Institute of Technology, they

have discovered that five to eight percent of their students are in the danger zone in developing

an addiction to the internet gambling because of the great number of computers, easy access and

it is yet easy to get hooked. With these factors, students neglected their study habits and school

works, and engaged themselves to gamble. Students being addicted to this kind of program leads

them to financial problems which will eventually become a serious problem to that person (Why

Should Computer Addiction Be Taken Seriously?, 2009). Students also thought that the lost they

attained in the internet gambling is not the same in the gambling in the traditional casinos. It is

proven that internet gambling is almost the same with the gambling in the traditional casinos and

the amount of money lost in the traditional casinos is the same with the lost by the internet

gamblers. As a result in some parts of the world with regards in gambling, there are people who

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have financial problems because of it (Lowinson, 2004). In the interview conducted by the

researchers, Mr. Glenn Raz said that financial problem is one of the reasons why students

dropped out of school. Students experiencing financial problems because of the debts in the

gambling sites are also experiencing emotional problems due to it (Why Should Computer

Addiction Be Taken Seriously?, 2009).

Background of the study

The rise in the use of the internet has led to many changes in our daily life. In particular,

this rise has also led to the rise of online gaming. Online gaming can refer to any type of game that

someone can play through the internet or over a computer network. Most of the time, online

gaming refers to the video games played over the internet, where multiple players are in different

locations around the world. In most cases, online games are freeware programs that can be used

for an unlimited time and are available for free. Most percentage of web games available nowadays

is written in Flash, Shockwave and Java languages. Because of that, they feature more primitive

game play than downloadable games.

Today, one can see the impact of computer and video games in politics, television, popular

music and Hollywood. A lot of research is conducted to study its effect on lifestyle and behavior

of the wow power leveling gamer especially kids. Online game is the most sought leisure activity

followed by kids nowadays. Computers play a major role in shaping the future of the kids. Days

are gone when children loved to indulge in outdoor activities, rather than running or playing

outside, children spend most of their time playing online games. Online games surely have an

impact on minds of kids. Taking into consideration, it is positively a great mind exercise and helps

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kids explore many new things. It includes improvement in recursive and proactive thinking,

increased sociability and improved interpretive skills. Some research shows that the children who

play online games are more active and have sharper minds than their other counterparts. However,

computers and video games also receive much more negative critics, because games are often

coined with issue such as mindless entertainment, enhanced social recluse, sexism and

consumerism. Research shows that kids who play violent video games showed on increased in

emotional arousal and a corresponding decrease of activity in brain areas involving self-control,

inhabitation and attention.

Everyone who plays video games has a different reason for playing, and the usage of the

game leads to different effects for each individual. Childhood upbringings, peer influences,

pressures at school and family issues are all factors that have a strong connection with the effects

of gaming on individuals. Video games maybe therapeutic for some people, but the small amount

of people who are negatively affected by gaming impact are many.

It is the problem to many students in Rizal High School because it is one of the reasons

why those students skip one`s classes and get low grades, reducing individual`s scholastic

performance. Occasionally, student do not hand nor do assignment and projects, rather, passing

such late on time, mostly chose playing computer games.

The researchers want to conduct a research about the effects of computer addiction to the

academic performance of students of Rizal High School.

This study is to figure out what may be the cause of such addiction and to know how it

negatively and positively affects the student`s academic performance, routine, and habit.

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Statement of the Problem

The researcher aims to find out the effects of computer Addiction to the academic

performance of Rizal High School students by mean of the following questions:

1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of:

a. Age

b. Gender

c. Educational Status

d. Online games commonly played

e. Length of time the respondents play online games (in terms of months)

f. Length of time the respondents play online games in a week (in terms of hour)

g. Amount of money the respondents spend for online gaming (per day)

2. What is the level of addiction in computer games of the respondents?

3. Is there a significant correlation of being addicted in computer games of the respondents?

a. Numerical grade.

b. Disciplinary aspect when it comes to doing such activities

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Assumption and Hypothesis

Assumptions:

1. There are many computer shops near the RHS:

-Wargods - AUREL

- PH - TNC

2. They are influenced by their classmates and friends to skip the whole schools hours to

play computer games.

3. The advantages of playing computer are:

a. Help in your studies – you can search for the meaning of the words you want and

it can give you the answers in your assignments.

4. The disadvantages of playing computer are:

a. Distracted on your studies- being addicted in computer games can be a distraction

on your studies.

b. Loss of interest in attending school- you will skip your whole school hours just to

play computer games instead of attending in school.

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Significance of the Study

The findings which this study will reveal, may benefit certain groups and the benefits they
may be able to gain are as follows:

Students – this group may be use this study as an example to bear in their mind they are
more luckier, even life is struggling because of economic problems, they are still send in the school
to learn by their parents, thus will challenge to them and enabling them to perform well in class,
study harder to upgrade their knowledge and intelligence so that the difficulties experienced by
their parents in sending them to school to attain their goals will not be in vain.

Future Researchers / The Researchers themselves – The findings of this study will be
serving as a good source of accurate and useful information for them.

The cost of educating a child is tremendous, it matters not so much, how much our
government spends for every child provided that the child finishes the school year successfully.
What is deplorable to not is the enormous number of school leaves every year. When a child leaves
school before attaining functional literacy , much of our effort, time and money go down the drain.

He do not acquire the neeed skills for a productive and favorable life.

To all Parent - So that the parents will be able to know that they should have a sense
of dedication and devotion to duty as parent in implementation of some strategies for the
development of their kids.

To all community organizations. It is imperative for them to know the characteristics of

a children and youthin the community it enables them further to adopt precautionary measures or
remedies to forestall their unfavorable behavior.

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Scope and Delimination of the Study

The focus of this study is to determine the effect of computer addiction to the grade 11 CSS

students of Rizal High School. The aspects looked into were the causes of computer addiction, the

roles of the parent/guidance.

It delimits that the study may not be generalizable to other populations or students who no

longer attend school.

Also this Study is yearn to identify how can the researchers develop and assist the Grade

11 CSS students of Rizal High School to be self-reliant and governance in identifying, Dealing

and inverting with computer addiction, that the Grade 11 CSS students of Rizal High School is

currently facing and the problem that may come in future.

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Conceptual Framework

Input Process Output

-Brainstorming -Data Survey - Based on the

-Read and understand the -Data Analysis analysis, some are
research -Conduct of survey not well affected of
-Paraphrase the related computer addiction
topic but many are
having a bad result
to their academic
performance that
are caused by
computer
addiction.

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Definition of the Terms

For clearer understanding of the work, the following terms were defined:

Advantage - A benefit or gain.

Disadvantage - Something that makes a situation worse or that makes somebody or

something less effective or desirable.

Impact - The powerful or dramatic effect that something or somebody has.

Internet - An electronic communication network that connects computer network and

organizational computer facilities around the world.

Online game - Game that can be run from an internet browser and requires the internet

connection.

Technology - The practical application of knowledge especially in a particular area.

Computer- An electronic device for storing and proessing data, typically in binary,

Form, according to instructions given to it in a variable program.

Social Media- Websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or

to parcipate in social networking

Addiction- The fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing,or

activity.

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 CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter presents the literature and studies relevant to presentation investigation.

Effects of Being Addicted To Computer Games

Carey (2012) found out that the history of online gaming included contributions by many

different companies and entities. Online gaming began as multiplayer gaming, but has evolved to

include online gaming servers and massively-multiplayer online game settings.

Stated by Hassan (2011), online gaming is good and bad. Good for those who know their

limits and bad for those who fix themselves in the seats for long hours and cut off the interaction

with rest of the world.

According to the study of Chang (2009), online gaming was referred to as Internet Gaming

or Electronic Gaming. It was a gathering of players with a common game using a local area

network (LAN) where they could be on the same settings. The players seem to be in a real situation

that they use their mouse or keypads to move in the monitor, their virtual world.

Hall (2005) said that online gaming has become increasing popular over the past few years.

Both Orzack (2004) and French (2002) found out that in internet search for “gaming

addiction” yields lists of physical and psychological symptoms from dry-eyes and carpal tunnel

syndrome to “problems with school or work,” offered as indicative of problem usage behavior.

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 Griffiths, et al. (2003) stated that online gaming has been separated by some researchers

into three main types: stand-alone games, local and wide network (LAWN) games and massively

multiplayer online role-playing (MMORP) games.

French & Dwyer (2002) claimed that online game players “don’t have normal social

relationships anymore” and play online games in order to cover feelings of anger, depression and

low self-esteem.

Nie & Erbring (2000) and Kraut, et al. (1998) stated that some fear that virtual communities

was detracted from social activity and involvement in the real world, replaced real social

relationships with less robust online substituted and caused users to turn away from more

traditional media.

Turkle (1995) found out that online games enabled self-exploration and discovery that

users extended and idealized their existing personalities or try out new ways of relating to one

another that can positively affect real life relationships.

Rheingold (1993) stated that the one reason for the popularity of online games was that

they meld the fun and challenge of video games with the rewarding social aspects of online

community. Participation in online communities allows us to stay in touch with old friends, meet

new people, learn, and share information.

In the study conducted by Wood, Gupta, Devevensky & Griffiths (2004), online gaming

can be addictive. The research has tended to concentrate on negative aspects, such as excessive

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play and addiction. Instead of spending their hours on studying and doing their homework, children

spend their time on playing computer games.

Gentile, et al. (2004) said that the majority of these studies have shown that online games

can be addictive and that some online games have been associated with aggressive behaviour.

However these studies have been relatively controversial as they examine these factors using self-

report methods and artificial scenarios. This type of research is fraught with problems and

criticism.

The study of Carrasco (2001) stated that computers have become a part of man’s life.

Almost all the things around us were made by computers with the aid of modern machines.

Associated with the computers is the internet where we can find online games. Online game has a

big impact to children especially to teenagers. They tend to be hook by the computer.

On the other hand, online gamers can also benefit on playing online games. A great variety

of forms have been developed and put into practice to enhance learning, offer solace, to drive away

boredom, and/or to persuade players to adopt certain actions and opinions. The game play improve

various thinking skills but that it can also boost cognitive speed for those who play action games

and can also improve cognitive accuracy for players who solve puzzle and strategy games (Klabber,

2001).

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