Exposure to Mobile Games Vis-à-vis Academic Performance of Grade Six Pupils in

Bacolor Elementary School

Introduction:

Wawro (2015) stated that it’s captivating to notate that in 2005 Oxford Communication
reported 84 percent of aged 8-11 children and 85 percent of kids aged 12-15 frequently played
games on a solace; in the year 2015, those numbers have fallen to 71 percent and 68 percent,
respectively. Simultaneously in U.K, mobile device usage among kids has increased significantly,
and with it, time consumed playing mobile games – particularly tablet games. Office of
Communications (2014) reported that rise in kid’s aged 5-15 use of tablets to play games where in
34 percent do so habitually, up from 30 percent and an even bigger drop in their use of dedicated
portable game players -- 28 percent of 5-15-year-olds play games on them routinely, down from
39 percent last year.

Gough (2019) stated that in early 2016, U.S. gamers played a rate of 3.6 mobile games
monthly, and a rate of 1.3 games daily. In 2015 over 51 percent of U.S. mobile phone users were
gaming on their devices. It is anticipated that starting in 2018 the penetration of mobile gaming in
the United States will be greater than 60 percent, and in 2020 it is estimated to reach 63.7 percent.

Yonhap (2018) reported that a percentage of 67.2 respondents said they had encountered
playing a video game back in July, 2017. The poll was regulated on 3,020 people aged between 10
and 65 from June 21 to July 8 that is conducted by the Korea Creative Content Agency. Korean
Mobile game users are spending the total average of 90 minutes per day on playing games and 114
minutes during the weekend, the survey showed. Estacio (2018) stated that mobile games have a
very similar history with cell phone, In the past mobile phones are considered as earliest adaptors
of portable gaming the pioneer being Milton Bradley’s Microvision. He also stated that Martin
Cooper was the first one to use a mobile phone when he contacted a rival telecom company to
inform them that he is using a mobile phone communicating with them on April 3, 1973. After a
decade, Motorola’s mobile phone commercial was released but Motorola DynaTAC 8000X was
not affordable as it costs $3995 or Php 213,333.

Mona (2008) stated that cell phones became popular in the year 1990s, but development is
still on going for decades. Estacio (2018) mentioned that the first ever mobile devices became
available to the people along with two first mobile games such as Tetris and Snake was around
late and early 90’s. Where in, one of which became iconic in every Nokia phone – the snake. Along
with the development of the mobile phones is the mobile games’ evolution. We started seeing
more games like Bounce and Fast and Furious with color. Apple App Store and the Android
Market which is known as Google play store later were being introduced in the year 2008 where
mobile gaming really immersed. Mobile games with better art, controls, sound, and high definition
graphics were developed. Actually, mobile gaming rose to be the number one platform just this
2018 both in income and in feature.

Undoubtedly, mobile games are rapidly conquering the time we have and is giving
something that no one can give. Mobile gaming can be stress reliever, challenge and competition,
relaxation, enjoyment, social interaction and even mentally escaping from the real world are some
of the reasons why video games consume most of the people’s time. Rock (2009) stated that the
technology is very good at giving people so much distraction. Online gaming was developed to
give people the entertainment they need.

Unanticipatedly students' learning occurs, but the unsuitable utilization of playing mobile
games can cause some difficulties such as being distracted in school. Further, it is where the
attentiveness of the children split up that even their health and social life is unknowingly affected
as to Dumrique and Castillo (2017).

On the other hand, Wright (2011) conducted a research where the result of video gamer
and non-gamer in academic performance of a child was realized that playing video games
reduces the academic performance while the student who did not play video games has a parallel
result. Weis and Cerankosky (2010) stated gamers spend more time in playing video games
rather than doing homework, and worse performance in standardize test in reading and writing.
Drummond and Sauer (2014) mentioned Weis and Cerankosky’s research that if they spend time
to study longer maybe these kids would have eventually learned to balance school and game
play.

Kovess et al. (2016) stated that children who play video games despite of socio-economic
status and other related factors can get higher academic achievement, moderate and balance in
playing video games have a positive effect in academic performance that is contrary on the other
studies. Hasting et al. (2010) stated that children who spent playing video game linked with low
school competence but only for violent video games.

Magdirila (2013) stated that out of one billion internet users in Asia, 623 million has the
opportunity to access the web through mobile phones. Certainly, Asians are progressively using
their smartphones for internet basis, and the Philippines is not an exception. July 2012, research
from TNS’ survey showed a percentage of 53 people in Metro Manila have possessions of smart
phones. Preceding this, the Philippines has the record of being the highest number of downloaded
games and apps among Southeast Asian countries.

Schmdt et al. (2008) mentioned that in the Philippine society playing video games is
associated in poor academic performance; this idea supported of some research. The correlation
was relatively small. The effect of interactive digital media has on the learning process is not
completely negative. Shaffer et al. (2005) stated that virtual world can help to develop situated
understanding. Allison et al. (2006) stated that the effect of video games can have positive effect
on learning. Gentile et al. (2009) saw that children who played computer video games
extensively had a decline in school achievements.

According to Raise Smart Kids (2015) playing Video games especially strategy games
workout mental ability, it consists a lot of cognitive skills and motor demands. As players work
with the intellectual and motor skills needed to win a game, their brains adapt to the pressure by
learning, as well as by physically growing, according to many studies. Indeed, many researchers
think that playing video games is a form of weightlifting for the brain. Hastings et al. (2009) stated
that the enforcement of parents to limit the use of video games of their child can’t affect the
academic achievement of the child. In fact, parents found that their grades are improved with
monitored screen time.

From the literature presented the effect of playing video games of children their findings
is both positive and negatives. The researchers felt the need to ascertain the influence of the
exposure to Mobile Games to pupils’ academic performance. The purpose of this study is to
discover the consequences of mobile gaming to academic performance of the pupils of Bacolor
Elementary School.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

This research’s framework covers about the effect of mobile games to grade six pupils in
Bacolor Elementary School in their academic performance. The Study will use the Input,
Output, Process (IPO) model to know the relationship of the variable encoded. As shown in
figure 1, the conceptual framework is based around the objectives of the study. The first box
show the variables types of mobile games they play (offline and online), time, duration and the
effect of mobile games to the respondents in academic performance. Second, it shows how the
data will be gathered through questionnaire given to the pupils. Third, the process will show the
effect of mobile games in academic performance of grade six pupils Bacolor Elementary School.

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

1. How may the

respondents
‘consumption be
expressed in terms of Descriptive Mobile Games vis-à-
Survey vis Academic
1.1 Types of mobile
Questionnaire Performance of
games played
Grade Six Pupils
a. Frequenc
y of
usage
b. Duration
of usage

2. Level of Academic
Performance of the
respondents

3. Mobile games and

effect to :

3.1 behavior towards

learning

3.2 affective skills

toward learning

3.3 Cognitive skills

developed
Statement of the Problem

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study aims to determine the relationship of mobile games to the academic
performance of selected pupils from Bacolor elementary School for the school year 2019-2020

Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:

1. How may the respondents ‘consumption be expressed in terms of

a. Types of mobile games

b. Frequency of usage

c. Duration of usage

2. How may described the level of academic performance of the respondent?

3. Mobile games and effect to :

3.1 Behavior towards learning

3.2 Affective skills toward learning

3.3 Cognitive skills developed

Significance of the Study

This study contributes useful knowledge to the following:

Teachers- this study aim to reach teachers for them to know and be knowledgeable about other
strategy to use to educate students about the well-known effects of mobile gaming to students’

Pupils- this study primary important to pupils, for it will give them information the impact they
may get from mobile gaming.

Parents- this study will help the parents to have enough knowledge about the impact of the
mobile gaming among their children.
Future Researcher- This may serve as a reference material and guide for the future researcher
who wants to conduct a follow study on this.

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

This study was made to prove that mobile games may affect children’s academic
performance in terms of cognitive skills, behavior in learning and Affective skills. The proposed
study is limited only for the grade six pupils 11 to 13 years old in Bacolor Elementary School
academic year 2019-2020

HYPOTHESIS

There is a significant difference in the attitude of the learners academic performance

involving in mobile games.

Definition of Terms

Academic Performance- is measured by taking written and oral tests, performing

presentations, turning in homework and participating in class activities and discussions. Teachers
evaluate in the form of letter or number grades and side notes, to describe how well a student has
done.

Gamer- is a person who plays a game or games, typically a participants in a computer or role-
playing-game.

Mobile Games- is a video game played on a feature phone, smartphone, PDA, tablet computer,
portable media player or calculator.

Video game- An umbrella term that encompasses “computer games, console games, or games
run by an arcade machine along with any game made for any other device, but not limited to
mobile telephones, personal digital assistants, and advanced calculators” Khan (2012)
 Chapter 2

METHODS

This chapter will be dealing with the process and methods on how the data will be gather
and discussion about the following: research design, participants, research instruments, data
collection, ethical consideration and statistical treatment of data used.

Research Design

This study will be using descriptive research design. Its common means of gathering
information with the use of the questionnaire, personal interviews with the aid of study guide or
interview schedule and observation either participatory or not. The descriptive survey method
was used to assess grade 6 pupils’ attitude towards using mobile games in terms of their
academic performance. It was used to appraise the effects of exposure to mobile games on their
academic performances.

Respondent

The respondent of the study will be the elementary pupils in Bacolor Elementary School.
Our participant is sixty (60) elementary pupils of Bacolor Elementary School. S.Y. 2019-2020

Research Instrument

This study will use descriptive method of research to collect information based on the
survey questionnaire. Descriptive method shows the gathered data from the respondents in a
statistical presentation to have simple interpretation Ritchie (2013). This design also intends to
measure the result instead of exploring the result.
 This descriptive type of study will be utilizing to describe the relationship of early
exposure to mobile games of grade six pupils in their academic performance; cognitive
development, behavior towards learning and affective skills towards learning.

Data Gathering

The researcher will be using descriptive survey questionnaire in gathering data. The
content of the instrument based on the findings of the relationship of mobile games in the
academic performance of grade six pupils. The first questionnaire evaluate the online usage of
the children reflected the types of mobile games played, time of usage, duration of usage, place
where the online game is played. Second questionnaire It was organized to assess the (cognitive,
behavior, emotional) towards learning of the student who are involved in playing mobile games.
It was appraise the effects of mobile games on the academic performances.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATION

A letter of consent was presented from the researchers to the participants before the distribution
of the questionnaires. Confidentiality agreement was discussed and pledged to guarantee the
security of respondents’ composed data. Collected data from the respondents were placed in a
place where there is privacy and is secured by the researchers. The researchers also asked
authorization from Tiongson, Paras, Sanchez, Montoya and Santos in using the questionnaires
from their study titled “Online Games vis-à-vis Academic Performances of Laboratory High
School Students” and they gladly shared with the researchers.