ONLINE GAMING AND ITS EFFECT ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

CHAPTER 1

This part of the research paper contains the background of the study, the

conceptual and theoretical framework as well as some figures, and lastly the statement of

the problem with the hypotheses. These will aid the researchers in conducting their

studies and for further information regarding their topic The Effects of Online Gaming to

the Academic Performance of Senior High School Students of Easter College Inc.

Background of the Study

Being a Senior High School student is so difficult. Determination, discipline, and

attitude are needed to complete senior high. There are so many requirements to be

submitted to pass in all the subject areas. But can a student who is an online gamer

comply in completing all the requirements?

This days, most students use modern technology in their daily lives. They prefer

to use modern technology because it helps them to make their work easier. As time pass

by technology continues to evolve and become a great part of people’s lives. Because of

technology, new things were created that helps lighten human works. Computers were

created and have become a part of man’s life. Along with the evolution of technology,

computers also upgrade. Using computers one can now surf the internet, edit and save

documents, and play online games. With the help of the so-called internet, man’s work

and enjoyment are hooked with computers.

Internet has widely become useful in all parts of the world. It has become the

source of information that helps students, teachers, and other people seek information

they need. Nowadays, it has become the source of enjoyment and one’s leisure activity.

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ONLINE GAMING AND ITS EFFECT ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

In today’s generation, we are largely of technology. We have been immersed in a world

of high-definition television, facebook, and video games. Today, one can see the impact

of the advancement of technology. Almost everyone indulge themselves on the benefits

of the internet. In fact due to the rise of the use of the internet, the so called online

gaming has also increased.

Online gaming may be referred to as any type of game played through the use of

the internet. Most of the time, this game refers to the videogames played by multiple

players in different locations. A game becomes an online game if it involves using a

computer or a series of computers, or any gadgets with a player in each gadget to battle

out others with the use of internet.

Having an online game experience typically requires a high-speed internet

connection. In this way gamers can easily find their opponents of a similar skill level

when playing head-to-head game over the internet. With high-speed internet, players will

not have the trouble of experiencing lag.

Some research shows that the children who play online games are more active

and have sharper minds. However, online gaming receives more negative critiques,

because they are often coined as mindless entertainment, sexism and consumerism.

Research shows that kids who play violent games have increased emotional arousal and a

corresponding decrease of activity in brain areas involving self-control, inhabitation, and

attention. A study conducted also found out that wireless devices including smartphones,

laptops, or tablets may affect sleeping patterns as they rely on backlighting which is why

online gaming also affects the sleeping patterns of players.

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ONLINE GAMING AND ITS EFFECT ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

Everyone who plays online games have different reasons in playing. For most

people, online gaming is the best past time to acquire, especially for teenagers and young

adults. The days are gone when children would love to get out and play. For some people,

playing online games are a means for social interaction and even mentally escaping the

real world. Research studies show that online games are used as a tool for coping with

stress, and that addiction to online games lead to behavioral issues in adolescents

including the display of aggressive tendencies and a decrease in self-control.

Students indulge in playing online games, and inappropriate usage of these lead

to distractions at school. Psychological studies have found out that the human brain is

easy to destruct especially with the use of technology. Students learning may be affected.

Some have claimed that playing online games is a way to release stress.

Academic performance of senior high students is important. Academic

performance is about the learning and understanding of the student. But if a student is

always playing online games, his academic performance may have a negative result.

When that happens, it can affect how the student feels. That person will be ashamed and

may have some mental disorders. It is observed that this is what happens to most high

school students.

Awareness with the effects of online gaming is essential for people especially

students. It serves as a warning and information that shows the negative effects of online

gaming. With this awareness, students can avoid being an online gamer.

Thus, the researchers would want to know t he perceived effects of online

gaming in students’ performance specifically the senior high school students of Easter

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ONLINE GAMING AND ITS EFFECT ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

College Inc. The purpose of this study is to specify effects of online gaming in students’

academic performance.

Theoretical/Conceptual Framework

Figure 1

Online Games Academic Performance

(Independent Variable) (Dependent Variable)

EFFECTS

Figure 1 presents the variables in the study. Playing online games as the

independent variable while the students’ academic performance as the dependent

variable. Playing online games may have profound effects on the academic performance

of students.

A video game is usually defined as an electronic game that is played by a

controller and provides user interactions by generating visual feedback. According to

Castronova (2005), he described online game as Massively Multiplayer Online Games or

MMOG. An MMOG is a game capable of supporting hundreds and thousands of players

and is mostly played using the internet. Today’s generation, online games have become

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ONLINE GAMING AND ITS EFFECT ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

extremely popular among the young generation, especially among the students, thus

leading to the rise of online game addiction issues.

In the research conducted by Ahn and Randall (2008), they were able to discover

that Massively Multiplayer Online Games or MMOG affects both the social interactions

and academic performances of students. Based on their surveyed data, students who are

addicted in online games usually get low grades as compared to non-addicted students.

This statistic corresponds with the amount of playing time of addicted students on the

MMOGs. Their surveyed data also shows that approximately 50% of MMOG addicted

students were also reported as actively engaged in a physical altercation. Addicted

students are mostly involved in arguments with their teachers, their friends, and as well as

their parents.

The physical symptoms of internet and online game addiction were cervical

spondylosis, neurasthenia and insomnia (Zhang & Zhuo, 2007). Cervical spondylosis is a

spinal injury caused by having the same sitting position for hours while playing games.

On the other hand, Neurasthenia is a psychological disorder marked especially by easy

fatigability and often by lack of motivation, feelings of inadequacy, and psychosomatic

symptoms. It results from when players engage in a lot of hours of playing games without

virtual sleep intervals in between. This causes sleep sensitivity and disorders which

induce addicted players to wake up several times during the night and as such this leads

them suffering from insomnia which can cause mental anxiety and eventually result in

nervous breakdowns, general tiredness and nonstop illness.

Playing online games is an effective way of enhancing a student’s reading

comprehension (Parris & Bachhuber, 2012). Through diagnostic testing, they found out

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that online games can help a student improve his or her grammar, vocabulary and

comprehension because they can have an interactive way to learn English or any other

language.

According to Griffiths & Davis (2005); Durkin (2006) computer games as a

leisure activity have become an ever- increasing part of many young people’s day- to-day

lives. More recently, with the rapid diffusion of internet services and high-end graphic

cards for computers and console systems, online games have been played over a certain

period of time in the internet and they have become popular and attractive than before

(Sherry & Bowman, in press).

According to Philippine Communications Today by Maslog, C. (1998), one

social problem that has been observed is that internet cafes have become mainly game

centers among the youth including elementary pupils. Students find it very enjoyable to

play online games that they tend to forget their tasks as well as their problems. According

also to Griffiths, M.D. (2010) playing online games such as Clash of Clans (COC) and

other online games, there is no typically no end to the game. Students and others

potentially play a game endlessly against other people.

According to some studies, online games are hard to resist particularly if it’s only

around our environment. Students find it happy and enjoyable, but it does a bad effect on

them which is called addiction. A research study done by Anand (2007) found a negative

correlation between the amount of time spent on playing online games and that GPA and

SAT scores of students. However, Anand (2007) realized the limitation of using the SAT

scores since they are a one-standardized score. Anderson and Dill (2000) studied about

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video games and found out that online games not only affect one’s academic performance

but also triggers the aggression of that person.

However, there are also plenty of researches that states that interactive video

games can also lead to a well academic performance (Anand 2007). The usage of games

casually related to an increase in visual-spatial skills, which is often handy in the fields of

science, mathematics and technology (Jackson et al., 2008). Smyth’s research found that

online socially integrated multiplayer games create negative consequences but also garner

far greater positive results than do single-player games.

Statement of the Problem and Hypotheses

Statement of the Problem

The research study aims to answer the following questions:

1. What are the different effects of online gaming in the academic

performance of senior high students?

2. What are the benefits of online gaming to you as a student?

3. What are the different coping mechanisms of students in online

gaming in terms of their studies?

Hypotheses

1. There are different effects of online games in the academic

performance of senior high students.

2. There are benefits of online gaming to you as a student.

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3. There are different coping mechanisms of students in online gaming in

terms of their studies.