The Effects of Online Games to Students’ Academic

Performance

Asian College of Technology – Bulacao Campus

In partial fulfillment of the course Practical Research 1

Marian Rose Adventurado

Lorenzo Comaling

Cris Ann Mae A. Hucames

Jer Rose Nepangue

Daniella Kay M. Tesaluna

March 2019
 Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

An online game is defined as a digital game that needs a live network

connection in order to be played. This includes not only games played on the

Internet, but also those played online through consoles, across mobile phones or

via peer-to-peer networks. According to Zheng, “Gaming addiction is positively

correlated with achievement motivation, sensation-seeking, a positive evaluation

of one’s intelligence, and a negative evaluation of ones skills in interpersonal

relationship”. Playing online games is running rampant nowadays. This

catastrophe is tremendously affecting most of the students are easily be found in

the computer shop/internet café, at their house, or maybe at school because they

can use mobile phone or computer in playing.

The problem most of the students of Asian College of Technology – Bulacao

Campus is facing right now is that there are cases of online gaming addiction that

may affect their lifestyle and academic performance. It may affect their lifestyle

too because they will be tempted to play online games and change their daily life

routine. It may affect their academic performance and their future because they

will be tempted play online games while in lecture, or will cut classes and go to

the nearest internet shop which will result into bad grades and performance in

school.
 The prior objective or purpose of this study is to imply the high purpose of the

effects in online gaming. This study provides the students about awareness of

the possible effects that will harm them in being addicted in gaming. The

researcher yield to impact knowledge to the students to recognize the adequate

intent of online gaming.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to determine the effects of online games to students’

academic performance.

Specifically, this study also aims to answer the following questions:

1. Are students severely engaged in online games?

2. What causes students to be severely engaged in online games in the

aspect of:

2.1 Peers;

2.2 Family Relationship;

2.3 Entertainment

3. How does it affect students’ academic performance?

4. What action plan can be implemented to lessen the players of online

games?
Hypothesis

Alternative

This study assumes that the effects of online games has significant

relationships with the student's performance

Null

This study assumes that the effects of online games has no significant

relationship with student's performance

Significance of the Study

The result of this study is beneficial to the following:

Students will be aware on the reasons on what causes their online game

addiction. They may be guided in addressing its problems.

Teachers can recognize the factors causing its addition and may consider

approach to ensure proper guidance among students such as guidance on

counseling.

Parents are able to execute proper guidance to their children as they are

the first person that could provide maximum responsibility towards their students.

School will show full cooperation by implementing strong rules and

regulation for students who are playing online games during class hour.
Scope and limitation

This study complied with the researchers started at January 2, 2019 up to

March 2019 senior high school students in Asian College Of Technology were

the respondents of this research.

This research was focused on the effect of online games to students’

Academic performance and the reason behind student engagement to online

games such as like DOTA, League of Legend, Mobile Legend, Rules of Survival,

PUBG, etc.

Definition of Terms

For the purpose of clarification, the important terms used in the study have been

defined the following:

Addiction - it is a condition that results in excessive engagement of playing

online games of Asian College of Technology - Bulacao.

Online Games - it is a video game that is either partially or primary played

through the Internet or any other computer network.

Implementing - it is to put ( a decision, plan, agreement, etc.) into effect.

Impulsive - it is acting or done without forethought caused by online game

addiction.
Theoretical Background

This study is fastened on behavioural change theories which used to

explain why the humans’ behaviours change developed in 1913 by John B.

Watson, was an American psychologist who established the psychological school

of behaviourism.

It suggest that these theories claimed that personal, behavioural

characteristics and environmental as the main factors in behavioural

determination. The interest of these theories has been increased in the

application in daily life such as in the areas of health, education, criminology,

energy and international development. This theory is important in this research to

prove whether people change their behaviour is because of their environment,

their education level or other factor? This theory is also expected to explain the

effect of online games to students’ academic performance.

According to Watson, he believes that behaviours can be measured,

trained, and changed. Behaviourism, also known as behavioural psychology, is a

theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviours are acquired through

conditioning. Conditioning occurs through interaction with the environment.

Behaviourists believe that our responses to environmental stimuli shape our

behaviours. The researcher can relate this phenomenon with the respondent

background such as from where they come from whether from rural area or from

urban area. This is important in this research because the researcher want to find

out whether respondents environment will affect their behaviour toward online

game.
 Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This sections presents the related literature that are relevant to the study.

Foreign Literature

According to Inwon Kang (2011), he stated that internet addiction gives

the gamer to the unique psychological properties which is the users increase

their use of these internet services, the utility they gain from each usage does not

diminish, leading not only to self-destructive addiction but also to social ills.

According to Lan Ying Huang (2008), he stated that by playing online

game features online gamer participants may view the game as source of

providing diversion and filling time.

According to Rooij (2011), he stated that the show that compared to non-

addicts, video game addicts have significantly higher levels of expressive moods,

loneliness and significantly lower levels of self-esteem. In this study, the result of

this comparison for social anxiety level is not significant.

According to Zhou (2007), he stated that the physical symptoms of

internet and online game addiction were cervical spondylitis, neurasthenia and

insomnia. This situation is more often that not leads to injuries to the

Neurasthenia on the other hand is a neurological disorder that results from when

players engage in hours and hours of game playing with no virtually sleep

intervals in between.
 According to Helsingin Salomat, a cross-national World Health

Organization study carried out in 2002 and published in June shows that around

20% of Finnish boys between the ages of 13 a and 15 spend more than three

hours a day at the computer playing online games. The figures for “heavy user”

girls in the same age group are only between 2% and 3%. In terms of the large

gender difference, Finland was among the most striking examples in the entire

study. Based on the facts of J.A Jacko in 2009, according to the empirical

evidence, researchers found out a sense of presence, commonly defined, as

“sense of being there” is an important factor for the online game users. Both

studies stated that online games are really addictive to anyone who are hooked

here.

Local Literature

Computer gaming, measured by number of hours spent playing,

contributes to the probability of a student to fail. The study of Mañugo (2007, 45-

46) proved that the number of subjects failed increases the probability of a

student to drop out. Thus, computer gamers also have the tendency to drop out

of school; either repeat one academic year or stop schooling

Psychologists point out that both genders can improve spatial skills by

practicing video games. Many imply that girls are disadvantaged in the long run

by playing far less games (SWS, 2007; AMA Poll, 2008). Regardless of the

element of violence, online games have been envisioned as potentially effective

tools for learning. Furthermore, researchers believe that online gaming opens a
door to computer literacy leading to potential technology careers (SWS, 2007;

AMA Poll, 2008).

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

social problem that has been observed is that the Internet café has become

mainly game centers. About one-half to two-thirds of the computer in a typical

computer café, according to one study, are devoted to games (violent ang gory

games). The use of the remaining computers was roughly split between

browsing, email, online chat, word processing and research. The Internet cafes

have become not just game centers. They are becoming centers of addiction

among the youth, mostly boys, including elementary school pupils. According to

one concerned Internet cafe entrepreneur, “Internet cafes are seducing youths to

a new form of addiction, one which may not destroy their bodies as drugs do, but,

which is certainly twisting their minds. To the young, play is reality and reality is

play”.

The studies and literatures concerning the effects of playing video games

on a child’s academic performance are contradictory because some of them

suggest that video games may lead to negative effects while others said that it

gives positive benefits. When a child is playing video games, they have the

tendency to forgot the amount of time that they have already spent making them

vulnerable to the different effects that video games can give to their academic

performance whether it may be positive or negative. Furthermore, playing video

games should not be done during weekdays because it can affect their studies. It

should be done during the weekends so that it may not affect their studies. The
objective of this study was to further the understanding of these reflective

experiences and the influences of involvement in online game addiction to

students.
 Chapter 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

In this chapter are the designs, environment, respondents, instruments, and

procedures used during the conduct of the study.

Research Design

This research utilizes qualitative method. The method is considered

appropriate because according to Cresswell (1994), a qualitative study is defined

as an inquiry process of understanding a social or human problem, based on

building a complex, holistic picture, formed with words, reporting detailed views

of informants, and conducted in a natural setting.

A case study is a research strategy and an empirical inquiry that

investigates a phenomenon within its real-life context. Case studies are based on

an in-depth investigation of a single individual, group or event to explore the

causes of underlying principles.

The researchers used qualitative study because it collects and works with

non-numerical data and that seeks to interpret meaning from the data that help

us understand social life through the study. The study also used case study

approach because the researchers would want to know the deeper details about

a certain situation, event, activity, process, and even a group of individuals.

This study was conducted in Asian College of Technology – Bulacao

specifically on the Senior High School Department building since the focus of the

study was about the effects of online game addiction to senior high school

students’ academic performance.

Research Respondents

The participants of the study were grade eleven and grade twelve

students of Asian College of Technology – Bulacao. The researchers chose

twenty respondents to answer coming from any strand offered by the school. The

researchers carefully chose the students that were involved in online games.

Research Instrument

Questionnaire was used in gathering the data. The questionnaire

consisted of yes or no and scaling questions that determined the effects of online

game addiction to senior high school students’ academic performance.

Research Procedure

The researchers used three phases in conducting the data gathering of

the study to achieve successful results.

Phase One - Selection of Respondents

The researchers selected twenty (20) respondents in the conduct of the study.

These respondents where chosen according to their strands and grade level.

Also, their academic grades where considered in the study.

After selecting possible participants, the researchers started giving out

information about the study being conducted. This part has given the

respondents the idea of having the study and its outcomes to the society.

Phase Three - Conduct and Analysis

After agreeing to the said study, the researcher started their survey.. The data

gathering lasted for ten minutes in each respondent. Once the participants are

done, the answers are then analyzed to get the results of the study.