The role of Geography in climate education: science and active citizenship
The Effects Of Video Games Towards Students’
1. Video Games & Academic Achievement 1
Running head: VIDEO GAMES & ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
The Effects of Video Games towards Students’ Academic Achievement
Blair Thallmayer
East Stroudsburg University
2. Video Games & Academic Achievement 2
Abstract
The focus of study in this paper involves whether or not the frequency and types
of video games affect students’ academic achievement scores on the PSSA and the
PSAT. Video games are a large part of the daily lives of students, and determining their
relationship to the academic world is extremely important.
Participants in this study would be used from Northeast High School, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There would be 850 eleventh grade student volunteers.
Participants would also be between the ages of 15-17 years of age, with a variety of
ethnic backgrounds, including Caucasian, African American, Latin American, and Asian
American. The participants in this grade will all be taking the Pennsylvania System of
School Assessment (PSSA) in the spring, as well as the Preliminary SAT (PSAT).
The students will be asked to complete a survey. The completed survey will
develop all of the necessary components to position each student in the correct section of
the 3 X 3 factorial design as created above. The survey will contain a variety of questions
related to the hypothesis of this study to determine the patterns, if any, between the usage
patterns/ frequency of the use of video games with the type of video game to the students’
achievement on the PSSA, and PSAT. The survey will also inform with regards to the
extra-curricular activities of the students, since this type of out of school involvement
may also correlate to higher or lower standardized test scores.
This study is significant because of how important standardized testing has
become, and how much time and money are put into improving the scores of students in
this area. Determining certain extra-curricular aspects of learning can improve the scores
can effectively help teachers incorporate these features into their curriculum.
3. Video Games & Academic Achievement 3
Identification of the Research Problem
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.
“Video games have evolved far beyond their roots. Video games were once
simple and repetitive, involving monochromatic blocks for graphics and tasks such as
moving a rectangular “paddle” in a vertical plane to intercept a moving “ball” (Pong, a
forerunner of modern video games). In contrast, modern video games include levels of
complexity and realism beyond what was imagined 30 years ago. By and large, the
4. Video Games & Academic Achievement 4
evolution of the video games rides the back of the technological and computing advances
that drive the personal computer revolution” (Smyth, 2007, P. 717).
Since their introduction as mass market products in the 1970s, video games have
come under scrutiny in a number of contentious areas. Fuelled by the ever increasing
popularity and economic significance of the games industry, any negative findings such
as those relating to gaming addiction, epilepsy, and violent content have rapidly been
picked up by the media, often leading to condemnations of such games by the public (Ip
Jacobs Watkins, 2008, P. 356).
On the other hand, there has recently been a growing amount of research into the
possible benefits of game playing, such as that of promoting ICT skills, and of its being
an added motivational component for training and education (Ip Jacobs Watkins, 2008, P.
356).
The aim of this paper is to investigate research into games and education: whether
or not there is a link between the frequency with which video games are played, the type
of video game being used, and academic achievement, as measured by traditional
examination results, of those who play them.
Definition of Terms
Wikipedia- The Free Online Encyclopedia defines a video game as “a game that
involves interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device.
The word video in video game traditionally referred to a raster display device. However,
with the popular use of the term "video game", it now implies any type of display device.
The electronic systems used to play video games are known as platforms; examples of
these are personal computers and video game consoles. These platforms are broad in
5. Video Games & Academic Achievement 5
range, from large computers to small handheld devices. Specialized video games such as
arcade games, while previously common, have gradually declined in use.”
The input device normally used to manipulate video games is called a game
controller, which varies across platforms. For instance, a dedicated console controller
might consist of only a button and a joystick, or feature a dozen buttons and one or more
joysticks. Early personal computer based games historically relied on the availability of a
keyboard for gameplay, or more commonly, required the user to purchase a separate
joystick with at least one button to play. Many modern computer games allow the player
to use a keyboard and mouse simultaneously (Video Games, Wikipedia, 2008).
Beyond the common element of visual feedback, video games have utilized other
systems to provide interaction and information to the player. Chief examples of these are
sound reproduction devices, such as speakers and headphones, and an array of haptic
peripherals, such as vibration or force feedback (Video Games, Wikipedia, 2008).
Wikipedia also defines the types of video games are “primarily meant for
entertainment. However, some video games are made (at least in part) for other reasons.
These include advergames, educational games, propaganda games (e.g. militainment),
and others. Many of these fall under the category of serious games.”
Egbert (2009) explains technology literacy as understanding the many ways in
which technology affects lives for both good and bad (P. 281). In addition, the twenty-
first century skills as critical thinking, communication, problem solving, production and
creativity (P. 281). Ip, Jacobs, Watkins (2008) state that the latest multi-million selling
titles such as Grand Theft Auto, The Sims, and The Legend of the Zelda can deliver
realistic content and interaction with such games requires gamers to possess not only
6. Video Games & Academic Achievement 6
spatial skills, fast reaction times, and knowledge of intricate controls, but also skills for
solving problems.
“In 1999, Pennsylvania adopted academic standards for Reading, Writing,
Speaking and Listening and Mathematics. These standards identify what a student should
know and be able to do at varying grade levels. School districts possess the freedom to
design curriculum and instruction to ensure that students meet or exceed the standards’
expectations”(Assessment, PDE, 2001).
“In annual Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) is a standard
based criterion-referenced assessment used to measure a student’s attainment of the
academic standards while also determining the degree to which school programs enable
students to attain proficiency of the standards. Every Pennsylvania student in grades 3
through 8 and grade 11 is assessed in reading and math. Every Pennsylvania student in
grades 5, 8, and 11 is assessed in writing” (Assessment, PDE, 2001).
Pennsylvania Department of Education concludes by saying that individual
student scores, provided only to their respective schools, can be used to assist teachers in
identifying students who may be in need of additional educational opportunities, and
school scores provide information to school and districts for curriculum and instruction
improvement discussions and planning.
In compliance with PA School Code the State Board of Education approved,
“specific criteria for advanced, proficient, basic and below basic levels of performance.”
For more information please contact 00testing@psupen.psu.edu .
“The Preliminary SAT ® (PSAT)/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Teest
(NMSQT) is a co-sponsored program by the College Board and National Merit
7. Video Games & Academic Achievement 7
Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). PSAT/NMSQT is a standardized test that provides
firsthand practice for the SAT Reasoning Test. It also gives students a chance to enter
NMSC scholarship programs. The PSAT/NMSQT measures three areas: (1) critical
reading skills, (2) math problem-solving skills, and (3) writing skills. Students have
developed these skills over many years, both in and out of school. This test does not
require students to recall specific facts from their subjects” (PSAT/NMSQT, College
Board, 2008).
There are many reasons why students take the PSAT/NMSQT. The most common
reasons are: “(1) to receive feedback on your strengths and weaknesses on skills
necessary for college study. Students can then focus on preparation on those areas that
could most benefit from additional study or practice; (2) to see how student performance
on an admissions test might compare with that of others applying to college; (3) to enter
the competition for scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (grade
11); (4) to help prepare for the SAT. Students can become familiar with the kinds of
questions and the exact directions seen on the SAT; and (5) to receive information from
colleges when checking “yes” to Student Search Service” (PSAT/NMSQT, College Board,
2008).
Identification of the Problem
The problem that is found, based on the findings of research, has been developed
as the effects of video games towards students’ academic achievements.
Questions
After reviewing many studies on this topic, I have found a number of answers to
the questions developed. However, there are still many unanswered questions that I
8. Video Games & Academic Achievement 8
would like to solve. Three questions I am concerned about and propose to fulfill: how do
the usage patterns of video games affect academics, the impact of school engagement
compared to the impact of video games, and finally do the type of video game
(educational, adventure, so forth) have an effect on academic achievement?
Hypothesis for the Study
The hypothesis to this study would involve answering two sub-questions: how do
usage patterns of video games affect academics, the usage patterns playing half of the
hypothesis and the other half being does the type of video game have an effect on
academic achievement. Implication for this study would have to contain the usage pattern
and type of video game on effecting academic achievement. My hypothesis is a
relationship will exist between video game usage and academic achievement but the
nature of that relationship will depend on the type of video game.
Review of Literature
This paper reports a proposal of investigating a relationship existing between
video game usage and academic achievement, but the nature of that relationship will
depend on the type of video game. It is an elaboration on previous work that explored
how usage patterns of video games and electronics affect academics, comparison of
academic achievement with and without usage of video games, and effects of video game
usage on achievement and attitude towards academics.
How Usage Patterns of Video Games and Electronics Affect Academics
This section deals with three studies that investigated whether or not the
frequency of usage of video games and electronics would have an affect on the students’
academic achievements. The goal of these studies is to concretely determine if the
9. Video Games & Academic Achievement 9
increased usage of electronics and video games leads to poorer performance in the
classroom, or if the decreased usage of electronics leads to higher academic
achievements.
Ip, Jacobs, and Watkins (2008) completed a study hypothesizing that there may be
statistically significant variations between gaming frequency and performance in
examinations for certain academic subjects. In this study they utilized 713 undergraduate
students with varying gaming frequencies, study disciplines, genders and general
attitudes toward gaming and studying. These students were split into four groups in
groups of 81, 121, 433 and 78 to determine whether they played computer and/or video
games. In addition, the ratio of male and female students was fairly close: 369 males to
344 females. Also, 292 undergraduate students were studying in the humanities field; 327
were studying in the science field; and 94 undergraduates were studying a mixture of
both. Lastly, in order to become a part of this research these individuals needed to be
registered on full degree schemes at Level 1, 2 or 3 from their university.
The methodology and/or procedures for this study came in the form of a survey.
In order to get statistically significant results, if they existed, a survey of all
undergraduate students at the Swansea University in the United Kingdom was considered
to be the best option. This survey was created in a web-based questionnaire, which had
seven questions for the gamers and five questions for the non-gamers. The questionnaire
was designed to find out the amount of time and resources that were being spent on video
games and electronics. Additionally, the students needed to give permission for their
questionnaire, for results to be used in conjunction with their exam scores (P. 357-358).
10. Video Games & Academic Achievement 10
The results and conclusions of the survey were interesting. First, frequent gamers
are less likely to obtain higher marks across all subject disciplines than non- or infrequent
gamers. Next, frequent gamers are also less likely to obtain higher marks than non-or
infrequent gamers in humanities/non-numerical, science/numerical and mixed subject
areas. Also, frequent male and female gamers are less likely to obtain higher marks than
their non- or infrequent gaming counterparts- (P. 358). Examination marks of gamers of
four or more genres differ significantly from players of three game genres or fewer, with
the former being less likely to get higher marks than the latter. After that, it was found
that frequent gamers are less likely to achieve higher examination marks than non- or
infrequent gamers in biological/physical sciences and language subjects. Following these
results, frequent gamers generally achieve lower marks than non- or infrequent gamers,
however students who spend time on social events, and listening to music also obtain
lower examination marks (P. 358-367). Overall frequent gamers generally achieve lower
marks than less frequent gamers.
A second study done by Vivek Anand(2007), investigated whether or not
increased usage of video games has any effect on academic performance, either in the
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or in the student’s Grade Point Average (GPA). The
participants were 276 college aged students, ranging from freshman to senior class status.
The students were randomly selected from five postsecondary colleges in New York.
Collegiate students were chosen because their time management skills are more
personalized than dictated by their parents, as would be the case with younger study
subjects.
11. Video Games & Academic Achievement 11
The methodology and/or procedures for this also included a survey. The students
were surveyed regarding their time management skills in a normal day. Their
management skills were assessed by evaluating how long they spent doing work, going
online, playing video games, watching television, and so forth. Their SAT scores and
GPA were used as academic markers. The surveys were then assembled and organized so
correlations could be run across several of the variables. Chi-squared analyses were
conducted to test the relationships between academic performance and video game usage
(P. 554).
The results and conclusions on the survey were surprising. A negative correlation
was found between academic performance and video game usage. This means that as
video game usage increases academic performance decreases. With the SAT scores, if the
video game usage in a week was four and half hours or less, there was no sign of decline.
Yet, after four and half hours, scores tended to get worse. Breaking it down further, math
scores tended to decline after four and a half hours of video game usage, but verbal
scores showed no trend whatsoever (P. 554-558). The math scores were effected so
much, however, that the entire test as a whole took on the form of declining after the four
and a half hours.
The final study reviewed was prepared by James D. Williams(2006), whose
purpose was to see how self-reflection, in the form of writing in journals and sitting
quietly for certain periods of time, as well as lesser usage of electronics, related to
academic performance. Williams hypothesized that increased self-reflection would have a
positive influence on academic performance. The subjects were three middle school
students aged 13.4, 13.5 and 13.8.
12. Video Games & Academic Achievement 12
The methodology for this included a number of procedures. For starters, the three
students took the Culture Fair Test of Intelligence (2006-Williams), which provided data
on intelligence, personality traits and cognitive styles. It followed that the students were
given a journal and an agenda book, with the instructions that they could write whatever
they wanted in the journal. Additionally, they needed to record daily activities in the
agenda book. Afterwards, the study was split into three months. During month one, the
students recorded activities in the planner and were to spend fifteen minutes each day
making journal entries. The teachers provided grades on homework, tests, and other
classroom activities. In the next two months, the students were limited to thirty minutes
of electronics in a day, and they could not listen to music to or from school or as a
background activity. They still had to write in the journals and record activities, but now
had more time to spend reading, writing, meeting with friends and/or reflecting (P. 3-4).
The results and conclusions were attention-grabbing. In the first month, the three
students spent 3.8 hours a day using electronics. On the weekends, electronics usage
increased considerably. The teachers showed that the students had no change in academic
performance during this month. During months two and three, two of the three students
dropped out of the test, not being able to stand doing nothing or the boredom from
reduced usage of electronics. The remaining student saw her grades rise from a C average
to a B+ (P. 4-7). One student is so small of a sample size, that even though the results are
interesting, we need to test this over a much bigger group to see if it really makes a
difference. Intuitively it makes sense, because less time watching TV can mean more
time studying. For different students, however, less time using electronics could have
negative effects.
13. Video Games & Academic Achievement 13
In summary, the usage patterns of video games and electronics does affect
academics. The decreasing frequency of video games often promotes increasing
academic achievements. The interesting aspect of the third study was that the test
subjects were actually forced to reduce their usage, while the other two studies involved
correlations run between academic achievement and usage patterns of video games that
already existed; as in, the subjects in the first two studies did not reduce or increase their
usage, but their answers to surveys showed that those who played video games more
frequently had lower test scores and academic achievements.
Comparison of Academic Achievement With and Without Usage of Video Games
This section examines three studies that compare academic achievement with and
without usage of video games and electronics. Uzunboylu(2005) conducted a study to
determine the effectiveness of exercises of English language grammar instruction on
student achievement when it is applied by the computer or web-assisted. The subjects that
were used were students from three K9 classes at the Lapta Yavuzlar Lisese, a public
school in North Cypress. Class A was the control group, Class B was the experimental
group and Class C were those who did not participate. The students from either Class A
or B could switch to Class C once they were told the instructions of the study.
The English Language Grammar Test and English Language Attitude Scale tests
were given to the experimental group and control group to see where the students stood
before the exercises. Next, the experimental group took part in grammar exercises in a
computer lab, while the control group did the exercises in a classroom. The experimental
group used message boards and computer programs to answer questions while the control
group could talk amongst themselves and use papers with grammatical rules (P. 3-4).
14. Video Games & Academic Achievement 14
Before the experiment, the control group had a better Grammar Test score, but
afterwards, the experimental group using computers had an average score much higher.
Furthermore, the same results occurred with the Attitude Scale, with the control group
scoring higher before the test, but the experimental group doing much better after the
exercises- (P. 5-6). The difference in this regard is not as noteworthy as in the grammar
test, though. Overall, it seems that the web-assisted teaching is much more efficient and
effective than the standard methods. Why exactly would the web-assisted technology be
better? Couldn’t it depend on the teachers more than the students?
The second study in this section was done twice: once in 1993 and once again in
2001, with the same results. Din & Calao(2001) investigated whether kindergarten
students who played Sony PlayStation educational video games learned better than peers
who did not play such games. With this purpose in mind, they created a test-retest
reliability and construct validity of a known group comparing a controlled class to an
experimental class, and finally a pre-post assessment of the Wide Range Achievement
Test- R3 (WRAT R3). There were forty-seven preschool aged children from two classes
of an urban public school in the northeastern region. Twenty-four of these students were
in Class A (experimental group), with the remaining twenty-three students in Class B
(control group). The ages of these students were 5-6 years old. All of the students were
from lower socioeconomic families, including single parent and disadvantaged homes.
All of the students were also African-American. The two teachers were both female with
a similar preschool education training background. The teacher for the experimental class
had taught for three years prior, whereas the teacher for the control class had taught for
five years prior (P. 98).
15. Video Games & Academic Achievement 15
Treatment included a Sony PlayStation named Lightspan, with forty CDs
containing games related to learning content for kindergarten students. The experimental
group had received lessons from the classroom teacher on how to use the Lightspan and
parents also attended a workshop from Lightspan on how to operate the device. Lightspan
activities were implemented in daily forty minute lessons, five days per week for the
Class A. Also, in class, the students would play with a buddy and at home they would
play the Lightspan with a parent for a minimum of thirty minutes each day. In addition,
Class A lasted eleven weeks. Both classes had the same curricula other than the usage of
the Lightspan (P. 98-99).
The Wide Range Achievement Test- R3 was pretested and post-tested to both
classes, measuring skills in spelling, mathematics, and reading of decoding skills, in
which about fifteen to twenty subtest items existed. An ANCOVA was conducted for
analysis of the test results of both classes. Both of the classes increased their scores on
the posttests in spelling and reading. Class A made larger gains than Class B. For both
classes, only a slight improvement was found on the posttest in mathematics. Results
from the ANCOVA were that Class A made a more significant gain than Class B in
spelling and reading, but no difference was found in the math area (P. 99-101). Are there
any Sony PlayStation CDs that could have been used to improve math scores as well as
the reading and spelling? No matter what you are testing, forty-seven students is way too
small of a sample size to really draw any conclusions. We would need to apply this test to
500+ students to really see if the device makes any difference.
The final study was done by Vogel, Greenwood-Ericksen, Cannon-Bowers and
Bowers (2006) using a quasi-experimental design to determine if previous findings
16. Video Games & Academic Achievement 16
generalized to non simulation-based game designs. A subcategory of Computer-assisted
Instruction (CAI) games have attributes such as motivation, reward, interactivity, score
and challenge. Within this study forty-four children ages seven to twelve years old from a
public elementary school in Florida were chosen as subjects. Of these students, there
were twenty-five females and nineteen males. Finally, the group broke down to twelve
second graders, thirteen third graders, nine fourth graders and ten fifth graders.
First, a pre-test was given to all student that covered language arts and
mathematics. The language arts section included the following topics: main ideas of
stories, identifying relevant supporting details and facts, and arranging events in
chronological order. The mathematics section included: algebraic thinking, describing
and analyzing patterns, relationships, graphs, symbols and functions. The test consisted
of fifteen questions and the students had fifteen minutes per section to complete the test.
The control group used the CAI program while the experimental group used the program
with gaming attributes. This lasted for two week sessions, with students involved in the
program for ten minutes per day and given basic instructions about how the program
works with verbal praise when navigating independently correctly. Right after the last
session, students were given a posttest (similar to the pretest with different questions) in
paper form and delivered in the same format. The test was based on FCAT in content,
format and order (P. 108-109).
The results and conclusions did not display any significance. The Language arts
section had no substantial difference on pre- and post-assessments across the groups. The
study found no meaningful difference in language arts skills under any condition. The
controlled group performed significantly better on the math posttest compared to the
17. Video Games & Academic Achievement 17
pretest, while the experimental group showed no significant difference (P. 109-114). The
fact that both groups were using a program in addition to their daily curriculum blew me
away. As I began reading this study, I thought they were going to test out CAI to increase
students’ motivation to learn and the other group not to have anything. Because of the use
of virtual reality within the classrooms, both groups had increased in mathematics.
Hence, maybe more mathematical classroom instruction could be taught with virtual
reality. Language arts on the other hand were not too successful. One reason that
language arts may not have shown much improvement in the students with the usage of
electronics is that the processes of reading and writing tend to work better with verbal
instruction.
Effects of Video Game Usage on Achievement and Attitude towards Academics
This final section discusses three studies that examined the effects of video game
usage on scholastic achievement and attitude towards academics. In addition, the studies
talked about the effects on the issue for different genders, since males and females tend to
have very different views and usage patterns for video games.
The first study was completed by Akinsola & Animasahun (2007), who sought to
determine the effects of simulation-games environment on students’ achievement in
attitudes to mathematics in secondary school. Their hypothesis was that no significant
difference in mathematics achievement or attitude will be found when students are
exposed to the simulation-game environment and the control group. They also conducted
a pre- and post-assessment on students’ levels of achievement and attitude towards
mathematics for validity, as well as test retest reliability. The study used 147 secondary
students from Ila- Orangun Township of the Local Government Area of Osun State.
18. Video Games & Academic Achievement 18
The methodology included several procedures. First, for forty minutes daily,
students were exposed to this program for three consecutive weeks. A pre-test on the
students’ level of achievement and another pre-test on attitudes towards mathematics
were given to the two groups. Next, the two groups were provided with similar text
material on the program topics. Group 1 had the teacher introduce and discuss the lesson
for ten to fifteen minutes. Afterwards, the students broke into groups of 4-5 to use
programmed materials. No order existed in this group as to who would lead discussion
and, after twenty minutes of discussion, everyone would work on the class exercise
independently which would then be collected by the teacher for a grade.
Group 2 (experiment group) began the same way as Group 1; however, when the
students broke into their groups, the leader of the discussion was determined by
whomever recorded the highest score after two tosses of a dice. Then, each student would
have their turn in the order of the numbers that they rolled from the second highest to the
lowest. After all of the students have had the chance of leading, the process is repeated.
After twenty minutes of discussion, the students would work independently on a class
exercise that would also be collected and graded by the teacher (P. 116).
The results and conclusions were noticeable. The pre-assessment on achievement
and attitude had scores that were not significant between the two groups. In addition,
there was a significant disparity in the student’s achievement in mathematics on class
tests within the period of the research from the experimental group being exposed. Also,
there was a considerable variation on post-test achievement scores between the two
groups, showing that the students in the experimental group performed better than the
control group. The scores on the pre-attitude test had no major difference between
19. Video Games & Academic Achievement 19
groups. Post-attitude scores had a hefty dissimilarity because the experiment group
scored higher than the control group. Hence, this means that the simulation game group
had a better attitude development. Both hypotheses, however, were rejected based on this
study (P. 116-117)
The second study reviewed in this section, performed by Smyth (2007), examined
the effects of being assigned to play different video games on academics, health, game
usage, well-being, sleep and socialization. The study used one hundred university student
volunteers. Seventy-three students were males, and twenty-seven students were females.
They were eighteen to twenty years old with an average age of 19.2 and about 68% were
Caucasian.
The students were randomly selected to play one of the four different video game
genres. The genres were arcade, console (like PlayStation), computer and multiplayer
online games. Arcade playing students had to travel to the arcade, but otherwise, the
games were provided to the students. Students were instructed to play for a minimum of
one hour per week, for one month, after which time their usage would finish. Prior to the
study, the students filled out a survey, determining their sleep patterns, normal video
game usage, academic life and social health. These results were compared to the post-
study results (P. 118).
The results and conclusions were clear and perceptible. Before the study, the
groups did not differ on variables like number of hours spent playing video games each
week, how well-liked video games were, or number of video game hours in the previous
week. After the study, those playing the multiplayer online games played for significantly
more hours, had worse health but got greater enjoyment out of playing. They wanted to
20. Video Games & Academic Achievement 20
continue and had developed new, online friendships, though admitted it did get in the
way with their real social life. Ultimately, with academics, there was no significant
difference before or after (P. 119). I don’t like the fact that the participants were
volunteers, because those who volunteer for studies are already more inclined to take
some satisfaction out of the study. It would be more interesting to do this amongst non-
video game students as opposed to those familiar.
The final study was completed by Bonanno and Kommers (2005) who
investigated gender difference and styles in the use of digital games amongst advanced
biology students; an elaboration on the previous study in which the relationship between
cognitive style and academic performance were explored. Two questions of concern: Do
males prefer hands-on and visual activities, or ones involving the usage of a computer?
Do females prefer collaborative activities, in school as opposed to out of school? This
study investigated the constantly reported gender differences in the use of digital games.
The subjects included 367 students in the sixteen to eighteen years old age range. The
students were split into two groups: 324 Maltese students (that were 186 first year, 126
second year, and 2 others) and 43 Swedish students participating in a science exchange
program. Out of 324 students, 241 were female and 126 were male.
The methodology for this procedure was carried out in a survey format. The
surveys discussed the time spent playing video games, the preferred gaming devices, and
the preferred games, and were administered to selected groups after biology lessons. The
Swedish group was given the survey during a field trip to the Maltese Islands. The
completed survey sheets were entered into the SPSS statistics programs under several
21. Video Games & Academic Achievement 21
different categorical values, including name, age, gaming devise, time of playing and
more. The results of the survey could then be analyzed in a variety of ways (P. 15-20).
The results and conclusions were written extremely clear with graphs and charts
to view. Six research questions were identified prior to the surveys being conducted. The
first involved the preferred video game system. A computer was the most preferred by
the students, and a Chi-Squared test showed that there was a significant gender difference
amongst gaming devices: for every male, five females did not list their preferred system.
Males played video games 6.71 hours per week while females played just 2.49 hours per
week. This difference between the genders was consistent within each of the age sub-
groups, as well. Additionally, first year males and females dedicated more time to
videogames than second year males and females. There was no major data amongst game
preferences, however, with genres, females favored puzzles and males preferred shooting
and sports games (P. 21-36).
Therefore, this test confirmed that males played videogames much more than
females, regardless of age or year, and that they preferred much more aggressive games
than females. It would be more interesting for a study to compare the video game
frequencies and usage patterns between students with high exam scores and students with
low exam scores. This grouping of studies did not do as good of a job as the other groups
at identifying a true hypothesis and then following up testing of that hypothesis with a
solid sample size. Gender differences and attitudes towards video games should differ
amongst different types of people, but the extent to which they affect social life and
academics is not defined too well by these three examinations.
22. Video Games & Academic Achievement 22
Methodology or Procedures
The methodology and procedures, shown below, display plenty of variability
across the research report. The methodology is divided into three sections. The first part,
Design, is a preliminary plan for getting the research under way. The second part, Data-
Collection Procedures, is interactive/non-interactive observations, interviews, and
document collection. The final section, titled Data Analysis, is a process of
categorization, descriptions and synthesis of an interpretation of the phenomenon under
study (Jurs & William, 2009, P. 234- 239).
Design
0-3 Hours Per Week 4-8 Hours Per Week 9+ Hours Per Week
Adventure/ Sports
Video Games
Educational/ Arts/
Social Video Games
Propaganda/ Violent
Video Games
Above is the factorial design for this study. A factorial design generally involves
two or more variables in a single design. The cells, both horizontally and vertically, are
determined by the levels of the independent variables taken in combination. Essentially,
these are used in cases where the hypothesis can be altered due to more than one variable.
In the current case of the effects video games have on academic achievement, two
variables are of much interest: the frequency patterns—how often the students play the
games—and the genre or type of the games played. Each has the potential to affect the
outcome and therefore must be taken into account.
23. Video Games & Academic Achievement 23
Across the top, the horizontal cells represent the usage patterns, and are broken up
into three different columns: 0-3 hours per week, 4-8 hours per week, and nine or more
hours per week. Corresponding vertically are the video game genres. The three most
prevalent types of video games are adventure/sports, educational/arts/social, and
propaganda/violent games. Adventure/Sports games are games like Super Mario
Brothers, Madden Football, or any golf game. Educational/Arts/Social refers to games
like karaoke, Rock Band, Guitar Hero, or PSSA Pre. Lastly, Propaganda/Violent games
can be found in the form of the ever popular Grand Theft Auto franchise as well as
wartime games such as Call of Duty. The games need to be separated since different
types of games can cause different results in the academic achievement of students.
If a student played video games for two hours each week, and the games were
sports-related, his or her name would be filled in the very first box. This process is
repeated for each student before moving onto the survey phase. Some students will play
a combination of games, with varying frequencies, and this will be duly noted in the 3x3
design. The students in question were in the eleventh grade at the time of this study, and
were chosen due to their dual participation in both the PSSA and PSAT standardized
tests.
Data-Collection Procedures
Participants in this study would be used from Northeast High School, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There would be 850 eleventh grade student volunteers.
Participants would also be between the ages of 15-17 years of age, with a variety of
ethnic backgrounds, including Caucasian, African American, Latin American, and Asian
24. Video Games & Academic Achievement 24
American. The participants in this grade will all be taking the Pennsylvania System of
School Assessment (PSSA) in the spring, as well as the Preliminary SAT (PSAT).
The students will be asked to complete a survey. The completed survey will
develop all of the necessary components to position each student in the correct section of
the 3 X 3 factorial design, which is shown above. The survey will contain a variety of
questions related to the hypothesis of this study to determine the patterns, if any, between
the usage patterns/ frequency of the use of video games with the type of video game to
the students’ achievement on the PSSA, and PSAT.
The survey will be a questionnaire in which students will answer the questions to
the best of their abilities in sentence format. The survey will feature the following
questions:
1. Do you have a job? If so, please explain your schedule, such as how many hours
per week do you work, how many days a week, which days of the week, so forth?
2. Do you play any sports? If so, please explain which sports and your schedule.
3. Are you involved in any clubs/leadership programs? If so, please explain your
schedule.
4. Are you involved in any service projects? If so, please explain your schedule.
5. Have you taken the 11th grade PSSA?
6. Have you prepared yourself for the PSSA? If so, please explain how.
7. Have you taken the PSAT?
8. Have you prepared yourself for the PSAT? If so, please explain how.
9. What do you normally do in your free time?
10. Do you play video games?
25. Video Games & Academic Achievement 25
11. With whom do you play video games with?
12. Do you play video games alone?
13. Do you play video games with your family?
14. Do you play video games with your friends?
15. Do/have you played sports/adventure video games (e.g. Madden Football, Super
Mario)?
16. Please list any sports/adventure video games that you have played?
17. About how many hours a week do you play sports/adventure video games?
18. What days of the week do you normally play sports/adventure video games?
19. Do/have you played educational/arts/social video games (e.g. Rock Band, PSAT
prep)?
20. Please list any educational/arts/social video games that you have played?
21. About how many hours a week do you play educational/arts/social video games?
22. What days of the week do you normally play educational/arts/social video games?
23. Do/ have you played propaganda/ violent video games (e.g. Call of Duty, Grand
Theft Auto)?
24. Please list any propaganda/ violent video games that you have played?
25. About how many hours a week do you play propaganda/violent video games?
26. What days of the week do you normally play propaganda/violent video games?
Data Analysis
The participants provide a simple survey of information regarding their involvement
with work outside of school (after school/weekend jobs), extra-curricular activities
(sports, clubs, leaderships, services), the types of video games they play, the frequency
26. Video Games & Academic Achievement 26
(hours per week) they play video games and with whom they play video games with.
After the students have completed and turned in the survey, their answers will be placed
into the grid and compared to their achievement scores on the PSSA and the PSAT.
Significance of the Proposed Research
The significance of the proposed research will be established on the basis of the
anticipated outcomes and relevance to education.
Anticipated Outcomes
The problem that is found, based on the findings of research, has been developed
as the effects of video games towards students’ academic achievements. Three questions
I am concerned about and propose to fulfill: how do the usage patterns of video games
affect academics, the impact of school engagement compared to the impact of video
games, and finally do the types of video games (educational, adventure, and propaganda)
have an effect on academic achievement? My hypothesis is that a relationship will exist
between video game usage and academic achievement but the nature of that relationship
will depend on the type of video game.
Outcomes that could be anticipated from conducting this research proposal might
include a number of results. The amount of frequency, mostly nine plus hours played
weekly, that a student playing any type of video game, whether it is adventure/sports,
educational/arts/social, and/or propaganda/violent, will obtain a lower score on the PSSA,
and PSAT than a student playing 0-3 hours per week and/or 4-8 hours per week of any
type of video game.
Students playing propaganda/violent video games at any frequency (0-3 hours per
week, 4-8 hours per week, and 9+ hours per week) will attain a lower score on the PSSA,
27. Video Games & Academic Achievement 27
and/or PSAT than students playing other types of video games. The participants in the
educational/arts/social video games might acquire a slightly higher score on the PSSA
and/or PSAT than students playing other types of video games.
The eleventh graders possibly will achieve higher scores on the PSSA and/or
PSAT if they are actively involved in school activities, including sports, clubs, leadership
programs, and service projects. For that reason, the eleventh graders not actively involved
in school activities, but activities outside of the school campus, such as a job, might
obtain a lower score on the PSSA and/or PSAT than students involved within the school
activities.
This paper will collect data on investigating gender differences and style in the
use of video games amongst male and female eleventh graders taking PSSA and PSAT.
There might be a relationship between the performances scores on both assessment based
on gender differences. In addition, the gender differences will correlate between the types
of video games and the frequency of video games each gender might utilize.
Relevance to Education
This is important as it relates to education because of how important the results of
standardized tests have become. Today, results of these tests carry so much stress that
any way to potentially increase scores becomes extremely valuable. If participants of
educational/arts/social games obtain higher scores, then these games should become a
more featured part of the curriculum. After all, they offer students extra practice with
regards to the lesson at hand and can potentially increase their score. Since these scores
are so important, determining which types of video games can aid the cause will help
teachers determine which ways to take certain lesson plans. Additionally, determining
28. Video Games & Academic Achievement 28
which types of extra-curricular activities correlate to higher standardized scores allows
the faculty to stress the importance of joining clubs and getting involved.
Reference List
Akinsola, M., & Animasahun, I. (2007, July). THE EFFECT OF SIMULATION-
GAMES ENVIRONMENT ON STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENT IN AND
ATTITUDES TO MATHEMATICS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS. Turkish
Online Journal of Educational Technology, 6(3), 113-119. Retrieved October 18,
2008, from Education Research Complete database
Anand, V. (2007, August). A Study of Time Management: The Correlation between
Video Game Usage and Academic Performance Markers. CyberPsychology &
Behavior, 10(4), 552- 559. Retrieved October 17, 2008,
doi:10.1089/cpb.2007.9991
Assessment. (2001, April 1). Retrieved December 1, 2008, from
http://www.pde.state.pa.us/a_and_t/site/default.asp.
Bonanno, P., & Kommers, P. (2005, February). Gender Differences and Styles in the Use
of Digital Games. Educational Psychology, 25(1), 13-41. Retrieved October 17,
2008, doi:10.1080/0144341042000294877
Din, F., & Calao, J. (2001, January 1). The Effects of Playing Educational Video Games
on Kindergarten Achievement. Child Study Journal, 31(2), 95-102. (ERIC
Document Reproduction Service No. EJ643651) Retrieved October 17, 2008,
from ERIC database.
Egbert, J. (2009). Supporting Learning with Technology: Essential of Classroom
Practice. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.
29. Video Games & Academic Achievement 29
Ip, B., Jacobs, G., & Watkins, A. (2008, November). Gaming frequency and academic
performance. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 24(4), 355-373.
Retrieved October 17, 2008, from Education Research Complete database.
Jurs, Stephen G., and William Wiersma. Research Methods in Education: An
Introduction (2nd Edition). New York: F.E. Peacock Pub, Inc., 2008.
PSAT/NMSQT - The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. (2008,
February 10). Retrieved December 1, 2008, from
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html.
Smyth, J. (2007, October). Beyond Self-Selection in Video Game Play: An Experimental
Examination of the Consequences of Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing
Game Play. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 10(5), 717-721. Retrieved October 18,
2008, doi:10.1089/cpb.2007.9963
Uzunboylu, H. (2005, July 14). The Effectiveness of Web Assisted English Language
Instruction on the Achievement and Attitude of the Students. Online Submission,
(ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED490528) Retrieved October 18,
2008, from ERIC database.
Vogel, J., Greenwood-Ericksen, A., Cannon-Bowers, J., & Bowers, C. (2006, Fall2006).
Using Virtual Reality with and without Gaming Attributes for Academic
Achievement. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 39(1), 105-118.
Retrieved October 18, 2008, from Education Research Complete database.
Video game - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2008, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_games.
30. Video Games & Academic Achievement 30
Williams, J. (2006, January 1). Why Kids Need to Be Bored: A Case Study of Self-
Reflection and Academic Performance. RMLE Online: Research in Middle Level
Education, 29(5), 1-17. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ804100)
Retrieved October 17, 2008, from ERIC database.
31.
32. • Abstract • Methodology/Procedures
• Identification of the – Design
Research Problem – Data-Collection
– Introduction Procedures
– Definition of Terms – Data Analysis
– Identification of the • Significance of the
Problem Proposed Research
– Questions – Anticipated Outcomes
– Hypothesis for the – Relevance to Education
Study • References
• Review of Literature
33. The focus of study in this paper involves whether or not the frequency
and types of video games affect students’ academic achievement
scores on the PSSA and the PSAT. Video games are a large part of the
daily lives of students, and determining their relationship to the
academic world is extremely important. Participants in this study would
be used from Northeast High School, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There
would be 850 eleventh grade student volunteers between the ages of
15-17 years of age with a variety of ethnic backgrounds. The participants
in this grade will all be taking the PSSA and PSAT. The students will be
asked to complete a survey. The completed survey will develop all of
the necessary components to position each student in the correct
section of the 3 X 3 factorial design. The survey will contain a variety of
questions related to the usage patterns/ frequency of the use of video
games with the type of video game and than compared to the
students’ achievement on the PSSA and PSAT. The survey will also inform
with regards to the extra-curricular activities of the students, since this
type of out of school involvement may also correlate to higher or lower
standardized test scores. This study is significant because of how
important standardized testing has become, and how much time and
money are put into improving the scores of students in this area.
Determining certain extra-curricular aspects of learning can improve the
scores can effectively help teachers incorporate these features into their
curriculum.
34. • Terms to Know
– Technology
– Video Games
– Types of Video Games
• Advergames
• Educational Games
• Propaganda Games
– Technology Literacy
– Pennsylvania System of School Assessment
(PSSA)
– Preliminary SAT (PSAT)
35. • Identification of the Problem
– The problem that is found, based on the findings of
research, has been developed as the effects of video
games towards students’ academic achievements.
• Questions
– How do the usage patterns of video games affect
academics?
– What is the impact of school engagement compared to
the impact of video games?
– Does the type of video game (educational, adventure, so
forth) have an effect on academic achievement?
• Hypothesis for the Study
– My hypothesis is a relationship will exist between video
game usage and academic achievement but the nature
of that relationship will depend on the type of video
game.
36. How Usage Patterns of Video Games
and Electronics Affect Academics
Comparison of Academic Achievement
With and Without Usage of Video Games
Effects of Video Game Usages on
Achievement and Attitude towards
Academics
37. Design: 3 X 3 Factorial Design
0-3 Hours Per 4-8 Hours Per 9+ Hours Per
Week Week Week
Adventure/
Sports Video
Games
Educational/
Arts/ Social
Video Games
Propaganda/
Violent Video
Games
38. Data-Collection Procedures
› Participants
Northeast High School, Philadelphia, PA
850 11th grader student volunteers
15-17 years of age
A variety of ethnic backgrounds
Caucasian
African American
Latin American
Asian American
Taking the PSSA & PSAT
39. Data-Collection Procedures
› Survey
Questionnaire of 26 questions
Students will answer the questions to the best
of their abilities in sentence format.
Questions will relate to usage
patterns/frequency of the use of video games
with the type of video games to the school
involvement of the student and the students’
achievement on the PSSA and/or PSAT.
40. Sample Questions from the Survey
› Do you have a job? If so, please explain your
schedule, such as how many hours per week
do you work, how many days a week, which
days of the week, and so forth?
› Have you already taken the PSSA and/or
PSAT?
› Have you prepared yourself for the PSSA
and/or PSAT?
› With whom do you play video games with?
41. • Data Analysis
– The participants provide a simple survey of
information regarding their involvement with
work outside of school (after school/weekend
jobs), extra-curricular activities (sports, clubs,
leaderships, services), the types of video games
they play, the frequency (hours per week) they
play video games and with whom they play
video games with. After the students have
completed and turned in the survey, their
answers will be placed into the grid and
compared to their achievement scores on the
PSSA and the PSAT
42. • Anticipated Outcomes
– The amount of frequency (9+ hours per week)
that a student playing any type of video games
will obtain a lower score on either test.
– Students playing propaganda/violent video
games at any frequency will attain a lower score
on either test.
– Students involved in school activities will achieve
a high score of either test compared to students
involved in activities outside of school campus.
– There might be a relationship between the
performance scores on both assessment based
on gender.
43. • Relevance to Education
– This is important as it relates to education because of how
important the results of standardized tests have become.
Today, results of these tests carry so much stress that any
way to potentially increase scores becomes extremely
valuable. If participants of educational/arts/social games
obtain higher scores, then these games should become a
more featured part of the curriculum. After all, they offer
students extra practice with regards to the lesson at hand
and can potentially increase their score. Since these scores
are so important, determining which types of video games
can aid the cause will help teachers determine which ways
to take certain lesson plans. Additionally, determining which
types of extra-curricular activities correlate to higher
standardized scores allows the faculty to stress the
importance of joining clubs and getting involved.
44. • Akinsola, M., & Animasahun, I. (2007, July). THE EFFECT OF SIMULATION-
GAMES ENVIRONMENT ON STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENT IN AND
ATTITUDES TO MATHEMATICS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS. Turkish
Online Journal of Educational Technology, 6(3), 113-119. Retrieved
October 18, 2008, from Education Research Complete database
• Anand, V. (2007, August). A Study of Time Management: The Correlation
between Video Game Usage and Academic Performance
Markers. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 10(4), 552- 559. Retrieved
October 17, 2008, doi:10.1089/cpb.2007.9991
• Assessment. (2001, April 1). Retrieved December 1, 2008, from
http://www.pde.state.pa.us/a_and_t/site/default.asp.
• Bonanno, P., & Kommers, P. (2005, February). Gender Differences and
Styles in the Use of Digital Games. Educational Psychology, 25(1),
13-41. Retrieved October 17, 2008,doi:10.1080/0144341042000294877
• Din, F., & Calao, J. (2001, January 1). The Effects of Playing Educational
Video Games on Kindergarten Achievement. Child Study Journal,
31(2), 95-102. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ643651)
Retrieved October 17, 2008, from ERIC database.
• Egbert, J. (2009). Supporting Learning with Technology: Essential of
Classroom Practice. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Merrill
Prentice Hall.
• Ip, B., Jacobs, G., & Watkins, A. (2008, November). Gaming frequency
and academic performance. Australasian Journal of Educational
Technology, 24(4), 355-373. Retrieved October 17, 2008, from
Education Research Complete database.
45. • Jurs, Stephen G., and William Wiersma. Research Methods in Education: An
Introduction (2nd Edition). New York: F.E. Peacock Pub, Inc., 2008.
• PSAT/NMSQT - The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. (2008,
February 10). Retrieved December 1, 2008, from
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html
• Smyth, J. (2007, October). Beyond Self-Selection in Video Game Play: An Experimental
Examination of the Consequences of Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing
Game Play. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 10(5), 717-721. Retrieved October 18,
2008, doi:10.1089/cpb.2007.9963
• Uzunboylu, H. (2005, July 14). The Effectiveness of Web Assisted English Language
Instruction on the Achievement and Attitude of the Students. Online Submission,
(ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED490528) Retrieved October 18,
2008, from ERIC database.
• Vogel, J., Greenwood-Ericksen, A., Cannon-Bowers, J., & Bowers, C. (2006, Fall2006).
Using Virtual Reality with and without Gaming Attributes for Academic
Achievement. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 39(1), 105-
118. Retrieved October 18, 2008, from Education Research Complete database.
• Video game - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1,
2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_games
• Williams, J. (2006, January 1). Why Kids Need to Be Bored: A Case Study of Self-
Reflection and Academic Performance. RMLE Online: Research in Middle Level
Education, 29(5), 1-17. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ804100)
Retrieved October 17, 2008, from ERIC database.
46. Summary
1. Standard/Outcome: I.D
2. Demonstrate Mastery: (1) Basic principles of instructional design (2) Emerging
programming, authoring and problem solving environments including collaborative
projects (3) Designing document that presents information and links critical resources
3. Artifact Benefit: This document was created in Microsoft Word/PowerPoint to grab
the attention of educators in a proposal format.
Reflection
In ELED 570 the end of the course I developed an action research proposal, in which I
would really like to complete the study. The abstract was:
The focus of study in this paper involves whether or not the frequency and types of video
games affect students’ academic achievement scores on the PSSA and the PSAT. Video
games are a large part of the daily lives of students, and determining their relationship to
the academic world is extremely important. Participants in this study would be used from
Northeast High School, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There would be 850 eleventh grade
student volunteers between the ages of 15-17 years of age with a variety of ethnic
backgrounds. The participants in this grade will all be taking the PSSA and PSAT. The
students will be asked to complete a survey. The completed survey will develop all of the
necessary components to position each student in the correct section of the 3 X 3 factorial
design. The survey will contain a variety of questions related to the usage patterns/
frequency of the use of video games with the type of video game and than compared to the
students’ achievement on the PSSA and PSAT. The survey will also inform with regards
to the extra-curricular activities of the students, since this type of out of school
involvement may also correlate to higher or lower standardized test scores. This study is
significant because of how important standardized testing has become, and how much time
and money are put into improving the scores of students in this area. Determining certain
extra-curricular aspects of learning can improve the scores can effectively help teachers
incorporate these features into their curriculum.
I felt that this was relevant to education because of how important the results of
standardized tests have become. Today, results of these tests carry so much stress that any
way to potentially increase scores becomes extremely valuable. If participants of
educational/arts/social games obtain higher scores, then these games should become a more
featured part of the curriculum. After all, they offer students extra practice with regards to
the lesson at hand and can potentially increase their score. Since these scores are so
important, determining which types of video games can aid the cause will help teachers
determine which ways to take certain lesson plans. Additionally, determining which types of
extra-curricular activities correlate to higher standardized scores allows the faculty to stress
the importance of joining clubs and getting involved.