The Effects Of Video Games Towards Students’

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


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.


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


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


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


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


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


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


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).


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.


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.


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.


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).


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).


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


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


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.


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


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


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


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.


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.


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


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?


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


(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,


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


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.


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.


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.

• 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

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.

• 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)

• 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.

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

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

› 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

› 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.

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?

• 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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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)
• 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.

• 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)

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.

The Effects Of Video Games Towards Students’

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