Assessment of the Pros and Cons of

Gadgets and Its Impact on the Academic

Performances of Grade 12 Senior
High School Students of Mapua University.

by

Jose III C. Toriaga

Jude Lorenz D. Alviz
Zymond Kiel D. Ipio
John Jubert E. Onia

A Case Study Submitted to the Mapúa Senior High School Office

in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for

Practical Research 2 (RES02)

Mapúa University
October 2017
 Chapter 1
Introduction

Innovation is additionally a utilization of science to take care of an issue. This is

where technology comes in. The term came from the Greek word “techne”, which means

the art or skill used in order to solve a problem, improve a pre-existing solution to a

problem, achieve a goal, handle an applied input/ output relation or perform a specific

function; technology is the making, modification, usage and knowledge of tools,

machines, techniques and method of organisation (Liddel, Scott, Jones & McKenzie,

1940). The term “gadget” refers to the portable electronic devices that belong to either one

or more of the following categories: mobile phones, MP3 players and gaming consoles or

any other wireless-enabled devices. This comprises of variety of devices including

notebooks, tablets and i-touch. These gadgets can give different functions. Mobile phones,

for example, have been transformed into multi-functional devices with cameras,

radio/MP3, wireless technology connection and more (D. Lee, 2005).

Over the last 200 years there has been a significant change in the term technology.

Technology is the energy that acts as the driving force to drive or to run our lives. It is

nothing but the results of the innovations and creativity of human beings. Gadget usage

has both pros and cons. Depending on the amount of time spent on gadget (duration and

frequency), there are adverse effects like physiological, psychological, social and

emotional (A. Lenhart, 2010). Although media is raising the issue of adverse effects of

gadget usage, still there are no substantial efforts regarding the proper usage of gadgets.
 In Part 3 (the gap or missing information) are statement(s) that indicate the need for

the study or the need for more investigation.

The purpose of the research is to determine the effects of gadgets to the grades of

grade 12 students of Mapua University. The research will determine if the utilization of

gadgets have more constructive outcomes than negative effects towards the grades of

grade 12 students or vice versa. The objective of the research is to show if gadgets is good

for the academic standing of grade 12 students or not.

The significance of the study is that the students will be aware what are the good and

bad effects on their academic performance on utilizing gadgets. If the students aware what

are the good and bad effects of gadgets in their academic performance, they can control

the use of the devices and maximize using it only in a proper and productive way. It may

also provide important information about how the students of a certain institute can do and

help them improve their mode of teaching and how students utilize the use of gadgets for

academic purposes.

The coverage of the research will only include grade 12 students of Mapua

University, Intramuros school year (2017-2018). The method that will be used for

assessing the pros and cons of gadgets towards the grade of the students is limited to

survey. The gadgets in the study consist of computers, phones, and tablets. The age of the

participants of the survey will range from 16-20. The gender of the participants of the

survey can be of any gender. The research will focus on the pros and cons in the average

grades of grade 12 students in all subjects.

 CHAPTER II

Review of Literature

There are a few studies which demonstrate the positive effects of the technology

devices to students especially the millennial, while other studies uncover the negative

effects of these tech-gadgets. A part of the investigations take both the positive and

negative effects of this technology into thought and demonstrated how these gadgets

affected students in regards to their academic performance.

The apparent high level of use of social networking communication applications

among students of tertiary organizations in Ghana is unavoidable. Nonetheless, little is

comprehended from observational perspective about the intensity, of utilization of

whatsapp messenger and its effect on the scholastic execution of students in tertiary

establishments. This study tries to exactly recognize the effect of social network (whatsapp

messenger) on the performance of tertiary students in Ghana from the point of view of the

students. To accomplish this, 50 understudies from five tertiary organizations were met

and 500 surveys were controlled to students from same foundations. The investigation

uncovered that, whatsapp as opposed to making communication less hassle and quicker

along these lines improving compelling stream of data and thought sharing among

students, rather has affected adversely on the execution of tertiary understudies in Ghana

.The examination in addition to other things unveiled the following: whatsapp takes a lot

of students contemplate time , brings about stalling related issues, destroys students’

spellings and grammar development of sentences, prompts absence of concentration,

brings about trouble in balancing on the web exercises (whatsapp) and scholastic

arrangement and occupies students from finishing their assignments and clinging to their

private investigations time table (Yeboah & Ewur, 2014).

 During 2005, online informal organization locales like MySpace and Facebook

wound up plainly normal goals for youngsters in the United States. All through the nation,

youthful individuals were signing in, making elaborate profiles, openly articulating their

associations with different members, and composing broad remarks back and forth. By

mid 2006, many considered support on the key informal organization site, MySpace,

fundamental to being viewed as cool at school. While not all teenagers are individuals

from social organize destinations, these locales created noteworthy social reverberation

among American adolescents in a brief timeframe. Despite the fact that the brilliance has

since blurred and adolescents are most certainly not about as captivated by these locales as

they used to be, they keep on being a vital some portion of high schooler social life.The

quick appropriation of informal community locales by youngsters in the United States and

in numerous different nations around the globe brings up some critical issues. The

objective of this section is to address these inquiries, and investigate their suggestions for

youth personalities. While specific frameworks may travel every which way, how youth

draw in through informal community locales today gives dependable experiences into

personality development,status transaction, and distributed sociality (Boyd,2007).

Technology is the specialized means individuals use to enhance their environment.

Individuals utilize innovation to enhance their capacity to do work. Classrooms now a

days have executed many types of innovation to improve students’ accomplishments. A

type of technology that is basic to math classrooms is the charting adding machine. One

eighth grade math class of nineteen understudies from an urban middle school was educate

a unit on Solving Systems of Equations by Graphing. The unit was actualized with and

without the utilization of the charting adding machine. Students were first introduced with

the unit using pencils and diagram paper. All the diagramming was finished by hand and

students needed to decide the arrangements of the frameworks of conditions by

appropriate charting methods. The understudies were then tried toward the finish of the

unit. Understudies were then given a similar unit however were currently ready to utilize

the charting adding machine as a way to improve their learning of Solving Systems of

Equations through diagramming. Understudies were then tried again yet this time they

could utilize the charting adding machine amid the test. Understudy accomplishment for

the unit had risen and grades on the appraisals had expanded because of the presence of

technology. Students engagement and intrigue had additionally expanded because of the

existence of technology (Flanagan, 2008).

Indeed the utilization of the tech-devices and administrations by the present age

has a positive affect on IT showcases and consequently it is gainful for the economy.

Tech-gadgets and gaming may affect researching abilities, vital considering and

inventiveness capability of the people. These tech gadgets and administrations are better

hotspots for learning for the young and these are the wellsprings of fun and excitement

which enable them to divert from day by day struggles of life. The advanced conduct of

the adolescent influences them to sit at one place for a long timeframe and the eye, hand

and mental coordination is kept up amid that period. To cross the levels step by step in the

diversions may enhance the designing abilities among the youth and it might likewise help

in working up great states of mind of advancing in life despite any hindrances. Following

investigations bolster the beneficial outcomes of the tech-contraptions and administrations.

Web keeps on developing past our conviction. Around 32.7% of the total populace has

access to the networking sites like Face book, Twitter, Linked-In, YouTube, Flicker,

online journals, wikis, and numerous more which let individuals of any age quickly share

their interests of the minute with others all over the place. So the interconnectedness all

through the world is developing quickly because of web utilize (Tsitsika and Janikian,

2013)
 A few investigations concentrate on both the positive and negative outcomes of

utilization of the tech-gadgets also, benefits and give an adjusted approach in regards to

the utilization of the same technology is an indispensable piece of our regular daily

existence as individuals are reliant on it from everywhere throughout the world for

correspondence, association and business and so on. One can't avoid technology not

withstanding for a day. Not even a solitary day abandons a mobile phone close by or

without portable workstation and net surfing. In spite of the fact that innovation being

getting it done there are essential issues that tail us all around (Saez, 2010).

Presently we comprehend that utilization of any innovation affects the emotional

well-being and the life style straightforwardly or in a roundabout way and the impact

might be certain or negative. At the point when the utilization takes the type of

dependence then the effect might be negative upon both. The accompanying articulations

to demonstrate the same. Professor of Psychology in Swansea University's School of

Human and Health Sciences guarantees the net fixation as the reason for the sorrow, social

segregation, and upset rest of the present age. He likewise contends that the same has

numerous other negative effects on their wellbeing. She thinks about online dependence

on medications or liquor since web gives the dependent individuals a similar sort of high

driving the reliance on it to feel typical (Boothroyd, 2014).

A study with three different students groups was presented a video lecture where

they took notes about the lecture. Students that are not using their phones managed to

write more detailed notes with 62% more information than the students that are actively

using their mobile phones. The students that are not using mobile phones are also able to
remember more details about the lecture and scored a higher score in a multiple choice test

than the students that are using their mobile phones (Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013).

Excessive use of gadgets is one of the causes why students perform poorly in

school. According to researchers excessive use of gadgets make the students lose sleep

and compromise the way they study. Students who use gadgets excessively tend to change

their sleeping habits resulting to lack of sleep. A research by the city of Sendai and

Tohoku University found that using a mobile phone excessively can affect even the

students who study a lot. According to Sato(2014) “When people talk about children using

smartphones in a negative sense, their main concern seems to be about their criminal use,

but this study calls the attention of parents and students to the risk that excessive use of

smartphones can compromise students’ effort to study.” The study revealed that students

who spent over two hours every day both studying and using gadgets received lower

grades in exams that the students who studies for 30 minutes but didn’t use gadgets.

Technology starts from basic things like compact disks until modern technology

like cameras and computers which make gadgets an essential learning tool. The use of

technology in teaching is one of the best educational techniques because it is easy to

access and almost available anywhere (Aloraini, 2005).

The students using Facebook are increasing rapidly. A study in the US showed that

96% of medical students are regularly browsing Facebook. The extensive increase in the

number of students that are using social networking sites using gadgets earned the interest

of different institutions around the world. Institutions of higher education around the

world start to focus in the positive effects of technology for educational purposes.

Facebook was reported to be useful for students in educational purposes as it allows

students to have easy access to other students and professors. Despite of its positive
effects, Facebook also have negative effects. It is reported that using Facebook can include

addiction, waste of time, and money. Recent studies also show that using Facebook can

affect mental health, change self-esteem, give sleep disorders, and depression to students

(Al-Dubai et al., 2013).

The application of technology in education has resulted to creating a good learning

environment that helps instructors become more efficient in teaching students through

critical analysis. According to Taradi (2005) “The use of technology positively affected

learning outcomes in acid-base physiology.” Technology has a great impact in learning. It

can connect people from different places. It can also help receive information faster (Al-

Hariri & Al-Hattami, 2017)

BYOD (Bring your own gadget) or BYOT (Bring your own technology) give the

students two options, whether to borrow school devices or use their own gadgets. The

theory is that student can use their gadget where they are comfortable so that they will be

more interest in the class activity. The worries are that students will be easily distracted

and they might be tempted to explore banned sites that is not appropriate in the school and

maybe on their age. Having own gadget by the students might multiply cases on cyber

bullying specially in their classmates since they are using it in their schools. (Bruder,

2014)

When students use laptops, tablets and other devices or gadgets by the teacher’s

permit they are associated to course learning objectives. The classroom learning and

engagement of the students can positively impact by using digital devices or gadgets

(Samson, 2010)
 It would have been a considerable measure better if the downsides or the negative

effects of the devices and gadgets would have been known before a few years. As the use

of the devices and gadgets have negative effects on students they must minimize the use of

these apparatuses and should mindful about its uses. (Walsh, 2012)

Some studies focus on both the positive and negative consequences of use of the

tech-devices and services and provide a balanced approach regarding the use of the same.

Technology is an integral part of our everyday life as people are dependent on it from all

over the world for communication, organization and employment etc. One cannot stay

away from technology even for a day. Not even a single day goes without a cell phone in

hand or without laptop and net surfing. Although technology being at its best there are

basic problems that follow us everywhere and generally it has drawbacks in the areas of

health, public safety and education (Saez, 2010).

Students should be encouraged to develop in a technological world. The necessity

of social networking, computer games or digital habits of them should be understood by

the elders. But simultaneously the consequences of those habits should also be studied. It

is better to study the relationship between technology, child development and the popular

culture. Parents should facilitate a healthy and balanced relationship between technology

and their children helping them to use the social media effectively (Mitchel, 2012).
 CHAPTER III

Methodology

Study Area

The study will be conducted at Mapua University. A non-sectarian, research-

oriented, Filipino university located in Intramuros, Manila.

Sample

To determine the sample size Slovin’s formula will be used.

𝑁
𝑛≥
1 + 𝑁𝑒 2

Where n is the minimum sample size.

N is the population size
e is the margin of error

A stratified sampling method was followed to collect information from 281

students of the University. The age range varies from 16 to 20 years. The average age of
the total sample was yet to be determined. The education of the sampled students varies
from the gender; male and female students of grade 12 senior high school students.

Methods of Data Collection

The questionnaire used in this study is a structured one. The first part of the
questionnaire consists of the knowing of the profile of the participants followed by four
sections. The latter four sections were containing close ended questions regarding the use
of the gadgets and the present grade status of the participants. Section-A of the
questionnaire contains questions regarding the use of the gadgets. The time spent with the
gadgets and services by the respondents was asked provided options like 1-2 hrs, 2-4 hrs,
4-6 hrs and >6 hrs against each gadgets and services. Time spent for the purposes of use of
the gadgets and services was also asked. In section-B of the questionnaire some questions
were asked about the dependency of respondents on the technological gadgets and
services. In both the sections-C and D some questions regarding the previous and present
grade of the student were asked and how does technology affect and help them in their
academic life. The percentage of the respondents having low grade will be calculated.

Interviews can also be done with student regarding the use of tech gadgets and
services and its impact to their academic standing. This can be done for getting correct
information from the participants. The data collected through this process was helpful for
qualitative analysis in the study
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