Mobile Games and Academic Performance of University Students

Abstract

The increasing number of students who are hooked on playing online mobile games (OMG) is alarming. As such, this study was realized to address the problem. This study assessed the gaming profile towards OMG and its relation to the academic performance of the engineering students of Eastern Visayas State University Tanauan Campus (EVSUTC). Specifically, the study investigated the correlation between student’s number of hours spent on playing OMG (at school and home), commonly played OMG (at school and home), reasons for playing OMG and attitudes on playing OMG with academic performance utilizing Eta and Pearson r correlation analyses. A random sample of 134 student respondents were selected through purposive sampling of those who are playing OMG using their mobile phones. Descriptive correlational research design was utilized and a validated survey instrument was employed to gather the needed information. The findings revealed that majority of the students played mobile legends and spent mostly 2 hours playing OMG for a reason of boredom. The overall attitudes of the students on playing OMG were interpreted as Less Favorable (M=2.58, SD=1.13). Out of the independent variables being set in the study, the number of hours spent on playing OMG at home (r=-0.188, p=0.039) and commonly played OMG at school (r=0.203, p=0.045) were found significantly correlated with student’s academic performance. Hence, the students’ time spent on playing OMG at home and the type of games that students played at school have significant bearing to their academic performance. As such, delimiting student’s usage of internet can be made to address the problem.