Chapter 1
Introduction
The tools and apparatus created via the application of science are referred to as technology
(Oxford Dictionary), and its use has become an inevitable component of living in the twenty-first
century. Any electronic gadget that can be moved easily falls under the definition of a "mobile
device." Cell phones, laptops, smartphones, smartwatches, and other portable electronics have all
been added to this category throughout time. (Computer Hope, 2022). As mobile devices continue
to advance quickly, it appears to be capable of enhancing student learning and boosting academic
performance. When used for their fundamental intended functions, it provides a lot of advantages,
but excessive use of them can be detrimental to teenage health, academic performance, and
development, as well as cause a variety of psychological and physical issues. (Nikita Nehra &
Rajesh Mehrotra, 2022). Numerous elements of our everyday lives—particularly those of
students—have been impacted by the recent, rapid growth of mobile devices. In this technological
age, technology has seized control of people’s lives and has integrated seamlessly into them. We
are so focused on making our jobs easier that we neglect the radiation's dangerous unseen side
effects that have an impact on both us and the environment. Due to the negative impacts of such
usage in learners, health and educational authorities are becoming more concerned about the
effects of excessive use of mobile devices.
In account of the inherent functionality and mobility of mobile devices, the global surge in use
has resulted in an ever-growing dependence on them. Due to online learning becoming the norm,
most schools were required to make the switch that required adequate technological literacy for
the students. However, this forces students to spend more time socializing, texting, and chatting
on these devices rather than on their studies, which led to lower grades and subpar academic
performance. Research enquires that excessive use of mobile devices may be associated with a
range of mental issues. The findings provide an explanation for a condition in which a person's
use of a mobile device has significantly satiated a deep need, leading to dependence, habitual, and
addictive behavior to the point where the person finds it difficult to carry out routine daily tasks
without using a mobile device at the same time. (Jon E. Grant, Katherine Lust & Samuel R.
Camberlain, 2019)
Moreover, mobile devices serve as a means of engagement and information transmission, both
of which support learning. (Hossain, 2019). Despite this, it has a sizable negative predictive power
for social interaction and self-control, which highlights the necessity of parental oversight of
mobile device use for any reason, these devices may also be a bane in our lives. Students will also
be more likely to comprehend the need to minimize their excessive mobile device use if they are
educated about the impacts of such use on their academic performance rather than being controlled
by it. Prior to the gadgets causing irreversible harm to their academic performance and health, it
is important to adjust their phone using patterns.
Therefore, the goal of our study is to determine the negative effects of excessive mobile device
use on the academic performance of the selected students as well as to highlight the harmful
consequences to increase awareness that the more excessively a student uses a mobile device while
studying, the more it will have an adverse effect on learning. This study aims to make people aware
of its negative consequences on the brain and their way of thinking, to reduce the number of victims
via this research before it fully destroys their ability to succeed academically. (Global Indian
International School, 2023). The findings of this study are conditional and as a result, how our
respondents answer in return will determine the outcome.
Background of the Study
With an ever-growing selection of electronic media devices readily available around the
world, excessive mobile device use has evolved into a more broad construct in the last few years.
Today's children and adolescents have grown accustomed to using mobile devices for academic
purposes over recent years, which has increased the detrimental effects on their health and
academic performance . The incidence of problematic mobile device use among youth who use
these devices, as well as how this phenomenon connects to all negative outcomes, have all been
the subject of extensive recent research. Still, this information has not been consolidated and
critically assessed.
Studies show that while mobile phones make life easier, they also have a number of negative
effects. (Asoke Nath, 2018) The claim that mobile devices have the ability to impact the majority
of significant decision-making processes and decisions is not hyperbole as a person's personality
and behavior are both altered by it. According to the Ericsson ConsumerLab Report, a study
conducted in 2021 which surveyed over 1 billion smartphone users across 46 countries, 35% of
people worldwide check their phones within 5 minutes of waking up in the morning. In addition,
42% of respondents said they feel anxious or lost without their smartphone, and 40% said they feel
like they can't disconnect from technology.
When Statista (2017) data is reviewed, it can be concluded that the number of mobile
device owners is likely to exceed 2.48 billion in 2018 and is growing at a consistent rate.
Nowadays, practically every activity involves the use of a mobile device, from planning the day
to communicating with coworkers to placing orders to socializing and even completing academic
tasks (Cristina Radu, 2021). Mobile devices are useful to us in many ways especially in means
of communication too. Mobile phone communication involves the production of radio signals, and
it has been claimed that exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields poses a risk to human
health. The radio waves from our mobile devices are sent straight to our brains when we hold them
close to our ears, which has a significant negative influence on our general health. The World
Health Organization asserts a direct connection between using a mobile phone and an elevated risk
of cancer. Because it focuses on young people's excessive use of mobile devices, this study is vital
for this reason.
People still don't fully grasp the association between adolescent levels of mobile device
addiction in terms of academic progress. Excessive mobile device use is thought to be a
psychological issue that negatively affects adolescents' academic performance (Hsiao, Shu, &
Huang, 2017). In today’s generation, researchers have observed that mobile technologies continue
to receive attention in this modern age where mobile device ownership and usage both affect the
academic performance of students negatively. The aim of this research is to evaluate the available
data on the negative impact of excessive mobile device use on academic performance of Grade
10 students in Nagpayong High School.
Statement of the Problem
This study aims to determine how Excessive Use Of Mobile Devices affects the Academic
Performance of Selected Grade 10 students of Nagpayong High School A.Y. 2022-2023.
Specially, the study aims to provide answers to the following questions:
1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of :
1.3. Gender
1.2. Age
1.3. How frequently do respondents use Mobile Devices?
2. What are the types of Mobile Devices used by the respondents?
3. How do the use of Mobile Devices affect the academic performance of the respondents?
Theoretical Framework
This research employed the Theory of Planned Behavior. According to this theory, people behave
logically based on their attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. (Archie, T.,
Hayward, C. N., Yoshinobu, S., & Laursen, S. L., 2022). Because the idea revolves around
people's intentions toward concepts, beliefs, values, standards, and control over oneself, which
combined comprise the attitude a person has and the way they respond to or interpret their
environment. (Mukhdoomi, Arooba and Farooqi, Asma and Attaullah Khan, Tabbassum and
Ajmal, Warisha and Tooba, Zorain, 2020). A person's individual judgment has an impact on
how well a certain action is performed. Self-efficacy is related to the idea that one has confidence
utilizing technology, in this case, mobile devices. A smartphone owner, for instance, may believe
that his use of the device will enable him to complete chores efficiently. Self-efficacy promotes
technical assistance, training, and friendliness, which improves a person's abilities to utilize
technology effectively. Excessive use of mobile devices have become major global issues as a
result of their pervasive use in our culture. Many studies investigating the links between mobile
device use and academic achievement have yielded conflicting findings. A person's behavioral
intention is their plan to interact with others in a certain way. It’s a subjective likelihood that a
person will engage in a particular action (Raza, 2019).
The second theory implied in this research is the Theory of Constructivism. According to
University of Buffalo (2018), constructivism encourages students to actively generate their own
knowledge rather than passively consuming it. When they interact with the environment and think
about it, people build their own models of it and add new knowledge to what they already know
(schemas). The interests and skills of children at distinct developmental stages are revealed
through Jean Piaget's constructivism theory. The theory describes how children's actions and
mental processes evolve over time and under what circumstances youngsters are more inclined to
let go of—or hold onto—their earlier ideas. Even if someone else, such as a parent or other
authority person, informs them their worldview is flawed, Piaget contends that children have very
good reasons to hang onto it. (Luke Cortes, 2023).
According to Konert, learning and cognition from Jean Piaget's socio-constructivist perspective
occurred when a user utilized social media in mobile devices for learning. According to him, the
Jean Piaget model of cognitive development had four elements: maturation, physical impact, social
environment, and assimilation/accommodation. To put it another way, knowledge is socially
constructed and is formed when a person interacts with their environment. According to
Stupiansky (2017), there is always a pleasant hum in a constructivist classroom as teachers and
students move around and engage with one another and the available materials. When it comes to
comprehending all facets of development, including social, moral, cognitive, and motor, Piaget's
theory is based on the idea of operations. One of the main consequences of the Piagetian theory is
that logical processes cannot be directly memorized or taught, but it does not entail that they cannot
be learnt. Simply put, the academic performance of learners will improve even without the
"excessive" use of mobile devices.
Conceptual Framework
The input-process-output (IPOS) system approach was utilized to describe the study's conceptual
framework. As can be seen, the input includes the root of the problem which is the excessive use
of mobile devices. Whereas the process being used is data collection, administering questionnaires,
and conducting surveys for respondents. As the anticipated outcome of this research, improved
academic performance is incorporated in the output. The investigation, survey, and thesis-solving
processes are displayed in this table.
NULL HYPOTHESIS
There is no significant relationship between the Excessive use of Mobile Devices and Academic
Performance of Students.
SCOPE AND LIMITATION
The main emphasis of this study is on the Negative Effects of Excessive Use of Mobile Devices
to Academic Performance. The data collection will be conducted to 150 randomly selected Grade
10 students in Nagpayong High School A.Y. 2022 - 2023 who will represent the population.
Other issues that are beyond the purview of our research, such as the advantages of utilizing mobile
devices, as well as topics other than academic performance, will not be included in this study. .
The identical surveys are supplied to all of the respondents for completion. The findings of this
study will only be relevant to the respondents to this survey, and they will not be utilized to assess
the negative effects of excessive mobile device use on students who do not comprise the study's
population. The questionnaires and surveys that the researchers have carefully created will be the
primary source of data.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The following entities will profit from the findings of this study :
Students
The advantage of this research will enable them to evaluate the effect that excessive mobile device
use may have on both their academic performance and health. Also, students can learn strategies
for curbing their own excessive use of these gadgets or for setting time limits even for study-related
use of their mobile devices.
Teachers
This study will help the teachers in enhancing their knowledge about the disadvantages of
excessive use of mobile devices for themselves as well as for their students. This could also work
as a guide for teachers to inspire their students to develop productive ways to divert their attention
from utilizing mobile gadgets excessively.
Parents
This analysis aims to demonstrate the consequences for our health of allowing the students to use
mobile devices excessively even for their studies. It can also assist parents in coming up with a
solution, such as placing limitations on the usage of mobile devices during particular hours and
enforcing proper time management in the students.
School Administrators
To school administrators, this study will assist them in assessing the effects of excessive mobile
device use and how it will affect students' academic performance and physical health. Also, the
institution may utilize the findings to create new policies to handle the issue surrounding excessive
mobile device use, minimizing the negative impacts on their students.
Researchers
This study will be very helpful to researchers because this can be used as a basis and background
in conducting related studies with concerns in excessive use of mobile devices on the academic
performance of students. They may utilize the information gathered in our survey to educate their
respective responders about how to reduce any negative consequences that may result from this
issue.
Department of Education
The Department of Education will benefit from this study specially in evaluating and giving
solutions to the adverse effects of excessively using mobile devices of students on their academic
performance. It can also offer precise data that they can use in implementing guidelines in schools
and institutions to address this issue.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
This paper provides a clear definition of some technical terms in the study to avoid ambiguity.
The following terms were operationally defined for a better understanding of the study.
Academic Performance- The degree to which a student, instructor, or institution has met their
short- or long-term educational goals; it is measured either by continuous assessment or cumulative
grade point average. (Ballotpedia)
Academic tasks - The requirements for the products that students are expected to hand in.
(Cambridge Dictionary )
Addiction - Is an inability to stop using a substance or engaging in a behavior even though it is
causing psychological and physical harm. (Adam Felman, 2021)
Excessive- Greater than what is required, typical, or desired; exceeding a regular limit (Merriam
Webster)
Minimize - Reduce something, especially something unwanted or unpleasant to the smallest
possible amount or degree. (Oxford Dictionary)
World Health Organization (WHO) - the UN organization devoted to ensuring public health and
safety worldwide. It is a respectable company that may serve as a reputable resource for public
health information. (Wikipedia)
CHAPTER 2
Review of Related Literature
According to Dr. Nimisha Beri et al., in 2022, the Covid -19 epidemic caused a sudden
switch from offline to virtual classes, which led to the misuse of electronic gadgets such as tablets,
smartphones, laptops, technologies and desktop computers as well as i-pods and smartwatches
among students, according to the study. Both students attending private and public schools
reported having poor social connections and having low degrees of social attachment to their
parents and siblings. Also, it was observed to affect and alter the respondents' psychological
immunity. One of the most commonly mentioned negative effects of smartphone addiction among
university students and Italy was a decline in academic performance. Further research revealed
that the impact of excessive smartphone use on productivity can be linked to daily interruptions,
including productivity related to work and productivity unrelated to work. (Smartphone Addiction
Prevalence and Its Association on Academic Performance, 2022) Research has shown a connection
between smartphone addiction and decreased physical activity, physical discomfort, and sleep
deprivation. Excessive smartphone use was found to have a negative impact on students' physical
health, according to studies from the US and Korea.
University students who use their smartphones excessively may have body aches. Another study
discovered that excessive smartphone use had a negative impact on the amount of sleep that
students got. (Lepp, A. et al. 2014)
In accord with Garcia et al. (2022), student academic performance and perceived
sociability have previously been negatively impacted by excessive phone use, but the shift to
online learning has made the problem worse. Because they are susceptible to distraction, students
often put off completing their assignments. Student dependence on gadgets is considerable, while
academic procrastination is modest, and there is a substantial correlation between these two
variables. Significantly, learning style increases degrees of academic procrastination and device
dependence. In conclusion, academic procrastination levels are directly impacted by gadget
dependency. The results also point to the need for more research on additional, related effects of
distance learning and online learning. Excessive phone use has already been linked to lower
academic performance and perceived sociability among students, but the intensity of screen time
has increased as a result of the move to online learning. (Garcia et al., 2022)
Xu, Zhang, and Dong(2019) examined the effects of mobile device use on college students'
academic performance. The study focused on how tablet use affected pupils' academic
performance in elementary school. 232 fourth-graders from a Beijing primary school participated
in the study. The results of their final exams, which served as the dependent variable, were used
to assess their level of academic success. They self-reported their tablet use, which included the
average daily usage time and the frequency of use at various times of the day. According to the
findings, pupils who used tablets for longer than 30 minutes a day performed worse on academic
performance exams. Another significant element impacting academic performance was shown to
be the frequency of tablet use at various times of the day. According to these findings, in order to
prevent negative effects on academic success, tablet use in the classroom should be rigorously
regulated and restricted to certain activities and times of day. This literature review investigates
the connection between the usage of mobile devices and academic performance. Five databases
yielded a total of 51 empirical investigations that were published between 2011 and 2018.
According to the findings, excessive mobile device use is linked to poor academic performance.
Mobile device use's detrimental effects on sleep, attention, cognitive function, and memory are
some of the potential processes explaining this association. Additional potential causes include the
negative effects of mobile device use on self-control and time management, as well as the potential
for mobile devices to operate as a distraction or encourage multitasking when completing academic
activities." [Rozgonjuk et. al(2019)]
According to Gillespie (2018), electronic gadgets offer many advantages to students:
greater access to information, increased opportunities for collaboration, independent learning, and
enhanced communication. However, the effects of gadgets on students are not always positive.
Overuse of technology through gadgets like smartphones, iPods and video games may interfere
with a student's attendance, ability and interest in learning. A decreased attention span is one of
the negative effects of gadgets. Before smartphones and tablets were mainstream, the average
attention span was about 12 seconds. However, research suggests this has dropped to about eight
seconds, which is a shorter attention span than an average goldfish. If students struggle to
concentrate in class, their grades may suffer. Research also suggests that people who spend a lot
of time on gadgets may be more easily distracted, meaning it's harder for them to complete
necessary tasks. Students who become addicted to gaming, texting or social media may try to do
this in class, which may disrupt their learning and lead to disciplinary action. At home, it may
interfere with their study time.
In today's digital age, gadgets have become an indispensable part of our lives. From
smartphones and laptops to gaming consoles and smartwatches, these devices have become a
constant companion for many students. However, as much as gadgets have revolutionized the way
we communicate and access information, excessive use of these devices can have harmful effects
on our well-being and ability to achieve our goals. One of the major dangers of excessive gadget
use is that it can lead to addiction. With the endless amount of information and entertainment
available at our fingertips, it is easy to get lost in the virtual world and forget about the real one.
This can lead to decreased focus and attention, making it difficult to concentrate and study. In fact,
studies have shown that excessive screen time can lead to a decline in academic performance and
motivation. Moreover, excessive gadget use can also lead to physical health problems. Sitting in
front of a screen for prolonged periods can cause eye strain, headaches, neck and back pain, and
other physical problems. It can also lead to poor posture, which can have long-term effects on the
body. Furthermore, the blue light emitted from screens can disrupt our sleep patterns, leading to
sleep deprivation and decreased productivity. In addition to its physical effects, excessive gadget
use can also have a negative impact on our mental health. Studies have shown that excessive screen
time can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress. This is because it can interfere with our
ability to connect with others, build meaningful relationships, and participate in activities outside
of the virtual world. (Sanger, 2023)
According to Sara Ali et. al, (2021) overuse of technology might be considered an
addiction. Research has revealed that excessive mobile phone use may be harmful to both physical
and mental health. The user's attachment to their cell phone has developed to the point where they
believe they can't live without it.
Medical research has found that cell phone users are unable to maintain their fitness. For instance,
the results of multiple studies indicate that radiation from cell phones causes migraines, memory
loss, irritation, and hearing and visual issues in addition to the growth of a brain tumor. As Daniel
Darghan Felisoni and Alexandra Strommer Godoi (2018) research stated in colleges and
universities, people use their phones and tablets more frequently—not just in their own time, but
also in class. Research (e.g., Barkley & Lepp, 2013) has demonstrated that these technologies are
largely seen as a leisure tool, not as an educational one, despite the fact that the usage of
technology, especially portable devices, may give a set of tools that could leverage learning.
Hence, it is conceivable that students may be distracted during lectures or activities if smartphones
are often used in class for purposes unrelated to the subject matter (Ophir, Nass, & Wagner, 2009).
This might eventually result in academic underperformance.
According to the research, effects of excessive usage of electronic gadgets during
COVID-19 lockdown on the health of college students: An online cross-sectional study by
Pachiyapan et al., 2021 students now spend more time on their mobile devices due to the extended
lockdown and virtual classes. It is commonly known that excessive use of devices has detrimental
health effects. Long-term usage of a device is linked to a number of negative effects, including
headache, nausea, ophthalmological issues, and psychological consequences. The study tries to
comprehend the variations in technology use time before and during the lockdown and the
resulting health effects.
As explained by the “Effects of excessive mobile device usage on the academic
performance of high school students in a Philippine private school” by Cabacaba, J. P. B., and
Villar, J. J. S. (2018), Almost 200 high school students participated in a survey to learn more about
their use of mobile devices, the activities they engage in with them, and their academic standing.
The findings showed a substantial inverse link between academic performance and excessive
mobile device use. The more time students spend on their mobile devices and on activities like
social networking, texting, and gaming, the worse their academic performance is likely to be. The
results of this study point to the necessity for parents and teachers to restrict students’ use of mobile
devices and encourage higher academic achievement among high school students.
This study aims to look at the connection between high school students' academic
success in the Philippines and their addiction to mobile devices. (Migraso, M. A. 2021). His data
were gathered from 270 high school students using self-report questionnaires and a correlational
study approach. According to the study's findings, high school pupils were significantly dependent
on their mobile devices, and there was a strong negative relationship between that dependence and
academic performance. According to the findings, students who were hooked to mobile devices
performed much worse academically, as seen by their poorer grades and test scores. These findings
emphasize the necessity of tackling mobile device addiction in the educational context, especially
in high schools, in order to encourage students' improved academic performance.
(SYNTHESIS ITEYS) ano ipapalit diteys
Excessive use of Mobile Devices can affect the Academic Performance of some students. As
demonstrated by Täht, K.(2019), excessive use of mobile devices is linked to poor academic
performance. One explanation for this link could be the negative consequences of mobile device
use on memory, attention, sleep, and cognitive function. Other possible reasons include poor time
management and self-control, as well as the possibility for mobile devices to act as a distraction
or promote multitasking when performing academic tasks. Based on Mohammad Saud Alotaibi,
additional study has shown that daily interruptions can affect both productivity related to and
unrelated to work, and that excessive smartphone use can have this effect.
Contrary to what Manoj K. Sanger claims, excessive device use can have negative effects on one's
physical health as long periods of time spent in front of a screen can result in eye strain, headaches,
neck and back pain, and other physical issues. It can also lead to poor posture, which can have
long-term effects on the body. Additionally, the blue light that screens emit has the ability to
interfere with our sleep cycles, resulting in a reduction in productivity and sleep deprivation.
Excessive mobile device use might be harmful to our mental health in addition to our physical
health. Excessive screen usage has been linked to emotions of stress, despair, and anxiety,
according to studies. In a similar vein, Sara Ali (2021) discovered that excessive mobile device
use may qualify as an addiction. According to research, it can also be bad for both physical and
mental health. The user has grown so accustomed to their cell phone that they now feel they cannot
survive without it.
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