The Effect Of Computer Games On Students Achievements Essay Examples

Abstract

Playing computer games has become one of the primary leisure activities for students. This paper presents the effect of computer games on students’ achievements. It will investigate how computer games negatively and positively affect the performance of students and come out with a proper solution for the problem. Playing computer games has become a part and parcel of most students, and it is imperative to determine its relationship to their academic achievement. Even though according to some research computer games assist students in their learning, it is obvious that, these games are associated with their poor performance and not doing their homework. Therefore, this research will prove that, computer games, negatively affect our students achievements than it positively does. Playing computer games has harmful effects on the students’ performance and achievement.

Introduction

Technology is taking over all the young people because of its advancement. Over the years, technology, especially the internet has completely changed the landscape of electronic media and the lives of our youth. Today, most students have unprecedented access to computers, both at home and at school. Due to the interactive electronic media, most college students spend most of their time playing computer games, especially during their leisure time, instead of studying. Today, computer games have become a culture of most college students, and this fascination has brought fear and anxiety among educators and parents. Hence, there are mixed reactions on whether computer games positively or negatively affects students’ performance because both educators and parents are faced with a dilemma. Students are exposed to a number of media in their daily lives and controlling it has become a problem. Therefore, because of excessive computer gaming, these computer games are negatively affecting their school performance. Computer games are hazardous to students because they are times wasters that affect students’ performance, as well as their social behavior. Therefore, I am against computer games for students because they affect their development, school performance, and achievements. In addition, they are a meaningless form of entertainment that is not beneficial to our students; therefore, it is a waste of time. Another basis as to why computer games should be banned among students is that, they are addictive, and learners spend most of their time playing them instead of studying. Some of the reason of playing games and their effects has been highlighted on graphs and table section courtesy of a study carried out by Abdurahman et al. (2014)

Effects of Computer Games

Negative Effects
Proponents argue that, playing computer games is not connected to the poor results from students. They add that, students need to play during their leisure time to refresh their brains. However, it is evident that, playing computer games is connected with the poor performance of our students in schools. Most students spend time playing computer games, and they forget to study. Therefore, computer games have a number of effects on students’ negative effects on their school achievement. For instance, students who are deeply involved in computer games tend to ignore their studies. In addition, most of them can end up skipping classes, and this leads to poor grades in class. Therefore, in order to make a promising future for our children, we should limit their time of playing computer games and help them focus on studying. Even though proponents argue that, children can be encouraged to spend a little time playing helpful games. This is misleading because, at times, parents are not at home to monitor the time they are spending on their computers and the types of games they play. Therefore, this is not working, and the only way to help our students is to ban computer games both at home and in our schools.
According to Weis and Cerankosky, there is an increase of video game playing in our campuses today. (2010). Most college students opt to play computer games during their free time, instead of studying or getting involved in physical activities. For college students, computer games are their primary means of entertainment, and this is taking most of their time, thus affecting their overall academic achievement. Students spend many hours stuck on their computers just playing games instead of studying (Weis and Cerankosky, 2010). If computer games are restricted or banned in school, this valuable time students spend playing computer games can be dedicated to studying.
A study done on students who spend most of their time on video games reveal that, it affects their academic performance in school (Anderson and Dill, 2000). It shows that, students at least spend nearly three-quarters of their leisure time playing computer games. In addition, most of these students never do their homework because, they spend their homework time playing, and they totally forget about it. Students who played computer games never did their homework, but those who avoided computer games completed their homework. Computer games dominate many students’ lives until they never take their schoolwork and homework seriously. Therefore, it is important to discourage computer games among students so as to save them from poor grades and to allow them time to do their homework and study.
Violent computer games have adverse psychological effects on our students. For instance, students who are fond of playing violent computer games end up becoming aggressive, or they become very violent to the people around them. It happens because, they are exposed to a lot of violence while playing the games, and they always wish to do it practically with their peers. According to Anderson and Dill, violent computer games are associated with aggressiveness in our youth (2000). Students who play more violent computer games are more likely to have increased violent and aggressive behaviors, which affects their social life and academic performance (Anderson & Bushman, 2001). Therefore, it is important for both teachers and parents to monitor the types of computer games our children play and even put a restriction on their computers. If our children are continuously exposed to violent video games or allowed to play these computer games, then there is a leeway that they will develop aggressive and violent behaviors to those around them. This is possible because most computer games are violent games, and those are the games our youth enjoy. Violent computer games increase the risks of violence and aggressiveness in our students, and this adversely affects their learning.

Positive Effects

On the other hand, proponents of computer games argue that, computer games have a positive influence on students’ learning and achievement. According to them, when students continuously interact with the digital media, they can gain cognitive and attention skills that will help in their learning. If the content displayed in the computer games is affirmative, then it will positively affect the students’ learning. Coller and Shernoff note that, students can get positive results from video games, and this can help them with their learning thus improve their performance (2009).
Moreover, they argue that, there are a number of computer games that can help students in their learning process. Therefore, if parents and educators encourage students to start playing these kinds of computer games; they will help them in the learning process, thus positively impacting their performance. While playing computer games, students can enhance their level of understanding, and this will help them during studying. Most people argue that games are there for entertainment alone; however, these computer games can enhance our students’ learning experience and make their understanding simple. In fact, most educators have turned on computer games in order to improve the performance of their students (Coller and Shernoff, 2009). Most teachers feel that, video games helps students foster a positive attitude to learning because they help them concentrate.
Nonetheless, their arguments are overblown because, it is obvious that, if students spend most of their free time on any other activity other than studying, their overall school performance is affected. Furthermore, according to Hastings et al. students should not spend a majority of their leisure time on computer games because they are addictive, and this will affect their school achievements. (2009).Therefore, it is essential for parents and educators to monitor the time students spend on their computers playing games in order to boost their academic achievements. Computer games are addictive just like smoking and drinking alcohol; therefore, it is a high time that we should save our children from this addiction before it adversely affects their education.
Even though a number of researchers have produced little evidence on the positive impacts of computer games on our students’ performance, there are notable positive effects on our students’ performance. For instance, there are educational computer games that are associated with numerical and finding words, for instance, Reader Rabbit) and Math Blaster (Coller and Shernoff, 2009). When students play such computer games, they are able to do their homework and exams without any problems because; they learn how to do it faster through these games. Hence, they argue that, the effects of computer games on our student’s school attainment depend on the contents of the games and how long they spend their time on the computer. It should be noted that, most computer games are violent games, and most students love playing violent games, and if given a chance to play educative games, they will never accept. A good number of students enjoy the violence displayed in the computer games, and that is why they are addicted to these computer games, other than their books. Computer games have become indispensable in this era, and they have proved to be deleterious to whoever latches onto them. Therefore, before our youth are eaten up by this growing modern technology, let us save them before it is too late. The contents in computer games have become more and more violent, and this is a threat to the future of our youth because they might expose them to violent behavior, and this will adversely affect their school performance.

Conclusion

In conclusion, due to the advancement of technology, most of our students spend their leisure time glued on computers playing computer games. It is apparent that, the present age group is obsessed with computer games as a form of entertainment more than their studies. Therefore, the obsession with computer games for our students is associated with their poor performance at school as is evident on graph 3. Nevertheless, it should be well known that, aside from the negative effects of computer games on students, these games also positively impact these students’ performance and learning. According to many studies done on computer and video games, it is obvious that, a good number of students waste their free time playing computer games, and this is adversely affecting their overall academic performance in school. In each study, it is clear that, every American student spends at least one-third of his/her day on an electronic media playing some games. Due to this, they are exposed to all types of games including violent computer games, which psychologically affect them. Even though video games affect our students’ performance, they remain a part of college students and their culture. It is vital for the students, teachers, and the parents to understand the positive and negative effects of computer games in order to offer some guidance to our students, especially those in college. Proponents argue that, computer games are linked to both positive and negative effects, so before banning them in our schools or homes, we should look at the brighter side. Nonetheless, although it is important to look at the positive side of computer games, excessive gaming should be stopped because; it can affect the social and academic performance of our college students. In essence, computer games are addictive, and they negatively affect the student’s performance and achievement. Therefore, there is a need to review the time students should spend on computer games in order to eliminate poor academic performance and achievement.

References

Abdurahman et Al. (2014). Effects of Playing Online Videogames to the Academic Performance
of the First Year College Students of Manila Tytana College. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/9649411/EFFECTS_OF_PLAYING_ONLINE_VIDEOGAMES_TO_THE_ACADEMIC_PERFORMANCE_OF_THE_FIRST_YEAR_COLLEGE_STUDENTS_OF_MANILA_TYTANA_COLLEGES_A._Y._2013-2014
Coller, B. D., & Shernoff, D. J. (2009). Video game based education in mechanical engineering:
A look at student engagement. International Journal of Engineering Education, 308-317.
Hastings, E. C., Karas, T. L., Winsler, A., Way, E., Madigan, A., Tyler, S. (2009). Young
children’s video game/computer game use: Relations with school performance and behavior. Issues Ment Health Nurs. 30(10):638-49.
Weis, R. and Cerankosky, B. C. (2010). Effects of video-game ownership on young boys'
academic and behavioral functioning: a randomized, controlled study. Psychol Sci. 21(4):463-70.
Anderson, C. A., & Dill, K. E. (2000). Video games and aggressive thoughts, feelings, and
behavior in the laboratory and in life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78(4):772-790.

Graph 3. Respondents whose video games had an effect on their performance.