Chapter І

Introduction

І. Background of the study

Online games refer to games that are played over some form of computer network, most often

the Internet. Online games can range from simple text-based games to games incorporating complex

graphics and virtual worlds populated by many players simultaneously. Online gaming can refer to

any type of game that someone can play through the internet or over a computer network. Most of the

time, online gaming refers to the video games played over the internet, where multiple players are in

different locations around the world. In most cases, online games are freeware programs that can be used

for an unlimited time and are available for free. Most percentage of web games available nowadays is

written in Flash, Shockwave and Java languages. Because of that, they feature more primitive game play

than downloadable games.

“Addiction” is an overuse, which can adversely affect your daily routine. And there is a sense of urgency

when one does not do his or her own behavior. An individual's day may seem incomplete if he or she

does not do so well. “Online Games Addiction” has a devastating effect on a person's health. Because so

many young people nowadays, they neglect themselves because of their hobbies

According to the DSM-IV (the current manual for classifying emotional, psychological, and mental

disorders), Although there have been warnings from some mental health professionals (and parents) to

recognize computer game addiction as a ""real"" disorder, it has not been officially stated as a status. As

more research on the effects of excessive gaming is conducted, many believe that it is only a matter of

time before computer game addiction will turn out very similar to gambling addiction. Because there is

no official diagnosis of computer game addiction, there is obviously no universally agreed upon list of

symptoms. Psychologists and other mental health professionals initially adapted the diagnostic criteria
for gambling addiction and used this as an assessment tool for digital game addiction and mania. This

classification approach it isn’t used much today and for better or for worse, it is essentially up to the

individual researcher or clinician to define the symptoms of gaming addiction.

As in any situation where new technology is introduced, the social impact of the Internet is being looked

at. one social problem that has been observed is that the Internet Cafe has become mainly game centres.

About one-half to two-thirds of the computers in a typical Internet Cafe, according to one study, are

devoted to games -violent and gory games. The use of the remaining computers was roughly split

between browsing, email, online chat, word processing and research. The Internet Cafes have become

not just game centres. They are becoming centres off addiction among the youth, mostly boys, including

elementary school pupils. According to one concerned Internet Cafe entrepreneur, Internet Cafes are

seducing youths to a new form of addiction, one which may not destroy their bodies as drugs do, but

which is certainly twisting their minds. To the young play is reality and reality is play. (Maslog

C. (1998) Internet and social issues, Philippine Communication Today, Quezon City: New Day

Publishers)

Online gaming has emerged as a popular and successful source of entertainment and play for people of

all ages, especially for the students. It refers to the games that are played over some forms of computer

network, typically on the internet. These games are played online, in which you can connect with

multiple players. It is normally platform independent, relying on the web browser and appropriate plug-

in.

II. Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study provides limitations regarding the young people who play Online Games and what impact it

has on their Academic Performance and Daily life. Researchers, however, We want to conduct a survey
about the impact of playing Online Games. The respondents were fifty students from the Saint Lawrence

the Deacon Academy Grades seven to ten.

III. Significance of the Study

This study will help the students have an insight on the impact of online games towards their academic

performance.

To the Parents, it will serve as basis to help share with other parents the information about certain games

or ideas to help each other in parenting. Also it will help them understand the behaviour and study habit

of their children when they are engaged into such activity.

IV. Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to know the impacts of online gaming among the Grade 7 and Grade 10 students in

Saint Lawrence The Deacon Academy.

The research wanted to answer the following questions:

What are the demographic profiles of the respondents in terms of:

a. Frequency of playing online games b. Average time span of playing online games

c. Length of period of playing online games -since (they’ve started)

2. How does playing online games affect the academic performance of the students in relation with:

a. Class Participation b. Number of Hours spent in Studying

c. Frequency of Absences in Class

3.Is there significant relationship between playing online games and academic performance of the

student
V. Research questions

This research contains "The Impact of online games on SLDA grade students: Grade Seven to Grade

Ten".

Why Are They So Addicted?

How opinions and attitudes are formed during playing online games?

How people are affected by the events in online gaming?

Definition of Terms:

Academic Performances -is measured by taking written and oral tests, performing presentations, turning

in homework and participating in class activities and discussions. Teachers evaluate in the form of letter

or number grades and side notes, to describe how well a student has done.

Addiction- a strong inclination to do, use, or indulge in something repeatedly

Internet- an electronic communications network that connects computer network and organizational

computer facilities.

Game Addiction- is an excessive or compulsive use of computer games or videogames, which interferes

with a person’s everyday life.

Gamer - is a person who plays a game or games, typically a participant in a computer or role-playing

game.

Video games- an electronic games in which players control images on a video screen.

Online Game- is any game that is played online, based online, or has a majority of its content gameplay

online.
 Chapter II

Related Literature and Studies

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1Online Games/Video Games

Playing video games is often associated in our society with poor academic performance. This

anecdotal idea is supported by some research. A 2000 study found a negative correlation between GPA

and time spent playing video games (Anderson & Dill, 2000). The correlation was relatively small. Time

alone accounted for a  4% variance in GPA, yet the findings are significant. However, several older

studies contend that the results of research have been mixed. A 1997 study suggests that 6there is no

clear causal relationship between video game playing and academic performance ( Emes, 1998, p.413.)

It goes on to say that the research is “Sparse and contradictory” (Emes, 1998, p.413.)

The effect that interactive digital media has on the learning process is not completely negative. It

is not that the medium itself is inherently flawed, but much of the information that gets transmitted

through it may be. As was noted in a 2008 study on media attention and cognitive abilities, “Content

appears to be Crucial” (Schmidt & Vanderwater, 2008, p. 63. If the content being consumed is positive,

then positive results can be expected. If the content is negative, then negative results can be expected.

The study examined research from many sources in arriving at this conclusion.

2.2Student Engagement and Sociological effects

Research on the social effects of video games is also mixed (Allison, Wahlde, Shockley,

Gabbard, 2006). Some studies have found that video games are similar to addictions such as gambling

which create negative social effects. Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs)

have been called “heroinware” because they are “Simultaneously competitive and highly social” mixed
(Allison, Wahlde, Shockley, Gabbard, 2006). Other studies have noted positive aspects of the

games such as the ability to experiment with aspects of individual identity which do not come out in

public. MMORPGs have been criticized for hampering academic and job performance. The FCC has

specifically accused World of Warcraft, one of the most popular games, as leading to college dropouts

(Somaiya 2009). Students can become obsessed with these games and become disengaged from schools,

friends, and life in general. Video games can also have positive social effects. One measure of this

which has significant research is that of prosocial behavior. Prosocial behavior is defined as when one

person acts to help another. While research on this topic is mixed, there is evidence that games which

focus on prosocial behavior lead to prosocial results (Schie & Wiegman, 1997)

2.3Intelligence Benefits

 According to All Academic Research, playing computer games may not be all that bad for your

children. Peng Wei states that educational games can be effective assisting tools in the educational areas

of management, medicine and science. If you choose the right educational computer games, your child

may learn better problem solving-skills and eye-hand coordination. Your child may also get the ability

to think fast and think of multiple things all at once. Skills obtained from playing computer games may

help your child learn quickly when it comes to his studies. If your child is struggling in one of his school

subjects, there are many educational computer games available for him. There are math and reading

related games that may help boost your child’s skills. These games can be both fun and educational

for your children.

2.4Positive Effects of Video Games

When your child plays video games, it gives his brain a real workout. In many video games, the

skills required to win involve abstract and high level thinking. These skills are not even taught at

school. some of the mental skills enhanced by video games include following instructions, problem
solving and logic . (When a child plays a game such as The Incredible Machine, Angry Birds or Cut The

Rope, he trains his brain to come up with creative ways to solve puzzles and other problems in short

bursts), Hand-eye coordination, fine motor and spatial skills. In shooting games, the character may

be running and shooting at the same time. This requires the real-world player to keep track of the

position of the character, where he/she is heading, his speed, where the gun is aiming, if the gunfire is

hitting the enemy, and so on. All these factors need to be taken into account, and then the player must

then coordinate the brain’s interpretation and reaction with the movement in his hands and fingertips.

This process requires a great deal of eye-hand coordination and visual-spatial ability to be

successful. Research also suggests that people can learn iconic, spatial, and visual attention skills from

video games. There have been even studies with adults showing that experience with video games is

related to better surgical skills. Also, a reason given by experts as to why fighter pilots of today are more

skillful is that this generation’s pilots are being weaned on video games. Planning, resource management

and logistics. The player learns to manage resources that are limited, and decide the best use of

resources, the same way as in real life.  

  Quick thinking, making fast analysis and decisions. Sometimes the player does this almost every

second of the game giving the brain a real workout. According to researchers at the University of

Rochester, led by Daphne Bavelier, a cognitive scientist, games simulating stressful events such as those

found in battle or action games could be a training tool for real-world situations. The study suggests that

playing action video games primes the brain to make quick decisions. Video games can be used to train

soldiers and surgeons, according to the study importantly, decisions made by action-packed video game

players are no less accurate. According to Bavelier, “Action game players make more correct decisions

per unit time. If you area surgeon or you are in the middle of a battlefield, which can make all the

difference. Accuracy Action games, according to a study by the University of Rochester, train the

players brain to make faster decisions without losing accuracy. In today’s world, it is important to move
luckily without sacrificing accuracy. Strategy and anticipation Steven Johnson, author of Everything

Bad is Good For You: How Today’s Popular Culture is Actually Making Us Smarter, calls this

“telescoping”. The gamer must deal with immediate problems while keeping his long-term goals on his

horizon. Situational awareness Defense News reported that the Army include videogames to train

soldiers to improve their situational awareness in combat. Many strategy games also require the player

to become mindful of sudden situational changes in the game and adapt accordingly. Developing reading

and math skills The young gamer reads to get instructions, follow storylines of games, and get

information from the game texts. Also, using math skills is important to win in many games that

involves quantitative analysis like managing resources. Perseverance In higher levels of a game, the

player usually fails the first time around, but he keeps on trying until he succeeds and move on to the

next level. Pattern recognition Games have internal logic in them, and the player figures it out by

recognizing patterns. Estimating skills. Inductive reasoning and hypothesis testing James Paul Gee,

professor of education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says that playing a video game is similar

to working through a science problem. Like a student in a laboratory, the gamer must come up with

a hypothesis. For example, the gamer must constantly try out combinations of weapons and powers to

use to defeat an enemy. If one does not work, he changes hypothesis and try the next one. Videogames

are goal-driven experiences, says 3ee, which are fundamental to learning. Mapping – (The gamer use in-

game maps or build maps on his head to navigate around virtual worlds). Memory-Playing first person

shooter games such as Call of Duty and Battlefield series enables the player to effectively judge what

information should be stored in his working memory and what can be discarded considering the task at

hand, according to a study published in the Psychological Research. Concentration, 5 study

conducted by the Appalachia Educational Laboratory reveal that children with attention-deficit disorder

who played Dance I evolution improve their reading scores by helping them concentrate

Improved ability to rapidly and accurately recognize visual information A study from Beth Israel

Medical Center NY, found a direct link between skill at video

 

gaming and skill at keyhole, or laparoscopic, surgery. Reasoned judgments, Taking risks-Winning in any

game involves a player’s courage to take risks. Most games do not reward players who play safely. How

to respond to challenges, How to respond to frustrations, How to explore and rethink goals, Teamwork

and cooperation when played with others Many multiplayer games such as Team Fortress 2 involve

cooperation with other online players in order to win. These games encourage players to make the most

of their individual skills to contribute to the team. According to a survey by Joan Ganz Cooney

Center, teachers report that their students become better collaborators after using digital games in

the classroom. Management - Management simulation games such as Rollercoaster Tycoon and Zoo

tycoon teach the player to make management decisions and manage the effective use of finite resources.

Other games such as Age of Empires and Civilization even simulate managing the course of a

civilization. Simulation, real world skills. The most well-known simulations are flight simulators, which

attempt to mimic the reality of flying a plane. All of the controls, including airspeed, wing angles,

altimeter, and soon, are displayed for the player, as well as a visual representation of the world, and are

updated in real time.

2.5 Computer Game Addiction

Because there is no official diagnosis of computer game addiction, there is obviously no

universally agreed upon list of symptoms. Psychologists and other mental health professionals initially

adapted the diagnostic criteria for gambling addiction and used this as a rough assessment tool for

computer game addiction. This classification approach is rarely used today and for better or for worse, it

is essentially up to the individual researcher or clinician to define the symptoms of computer addiction.

Still, there are some signs and behaviors that are almost always included in definitions of computer

addiction, such as: Significant interference with school, work, or relationships. Often avoiding other

commitments in order to keep playing, Frequently turning down social invitations in favor of gaming,
Using most or all of one’s free time for gaming, Regularly playing late into the night and which results

in poor sleep habits, Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities, Regular gaming ‘binges” of 8

hours or more nonstop.

(https://www.academia.edu/23474972/THE_EFFECTS_OF_ONLINE_GAMING_TOWARDS_THE_ACADEMI

C_PERFORMANCE_OF_SELECTED_GRADE_10_STUDENTS?auto=download)

Chapter III

Methodology

Design of Learning

This research was conducted according to the design of the survey methodology. Attempts to
describe and evaluate the study of Online Games Addiction Among Saint Lawrence the Deacon
Academy (SLDA).

Local to Study

This research was conducted at the Academy of the San Lorenzo Deacon in the Town of Bangui,
Ilocos Norte. The Saint Lawrence the Deacon Academy is a private Secondary school with 120 students.
Of the120 students of the Academy of the San Lorenzo Deacon 30% of the students were selected to
answer the questions.

Instrument of Learning

This study was conducted by survey. Researchers prepared a questionnaire to find out the
students’ views of Saint Lawrence the Deacon Academy regarding Online Games Addiction Among
Saint Lawrence the Deacon Academy (SLDA)students

The Results of this study were analysed and printed