The Influence of Social Media and Gaming Practices on Perceived Academic
Performance in Children
Abstract
Although mobile technology has served society with endless opportunities
and can be seen as one of the greatest inventions to date, it is
possible that it has influenced academic performance among children. The
present descriptive qualitative study explored the influence of social
media and gaming practices on perceived academic performance of
children. In this initial study, the researchers examined how elementary
school children ages 8-11 described their social media and online gaming
practices and influence on their academic performance.
Distraction-conflict theory was used to explain that online
behaviours create distraction for children and their attention to
academics. The current research sample consisted of 28 8–11-year-old
students who completed a questionnaire which included demographic,
true/false, multiple choice and open-ended questions focusing on the
influence of social media and gaming practices on their academic
performance. In addition, 9 one-on-one interviews were conducted,
transcribed, and analysed using Clark and Braun’s thematic analysis
approach. The emerging themes include Student self-agency with
social media and Gaming, Significance of overuse of social media
and video games and Academic values and expectations in the
household reflected in student behaviours and academic outcomes. The
data suggest children ages 8-11 spend hours each day using social media
and/or playing video games and become highly distracted from schoolwork
which may affect academic performance. Understanding the influence that
social media and gaming has on children’s academics can provide
information for digital parenting and in school guidance from
educators.