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The Daily OrangeGames v. Grades
Father-son research team proves video games lower students' academic performance
By Zack Waldman
Posted: 9/24/07, 9:41 PM EST Section: News
The Stinebrickners kept track of 210 randomly selected students in Berea's first semester in 2000 and 2001 through time-use diaries. The diaries, which were collected four times during the two-year span, were used to record how much time students spent sleeping, studying, attending classes and pursuing other activities, according to an article about the study in USA Today.
The presence of a video game console showed no noticeable effect on other distractions from study time, such as students' class attendance, partying, study efficiency or paid employment. However, there was a serious dip in time spent studying for those students whose roommate brought a console. Stinebrickner said that one can accurately attribute the lower grades of such students to less time spent studying.
"The main point is that a student should be efficient with his or her time," Stinebrickner said. "If a student can sneak in a little extra study time, research shows that that can go a long way."
Because the Stinebrickners' original driving force behind the survey project was to investigate why students stay in school and, conversely, why they don't, he also realizes that video games can have a positive contribution.
"I'm not saying video games should be banned. A lot of the things that make students happy also happen to hurt their study time," he said. "Having said that, you can't take away all entertaining hobbies from a student or there's a good chance you'll lose them."
If nothing else, the Stinebrickners' study mathematically confirms what parents, teachers and school administrators have been preaching for years: Studying helps.
The presence of a video game console showed no noticeable effect on other distractions from study time, such as students' class attendance, partying, study efficiency or paid employment. However, there was a serious dip in time spent studying for those students whose roommate brought a console. Stinebrickner said that one can accurately attribute the lower grades of such students to less time spent studying.
"The main point is that a student should be efficient with his or her time," Stinebrickner said. "If a student can sneak in a little extra study time, research shows that that can go a long way."
Because the Stinebrickners' original driving force behind the survey project was to investigate why students stay in school and, conversely, why they don't, he also realizes that video games can have a positive contribution.
"I'm not saying video games should be banned. A lot of the things that make students happy also happen to hurt their study time," he said. "Having said that, you can't take away all entertaining hobbies from a student or there's a good chance you'll lose them."
If nothing else, the Stinebrickners' study mathematically confirms what parents, teachers and school administrators have been preaching for years: Studying helps.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 2
Jack
posted 6/05/08 @ 12:34 PM EST
You fail, stop reporting irrelivent subjects. Interactive Entertainment is by choice. So please shut the hell up! Thank you.
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