Abstract
Historically, the relationship between student academic achievement and use of computers for fun and video gaming has been described from a multitude of perspectives, from positive, to negative, to neutral. However, recent research has indicated that computer use and video gaming may be positively associated with achievement, yet these studies have focused on small intact and qualitative samples. The purpose of the present study is to examine the association between academic achievement in high school and student use of computers for fun and video gaming using the large nationally representative ELS:2002 sample of students in grade 10 in 2002 and an independent effects two-level hierarchical linear model. Our results indicate that both student use of computers for fun and moderate levels of video gaming were positive and significant on cross-sectional reading and mathematics achievement assessments in high school, controlling for multiple covariates of achievement, but were not related to growth in mathematics from grade 10 to grade 12.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson, C. A., Shibuya, A., Ihori, N., Swing, E. L., Bushman, B. J., Sakamoto, A., et al. (2010). Violent video game effects on aggression, empathy, and prosocial behavior in Eastern and Western countries: A meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin, 136(2), 151–173. doi:10.1037/a0018251.
APA. (2005). Resolution on violence in video games and interactive media: American Psychological Association.
Archibald, S. (2006). Narrowing in on educational resources that do affect student achievement. Peabody Journal of Education, 81(4), 23–42.
Attewell, P., & Battle, J. (1999). Home computers and school performance. The Information Society, 15(1), 1–10.
Berland, M., & Lee, V. (2011). Collaborative strategic board games as a site for distributed computational thinking. International Journal of Game-Based Learning, 1(2), 65.
Borzekowski, D. L. G., & Robinson, T. N. (2005). The remote, the mouse and the no. 2 pencil: The household media environment and academic achievement among third grade students. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 159(7), 607–613.
Bowers, A. J. (2009). Reconsidering grades as data for decision making: More than just academic knowledge. Journal of Educational Administration, 47(5), 609–629. doi:10.1108/09578230910981080.
Bowers, A. J. (2011). What’s in a grade? the multidimensional nature of what teacher assigned grades assess in high school. Educational Research and Evaluation, 17(3), 141–159. doi:10(1080/13803611).2011.597112.
Boyd, D. (2008). Why youth (heart) social network sites: The role of networked publics in teenage social life. In D. Buckingham (Ed.), Youth, identity, and digital media (pp. 119–142). Cambridge: MIT Press.
Brand-Gruwel, S., Wopereis, I., & Vermetten, Y. (2005). Information problem solving by experts and novices: Analysis of a complex cognitive skill. Computers and Human Behavior, 21(3), 487–508. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2004.10.005.
Collins, A., & Halverson, R. R. (2009). Rethinking education in the age of technology: The digital revolution and schooling in America. New York: Teachers College.
Ferguson, C. J., & Kilburn, J. (2010). Much ado about nothing: The misestimation and overinterpretation of violent video game effects in Eastern and Western nations: Comment on Anderson et al. (2010). Psychological Bulletin, 136(2), 174–178. doi:10.1037/a0018566.
Forte, A., & Bruckman, A. (2006). From Wikipedia to the classroom: Exploring online publication and learning. In Proceedings of the 7th international conference on learning sciences (pp. 182–188). International Society of the Learning Sciences.
Fuchs, T., & Woessmann, L. (2004). Computers and student learning: Bivariate and multivariate evidence on the availability and use of computers at home and at school. CESifo Working Paper 1321. Munich: CESifo.
Fuchs, T., & Woessmann, L. (2007). What accounts for international differences in student performance? A re-examination using PISA data. Empirical Economics, 32(2), 433–464.
Gee, J. P. (2004). What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan.
Gee, J. P., & Hayes, E. R. (2010). Women and gaming: The Sims and 21st century learning. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Gentile, D. A., Lynch, P. J., Ruh Linder, J., & Walsh, D. A. (2004). The effects of violent video game habits on adolescent hostility, aggressive behaviors, and school performance. Journal of Adolescence, 27, 5–22. doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2003.10.00.
Graham, J. W., Cumsille, P. E., & Elvira, E.-F. (2003). Methods for handling missing data. In I. B. Weiner, J. A. Schinka, & W. F. Velicer (Eds.), Handbook of psychology: Volume 2 Research methods in psychology. New York: Wiley.
Green, C. S., & Bavelier, D. (2003). Action video game modifies visual selective attention. Nature, 423(6939), 534–537.
Hancox, R. J., Milne, B. J., & Poulton, R. (2005). Association of television viewing during childhood with poor educational achievement. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 159(7), 614–618.
Hox, J. (2010). Multilevel analysis: Techniques and applications (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.
Huesmann, L. R. (2010). Nailing the coffin shut on doubts that violent video games stimulate aggression: Comment on Anderson et al. (2010). Psychological Bulletin, 136(2), 179–181. doi:10.1037/a0018567.
Ingles, S. J., Pratt, D. J., Rogers, J. E., Siegel, P. H., Stutts, E. S., & Owings, J. A. (2004). Education longitudinal study of 2002: Base year data file user’s manual. Washington, D.C.: National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Ingles, S. J., Pratt, D. J., Wilson, D., Burns, L. J., Currivan, D., Rogers, J. E., et al. (2007). Education longitudinal study of 2002: Base-year to second follow-up data file documentation. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
Jackson, L. A. (2008). Adolescents and the internet. In D. Romer & P. Jamieson (Eds.), The changing portrayal of American youth in popular media, Annenberg public policy center at the University of Pennsylvania (pp. 377–410). New York: Oxford University Press.
Jackson, L. A., von Eye, A., Biocca, F. A., Barbatsis, G., Zhao, Y., & Fitzgerald, H. E. (2006). Does home internet use influence the academic performance of low-income children? Developmental Psychology, 42(3), 429–435. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.42.3.429.
Jackson, L. A., von Eye, A., Witt, E. A., Zhao, Y., & Fitzgerald, H. E. (2011). A longitudinal study of the effects of Internet use and videogame playing on academic performance and the roles of gender, race and income in these relationships. Computers in Human Behavior, 27(1), 228–239. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2010.08.001.
Jenkins, H. (2006). Fans, bloggers, and gamers: Exploring participatory culture. New York: New York University Press.
Jonassen, D. H., & Kwon, H. (2001). Communication patterns in computer mediated versus face-to-face group problem solving. Educational Technology Research and Development, 49(1), 35–51. doi:10.1007/BF02504505.
Keith, T. Z., Reimers, T. M., Fehrmann, P. G., Pottebaum, S. M., & Aubey, L. W. (1986). Parental involvement, homework, and TV time: Direct and indirect effects on high school achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 78(5), 373.
Klein, S. (2010). Study: Too many video games may sap attention span—Health News—Health.com. Retrieved from http://news.health.com/2010/07/05/video-games-attention-span/.
Kuncel, N. R., Crede, M., & Thomas, L. L. (2005). The validity of self-reported grade point averages, class ranks, and test scores: A meta-analysis and review of the literature. Review of Educational Research, 75(1), 63–83.
Lewis, C., & Fabos, B. (2005). Instant messaging, literacies, and social identities. Reading Research Quarterly, 40(4), 470–501.
Malamud, O., & Pop-Eleches, C. (2008). The effect of computer use on child outcomes. Unpublished Working Paper, The Harris School, The University of Chicago.
McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality is broken: Why games make us better and how they can change the world. New York: The Penguin Press.
Nævdal, F. (2007). Home-PC usage and achievement in English. Computers and Education, 49(4), 1112–1121. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2006.01.003.
NCES. (n.d.). Education longitudinal study of 2002 (ELS:2002), from http://www.nces.ed.gov/surveys/els2002/.
OECD. (2006). Are students ready for a technology-rich world? What PISA studies tell us. Paris: OECD.
Papanastasiou, E. C., Zembylas, M., & Vrasidas, C. (2003). Can computer use hurt science achievement? The USA results from PISA. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 12(3), 325–332. doi:10.1023/A:1025093225753.
Papert, S. (1980). Mindstorms: children, computers, and powerful ideas. New York: Basic Books.
Pew. (2000). Tracking online life: How women use the internet to cultivate relationships with family and friends. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2000/Tracking-Online-Life. Accessed Dec 2011.
Pew. (2005). Digital divisions. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2005/Digital-Divisions.aspx.
Pew. (2006). Internet evolution, internet penetration and impact. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2006/Internet-Penetration-and-Impact.aspx.
Raudenbush, S. W., & Bryk, A. S. (2002). Hierarchical linear models: Applications and data analysis methods (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Raudenbush, S. W., Bryk, A. S., Cheong, Y. F., Congdon, R., & duToit, M. (2011). HLM 7: Hierarchical linear and nonlinear modeling. Lincolnwood: Scientific Software International, Inc.
Rumberger, R. W., & Palardy, G. J. (2005). Test scores, dropout rates, and transfer rates as alternative indicators of high school performance. American Educational Research Journal, 42(1), 3–42.
Schneider, B., Carnoy, M., Kilpatrick, J., Schmidt, W. H., & Shavelson, R. J. (2007). Estimating casual effects: Using experimental and observational designs (report from the Governing Board of the American Educational Research Association Grants Program). Washington, D C: American Educational Research Association.
Southwell, B. G., & Doyle, K. O. (2004). The Good, the Bad, or the Ugly? American Behavioral Scientist, 48(4), 391–401. doi:10.1177/0002764204270277.
SPSS. (2010). SPSS Inc. (Version 19.0): IBM SPSS Inc.
Steinkuehler, C., & Duncan, S. (2008). Scientific habits of mind in virtual worlds. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 17(6), 530–543. doi:10.1007/s10956-008-9120-8.
Strayhorn, T. L. (2009). Accessing and analyzing national databases. In T. J. Kowalski & T. J. Lasley (Eds.), Handbook of data-based decision making in education (pp. 105–122). New York: Routledge.
Subrahmanyam, K., Greenfield, P., Kraut, R., & Gross, E. (2001). The impact of computer use on children’s and adolescents’ development. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 22(1), 7–30.
Sutherland, R., Facer, K., Furlong, R., & Furlong, J. (2000). A new environment for education? The computer in the home. Computers and Education, 34(3–4), 195–212. doi:10.1016/S0360-1315(99)00045-7.
Tabatabai, D., & Shore, B. M. (2005). How experts and novices search the web. Library and Information Science Research, 27(2), 222–248. doi:10.1016/j.lisr.2005.01.005.
Turkle, S. (1995). Life on the screen: Identity in the age of the internet. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Van den Bulck, J. (2004). Television viewing, computer game playing, and Internet use and self-reported time to bed and time out of bed in secondary-school children. Sleep, 27(1), 101–104.
Wilensky, U. (1993). Connected mathematics: Building concrete relationships with mathematical knowledge. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, MIT.
Willoughby, T. (2008). A short-term longitudinal study of Internet and computer game use by adolescent boys and girls: Prevalence, frequency of use, and psychosocial predictors. Developmental Psychology, 44(1), 195–204. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.44.1.195.
Wing, J. M. (2008). Computational thinking and thinking about computing. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 366(1881), 3717–3725.
Wittwer, J., & Senkbeil, M. (2008). Is students’ computer use at home related to their mathematical performance at school? Computers and Education, 50(4), 1558–1571. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2007.03.001.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bowers, A.J., Berland, M. Does recreational computer use affect high school achievement?. Education Tech Research Dev 61, 51–69 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-012-9274-1
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-012-9274-1