The Influence of Social Media and Gaming Practices on Perceived Academic Performance in Children

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.