A STUDY OF WHY STUDENTS PLAY ELECTRONIC GADGETS DURING LECTURES

A STUDY OF WHY STUDENTS PLAY ELECTRONIC GADGETS DURING LECTURES




DONE BY: CHAN HAN WEN NICHOLAS P0709127
LOH SOK KHIM P0656120
TAN XI LIANG P0614315
SHIRIN CHUA HUI YING` P0627290
NG REN JYE P0632333
CHIA KA WEI EDWIN P0735476
LEONG HWEE YING P0743611



Aim Of Study

The study, titled “why students play electronic gadgets during lectures?” is carried out with the intent of gaining an insight of the “what” and “why” inside the student’ mind when they engage themselves in such conduct.

Ultimately, we hope to find out the answer for the state study. Devise certain guidelines and regulation that Singapore Polytechnic can adopt to prevent such conduct from taking place.

The main research question is divided into 3 sub questions:
a. Why are the games attractive?
b. Why do they choose to play games during lecture?
c. What are the kinds of gadgets that they are attracted to?

Data Collection And Analysis Methods

The research is conducted in Singapore polytechnic. The research took a total of three weeks to complete. The research stretches from 12th July 2008 to 26 July 2008.

The statistics and the way data was collected is stated below:

Interviews are conducted among 15 students from Singapore Polytechnic (SP) who come from different courses and different schools (as in business, design etc). 15 interview questions were asked per interviewee.

The forms of analysis used are as follow:
a) Open Coding. Examples of open coding of an interview are shown in Appendix A to Appendix G respectively.
b) Noting themes, patterns
c) Noting relations between variables
d) Clustering
e) Counting

Findings

The findings for this research are as follows:

7.1 Factors That Student Play Electronic Gadgets During Lectures
The different types of students, lectures and environment are the main causes as to why students play electronic gadgets during lectures. This answers the first and second questions of this study.

7.1.1 Type of Students

For these group of students, they do not intend to listen to lecture as they do not think that it is important or relevant to their study. As the lecture is too dry, the students are more tempted to play the gadgets instead. Typically, the students are easily influence by peers. Not attentive, easily distracted students. The students are too dependent on their lecturer giving tips. On the other hand, there are student who are independent and they prefer to study by their own. These kind of students thinks that they can score better if they study on their own rather than listen to the lecturer. These groups of students are also selfish as they do not care about others students who are attentive and want to learn from the lectures. Another possibility is that some students did not have much of a childhood, and didn’t get to experience the joys of playing, and are making up for it when they are older.

7.1.2 Type of Lecturers

The lecturers usually have monotonous voices, which makes it harder for students to concentrate, adding to the fact that the lesson is already boring to them, thus students want to keep themselves awake and entertained by playing electronic gadgets. It is even worse when lecturers make no attempt to engage the students, and to make them part of the lesson and learning process. They take no action even when they know that the students are not paying attention. This is probably because they are either too tired or cant be bothered, as they have seen this situation too many times.

7.1.3 Environment

Students think that what is wrong may be right because everyone around them is doing it.. Another reason is that gaming can be addictive and a form of relaxation (escapism) from a stressful hectic life or boring lectures. During lectures, students who do not want to listen to the lecture will get their electronic gadgets (eg. Mobile phone, Play Station Portable(PSP), Laptop). They will influence those attentive students to play as well.



7.2 Behavior of Student Who Play Electronic Gadgets During Lectures
There are a few types of behaviors which are common among students who play electronic gadgets during lecture that we can conclude from this study. This answers the second question of this study.

7.2.1 Conformity behaviors
The students involved in this study do state that they are affecting their friends around them in class, and influencing them to play. When interviewees are playing in class, the students sitting around him/her will get affected. Their friend will start to play electronic gadgets together as they see the interviewees play.

7.2.2 Internal attribution
The students who play electronic gadgets during lectures attribute that the student who are affected by them do not have self discipline. They think that it is their lack of self discipline rather then themselves directly affecting them. Besides that, the interviewees also think that the students who want to listen to lectures will stay focused.

7.2.3 Utilitarian attitude
The student will try to hide the electronic gadgets while they are playing to avoid attention from their lecturer. Besides that, the interviewee also assumes that they have gotten approval from their lecturer to play in class.

7.2.4 Ego defensive attitude
The students who play electronic gadgets during lessons have lack of interest and motivation to study. The students are too lazy to bother about the lecturer and try to find ways to entertain themselves (thus playing electronic gadgets).

7.2.5 Value expression attitude
The students refused to listen to the lecturer even after they have been warned. This shows that the students are lack of self-discipline and are defiant. They will prefer to study on their own. The student will request lecturers to post all the notes and important information on blackboard so that they can study before exam.

7.3 Attitude of Student Who Play Electronic Gadgets During Lectures

7.3.1 Killing time
Most students take out their devices usually when they are bored. E.g. during travelling trips and lectures.

7.3.2 Awareness of lecturers
Most lecturers are aware but they do not take action as long as the students involved do not disturb the rest of the class.

7.3.3 Playing with companions
Many of them play with friends as it is more competitive and challenging than playing with AI.

7.3.4 Distracting classmates
They do not bother if their classmates are distracted by them. They probably feel that it is not a cause for concern as it is of their own wish to watch.

7.3.5 Regrets
Most do not regret and would continue to do it. Those who regret did not bother to change their attitude.

7.4 Comments About Playing Electronic Gadgets During Lecture

Comments about playing electronic gadgets during lecture
Number of participants mentioning item (N=7)
Unable to pay attention
2
Interesting to play with friends
4
Will not affect grades
1
Bored, keep him self occupied
5
Keep themselves awake
4
Kill time
3
Lecture not ‘attractive’
2
Attracted / addicted to games
1
Friend influence (peer pressure)
4
Too quiet
1
Lecturer ‘don’t care’
2

7.5 Type of Electronic Gadgets Played By Student During Lectures
This answers the third questions of this study.

Type of electronic gadgets used
Number of participants mentioning item (N=7)
Play station portable (PSP)
4
Hand phone
5
Laptop, computer
3
Nintendo DS
3
MP3
2


8. Conclusion

For all the research and observations, the researcher must fully understand the problem. This provides the most effective and accurate data collection. From this study, the factors that caused students to play electronic gadgets during lectures can be grouped into 3 categories. These 3 categories are type of students, type of lecturers and environment. By knowing these 3 categories, attitude and behavior of students, the lecturers and counselors in school will have a better understanding about their students. After knowing the causes of their students’ behavior, the lecturers can improve their ways and methods of teaching. This helps to solve the problem and increase the efficiency of teaching. From the reflection of students involved in this research, they found that the lecturers are too boring, and that the lectures are a waste of time. This results in them choosing to play electronic gadgets during lecturers. Peer pressure is also a major factor. The students are affected by peers around them and are more willing to cooperate with them.