The aim of our presentation is to investigate the effect of use video games on academic performance. For this, we will present two articles that seem interesting. First, we will present you an article of Novak and Tassell (2015) on this topic. The researchers wanted to investigate whether playing video-games could improve mathematical performances in educational-majors’, that have usually a lot of troubles with their math exams and mathematical anxiety. The researchers supposed a possible improvement in mathematical performances thanks to action video games. In order to investigate their hypothesis, they conducted two experiments. They first conducted one control experiment where half of the participants were AVGers and the other half were non-AVGers. All the participants completed the following assessments: working memory, mathematics performance test and a math anxiety measure. The results showed that AVG players have on average better cognitive skills than non-AVGers. So the researchers decided to go further and investigate if playing AVG could be beneficial for non-AVG players in order to have better mathematical performances. They presumed there is a link between working memory and mathematical performances, and by increasing working memory by playing AVG, participants would have better math results. About this article, the researchers couldn’t prove with the data elicited in the present experiments a cause-to-effect relationship between working memory and mathematical performance. They found as a result a better performance in working memory no matter the type of game the participants played, however their math performances and math anxiety didn’t vary that significantly.
Now, for our topic, we think that our article shed light on how video-games could possibly help students have better performances, at least in math-related subjects. AVG as well as some non AVG helped the participants have better working memory performance and, and might maybe help them have better mathematical results, but further researches on the topic are needed. So, now, we will focus about the link between the use video games and scores at GPA (=average) and SAT. Anand (2007) led a study that we will present. Firstly, researchers selected students randomly among 5 colleges of New-York. This study include 245 participants. Researchers distribued a survey to fill by participants. This survey measure how people manage their time in a day of typical week. Ask questions about titles and types of favorite video games ; scores at SAT and GPA and we ask to do list of number of hours spent doing homeworks, look television and surf to internet. Participant’s responses analysed and linking with academic performances and video games use.
For results, we observe negative correlation between the video games use and score at GPA, that means more time is spent playing video games increases, more the score GPA is low. The time spent to play video games influence performances about scores at SAT and math SAT. The article shows a correlation between score at SAT and the video games use. A peak is observed at four and half hours per day. That means that to play this time per day or less doesn’t have an influence on score at SAT and play more four and half hours at video game lead to a fall to score at SAT. Same for the score at math SAT after four and half hours per day to play video games, performances decreases whereas to play video games less than four and half hours has no impact on the performances at score at math SAT. Moreover, SAT and GPA score’s are independent. The score at GPA is not good indicator at SAT score’s and inversly. Contrary to precedent study, this article demonstrates a negative impact of video games use. This study suggest that play video games influence scores at GPA and SAT. Indeed, would have a correlation between the time spent to play video game and academic performances. However, the SAT is a particular test because he measures general knowledge at a given time. The score GPA is more reliable because it’s a continuous measure of academic performances.
In conclusion, we can note that these two articles do not go in the same direction. The first article suggests a link between the working memory and the use of video-games. The second article was highlighted that to play to video games more than four and a half hours per day, decrease our academic performance. About studies, we reveal several limits like games chosen, short play session, small sample and type of experience for example.
Vocabulary :
Improvement : amelioration
A survey : une enquête
A peak : un pic
To highlight : souligner
Reliable : fiable
Novak, E., & Tassell, J. (2015). Using video game play to improve education-majors’ mathematical performance: An experimental study. Computers in Human Behavior, 53, 124-130.
Anand, V. (2007). A Study of Time Management: The Correlation between Video Game Usage and Academic Performance Markers. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 10(4), 552-559
Jessica Kozlowski, Estelle Mexique