CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The performance of secondary school students in their studies has been poor. Performance of a student often depends on how serious he is with his studies. And this may not be unconnected with the student’s possession of mobile phones, among other distracting factors.

Academic achievement is the outcome of education — the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved their educational goals, academic performance is the ability to study and remember facts and being able to communicate your knowledge verbally or on paper or its how students deal with their studies and how they copy with or accomplish different tasks given to them by their teachers.

A mobile phone (also called mobile cellular telephone, or cell ) is an electronic device used for two-way radio telecommunication over a cellular network of base stations known as cell sites. The origin of mobile phones can be traced back to the late forties (1940s). The concept of the mobile phone was developed from the innovation of a radio used in a taxicab, police-cabs, ambulances and other vehicles that used two-way radio to communicate with one another or a main headquarters. In 1960’s mobile phone technology was available, but the ‘catch’ was that the mobile user had to stay within a certain broadcast area.

We are now in the third generation mobile phone which we can use our phones to do many things, for example: text messaging, internet and making calls any wherein the world. Mobile phones have changed the way we live our lives and to many the prospect of a world without voice calling, text messaging and mobile internet access is an unsetting one.

According to Shreiner (2012) cell phones present new opportunities and challenges for students. Along with their books and school supplies, many students make their trip to school with their mobile phone. The presence of cell phone provides a host of options and challenges for today’s students.

Mobile phones can be a helpful academic tool, or a hurtful academic disruption depending upon the attitude and use pattern of the student owner.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In the recent past, it has been observed that there has been a serious decline in academic performance of students in the senior secondary school external examinations. The trend affects the teachers as well as parents who bear the financial responsibilities of the students. Part of the blame (for poor performance) has been laid on the door of mobile phone usage.  There are a number of negative and unhealthy impacts and effects of mobile phone on students’ performance. According to Ansari (2004), these include   the wastage of time and money, its vibration and use may be harmful to health.

With cell phones, cheating has turned high. Students can text answers to tests, take pictures of tests or search the internet for answers. Despite rules about cell phones, students still use them during school hour . Some teachers give zero to any student caught with a phone during an examination. According to (Watson 2006), many assume that the students are cheating if they have cell phone during a test.

In view of this, stakeholders in education are worried by the danger that the poor performance of students poses. Indeed, they are concerned that the future of this great nation is at stake. This study will, therefore; investigate the effects of mobile phone usage on academic performance of secondary school students in Kosofe L.G.A of Lagos State.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of studying the effects of mobile phone usage on  stakeholders in education specifically, they study will try.

i.             To determine the extent to which mobile phone usage in the classroom affects students’ academic performance.

ii.           To identify the effect of mobile phone on students learning

iii.          To examine the gender differences in the use of mobile phone.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The study is meant to answer the following research questions:

i.             How far can mobile phone usage affect students’ academic performance?

ii.           To what extent does the use of mobile phone affect students’ learning?

iii.          In what way does gender affect the use of mobile phone?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

i.             Students’ academic performance is not significantly related to mobile phone usage.

ii.           There is no significant relationship between students’ use of mobile phones and their learning.

iii.          There will be no significant gender difference in students’ use of mobile phone.

1.6   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Improved academic performance has a tremendous value on educational system of any nation. This research would therefore be of great assistance to educational administrators, students and parents as well. The findings of this study would be of value in the sense that it would:

i.             Foster restricting of mobile phones due to its effects on their academic performance.

ii.           Enable parents to be informed on the consequences of mobile phones during school hour.

iii.          Enable students to understand how mobile technology can be used for learning.

iv.          Clear the doubts of the government about the ban of mobile phones use among secondary school students.

1.7 LIMITATION OF STUDY

The study was constrained by time, finance and mobility. The study covered only four secondary schools in Kosofe local Government Area of Lagos State.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

·        Academic performance: is the outcome of education — the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved their educational goals.

·        Mobile phone: This is a telephone that does not have wires and works by radio that people carry about and use everywhere.

·        Learning: This is the acquisition of knowledge.

·        Information and communication Technology (ICT):  It refers to the set of tools that students use to process and communicate data.

1.9 DELIMITATION/SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covered some randomly selected students and teachers of four schools within Kosofe Local Government Area.

These include:

i.Muslim High School Oworonshoki

ii.Ogudu grammar school, Ojota

iii.Ifako comprehensive college

iv.Intel Westend college Oworo  

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