Relationship of Computer Usage Time and academic achievement among elementary school senior graders

• Main Authors: Yung-Yi Yen, 顏永義
• Other Authors: Po-Wen Ku
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/60395275531797268096

碩士 === 國立彰化師範大學 === 運動健康研究所 === 98 === Purpose: An increasing body of literature showed that physical inactivity is negatively associated with school performance. It is still equivocal whether the screen-based sedentary behavior, such as computer use, is related to school achievement. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between time spent on computers and academic achievement in elementary school children. The consistency of the relationships across different genders and subjects were also examined. Methods: Data was collected through two schools in Chang-Hua County (n=401, boy=191), from the first semester of the 2009 academic year with a six-month follow-up interval. Academic achievement (outcome) was the total scores in the end of the second semester of the 2009 academic year. The time of computer use (exposure) was assessed based on the two items: ‘How many hours did you spend using computer on an average school day?’ and the time spent on an average weekend last week. The time for computer use was divided into ‘< 1 hour’ , ‘1-2 hours’, ‘2-3 hours’, ‘3+ hours’. One-way ANOVA was adopted for investigating the relations of various correlates with academic achievement. Then, gender, intelligence quotient, cardiopulmonary fitness level, mother’s and father’s educational levels, family structure, and numbers of home computers were included as covariates in subsequent analyses. Hierarchical multiple regression was then performed for estimating the association of computer use on the subsequent academic achievement. The model was conducted again stratified by genders and subjects, including Mandarin, Mathematics, English, Social Studies, and Science. Results: With multivariate adjustments, the final regression model showed that students who spent two or more hours per day on computers had poorer academic achievement (2-3 hours: B= -3.41, p=0.01, 3+ hours: B= -4.19, p=0.01) compared with those who spent less than 1 hour (reference). Similar results were only observed in boys rather then in girls. The inverse associations of time spent on computers with school performance were identified across five subjects. However, only three of them (Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science) reached the significant level (p< 0.05). Conclusions: Students spent two or more hours on computers were negatively associated with academic achievement, especially for boys. It is consistent with the broad literature. Educational authorities should pay attention to it.