An Assessment on the Impact of Mobile Phone usage on Academic Performance in Secondary Schools

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.0 Introduction

This chapter deals with background of the study, statement of the problem, objectives of the study, research questions, significance of the study, scope of the study, limitation of the study and definition of the key terms.

1.1 Background of the study

Performance of students in examinations depends on a lot of factors. It is believed that among other things in the recent days is the access of mobile phone usage that can contribute to teachers and students. This study intended to find out how do student able to use mobile phone in academic purpose, what impacts can student get a result of using mobile phone and how can mobile phone use be improved so that students use mobile phone with good faith. It is thought that if students use mobile phone for academic purposes, they will have good academic performance.

Globalization has changed our lives from the era of communicating with pen and paper which takes days before information could get to the destination and one of the ways in which it changed our lives, is how we communicate effectively through advancements in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). According to Ling (2004), mobile phones have become an

Almost essential part of daily life since their rapid growth in popularity in the late 1990’s.

According to Haruna et al (2016), mobile phones are the most necessary medium of communication for adolescents. It has virtually affected the society's accessibility, security,

Safety and coordination of business and social activities and has hence become a part of a culture

Of the whole world. Ling (2004), states that traditional agents of socialization are families and Schools. With the expansion of the educational system as a result of the need for highly skilled

Workers lead to the school system taking increasing larger responsibilities in socialization.

Surprisingly, research on the influence of mobile phone on our schools today has not been given

Much attention. There is the conflicting priority of young people, parents, and teachers in relation to the mobile phone device, with teachers more concerned about issues such as discipline in the classroom and parents worried about means of contacting their children at every point in time (Haruna et al, 2016)

A basic mobile phone is regarded as a pocket-sized device which has telecommunication capabilities that stores contact information, possesses text messaging features and keeps track of appointments as well as setting reminders. Mobile phones vary in design with basic models allowing students to have access to each other simply by phone or text on the go (Wood, 2006).

More complicated mobile phones present a better variety of abilities such as video, camera,

Audio recording, multimedia messaging and internet access (Livingston, 2004).

Additionally, these mobile phones, also known as a Smartphone, offer a greater range of capabilities, such as integrated PDA device that combines Bluetooth, built-in calculator for simple mathematics, mass storage, gaming features, text messaging, MP3 player and networking features into one compacted system (Wood, 2006). Mobile phones organize the purposes of the phone, camera, video, media player and wireless computers into a single gadget. These functions could supplement science teaching and learning which contains complicated content and scientific processes that are otherwise difficult to teach (Taber, 2005). Mobile phones can be used in making calls, texting, taking pictures, recording audio and video, storing information, providing music and movies as well as interacting with the internet. All of these capabilities enable us to become so connected to our daily lives that it seems almost impossible to hear that somebody does not have (Horizon Report, 2009).

So many investigations carried out realized that the use of mobile phone in schools is problematic. As backed by Ling and Helmerson (2000), the mobile phone is "at cross purpose with the mission of the school". While in school students are supposed to take on their prescribed roles as students with full concentration on their studies and free from contact with the outside world. However, the mobile phone gives room to blending students' roles with other roles thus distracting and disrupting the students' academic work (Gergen, 2002). In the past when fixed telephones were the norm in schools, there were minimum distractions and disruptions but presently with the invasion of mobile phone and the eagerness of parents to maintain contact with their words, the device is becoming part of the classroom (Haruna et al, 2016). Thus, the mobile phone has the power to undermine the schools' authority and weaken their control over students as well as affects their level of academic performances.

There are various educational benefits of mobile phone technologies that are most often cited as; easily accessing content, integrating a broad range of educational activities, supporting independent study and student organization, encouraging student enthusiasm, supporting classroom-based collaboration and interaction as well as supporting inquiry- based instruction and learning (Roschelle, 2003). More sophisticated mobile phones, also known as Smartphone, can be used to assist students in accessing information from the web, transforming it, transferring it, collaborating with students and also creating a more media-rich approach to instruction (Ferry,

2009). Recent advances in ICT have significantly increased the possibilities of mobile phones being used as instructional tools, because of their increasing processing power, memory and connectivity which have made these technologies drastically more interactive (Pea & Maldonado, 2006). Additionally, Vassvolua (2005) suggests that these technologies can be used in science during field trips, where students gather scientific data for future analysis in the laboratory.

Mobile phone technology is a necessity in a student's life and also an important technological device to them. They are basically used for making and receiving calls, text, and picture messaging and accessing the internet. Today's students are extremely competent in the use of mobile phones (Haythornthwaite & Andrews, 2007). Students consider these devices as a pleasant, individual possession in which no other device is observed.

1.2 Statement of the problem

The relevance of mobile phone to the entire world no doubt can never be overemphasized. In Tanzania, the mobile phone currently is the most accessible mobile technology that most students possess. The mobile phone is an effective technology that students already own, and their potential is continuously growing. When this tool is exploited, it can even be used during lectures (Bright Hub Education, 2012). Mobile learning, therefore, needs to become a significant part of education. The portability and memory capacity of mobile phone made it easier for students to keep materials for viewing whenever and where ever it seems conducive for them. Evidence has shown from West African Examination Council WAEC that most students fail English Language and Mathematics (WAEC Chief Examiner report, 2014). This may be partly attributed to high usage of Mobile Phone telecommunication gadgets. Instead of concentrating on their classroom work, they gave more emphasis to the use of the mobile phone in their classes, dormitory and even on the football field. This may be partly attributed to poor teaching methods, lack of teaching materials, lack of supervision by the parents and the teachers etc, and this may affect the students' performance or achievement in school. The mobile phone usage pattern of most of these students, during and after school hours, such as their level of engagement in free night calls, chatting, instant messaging, social networking and exam malpractices etc. is greatly influencing their academic performance (Haruna, et al, 2016). It was against this background that this study sought to investigate the impact of mobile phones usage on academic performance among secondary schools students in Mtwara-Mikindani Municipality.

1.3 Research Objectives

1.3.1 General of Objective

This work is aimed at investigating the impact of mobile phone usage on academic performance among the secondary schools students in Mtwara-Mikindani Municipality.

1.3.2 Specific objectives

i. To find out the kinds of services used by students through mobile phone.

ii. To assess the impact of mobile phone usage on academic performance.

iii. To seek solutions that can make students improve academic performance through mobile phone use.

1.4 Research Questions

i. What kinds of mobile phone services do students use?

ii. Does use of mobile phone have remarkable impact on academic performance?

iii.What solution that can make students improve academic performance through mobile phone use?

1.5 research assumptions

This study based on the assumption that:

·         If students use mobile phone appropriately, their academic performance will be high.

1.6 The significance of the study

The outcome of this study aimed determining whether students have to be emphasized tom the use of mobile phones so as to improve their academic performance.

Moreover education is the bed rock of any society. Tanzania as a developing nation needs a standard secondary schools that have available learning resources, that teachers can improvise learning resources easily and more often also where teachers and students utilize learning resources on a regular basis. It could be a guide line for incoming students and be educative to them when writing and studying similar problems in school.

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