Saint Paul School Of Business And Law
Campetic Pawing Palo, Leyte
______________________________________________________________
Playing Computer Games and how it affects the student of SPSBL
and to their studies (academic performance)
Submitted By: Kaiser M. Encina
Aljun V. Ramas Edwardo A. Abraham Jr
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the study
Today’s generation is growing up too fast because of the modern technology which people are enjoying and at the same time helpful in their everyday lives. The fact that most of the children today tend to choose staying at home playing computer games or any other gadgets instead of playing outside, making friends with other children and exercise their mind and body which is very helpful to their health.
One of the main reasons why students are attracted to computers is because of computer games. Modern technology is now very accessible to people especially students, they can easily go to computer shops near the school to play and most of them spend the whole time with it and forgot their responsibilities as a student which is one of the disadvantages of playing computer games. There are also good things that a student can benefit in playing computer games because there is also other types of video games that are educational which can help them enlighten their minds, discover new knowledge, improve their thinking skills, stuffs that they think it never existed and experience new things that they have never encountered in their entire life. Educational computer games can enhance students’ motivation to learn, but only depends on how they play (mijoboo, 2013).
Some students get hooked on to playing computer games so much so that they tend to lose interest in other more important things like studies. Some of them who don’t have any knowledge about computer games before are now addicted to it because they are easily affected by peer pressures and also because of ignorance which tends them to play games they have never experienced before. In this matter, some students who are unfortunate in terms of money spend their whole allowance to these kinds of activity which will result in not participating or not so active in school because of hungriness. Sometimes, some students chose playing computer games rather than attending the class because they used to think that being in a class is boring that will lead them to failure of their subjects and retake it again which it takes a very long time to finish his/her chosen course(Shockley, T., & Gabbard , G. O. 2006).
Nowadays, students spend their vacant time for doing their habits instead of advancing their studies. Some of these habits make them neglect their school responsibilities because of enjoyment that it caused to them. A good study habit includes being ordered, always attend the class and participate during discussions and avoid talking while the lecture is on. Playing computer games is one of the common habits of college students. Good study habits are the key to learning. Everyone cannot be brilliant but everyone can learn how to study. Effective study
habits, even highly intelligent student failed due to inefficient work and lack of knowledge on how to study effectively.
Important skills for study have to be learned and practiced. Moreover, students who put in more classrooms how and who work to a more regular program of study have a better academic performance ( Burrill, D. A. 2008).
This research is composed of effective study habits that will help students in studying especially college students. It aims to give information or advice and even strategies that can help students and this can increase their grade. Most of the college student’s today play computer games regularly for entertainment and leisure or a way of hanging out with their friends and many of them missed the effective study habits. In this problem, the researcher wishes to improve and enhanced their learning and to reach their highest potential in significant improvements on test scores and the highest level of success in the classroom or on the job. The researchers are also concerned to our fellow students to help them and give them ideas in terms of time management and the effects of playing computer games to their study habits.
B. Statement of the problem
The main aim of the study is to know the effects of playing computer games on the study (academic performance) of SPSBL students.
The study will answer the following questions:
1. What is the demographic profile of respondents in terms of : 1.1 age
1.2 sex
1.3 religious affiliation
1.4 combine monthly income of the parents 1.5 parents occupation
2. What are the reasons why SPSBL students play computer games?
3. How long does the SPSBL student play computer games per session on a daily basis? 4. Which of the following will the SPSBL student do when they arrive home?
4.1 Study 4.2 Rest
4.3 Play computer games 4.4 Others
5. Does playing computer games affect the Studies (academic performance) of the SPSBL students?
6. What are the effects of playing computer games to the academic performance of SPSBL students?
C. Significance of the study
T h e i m p o r t a n c e o f c o m p u t e r i n t h i s e r a a r e helpful to the school and undisputable because it has much application that made by computer, In particular software and programs. The data obtained from identifying the common problems that will encounter in computer games, their low & failing grades of academic performances. Will one way or another give several insights to those who are in the educational expertise.
The expected result if this research endeavour will benefit the following:
To the teachers, the findings of this study will enable the teachers to discover the positive effects of computer games and not see only the negative side. Since computer can be a medium of communication
To the parents, the results of this study will be great helping to the parents especially those who are bothered about their children who spend too much spend his time for computer.
To the students, the results of this research will surely benefit the students. With this they will start to realize that computer games can influence their academic performance in school.
D. Scope and limitations
This study was conducted during the 2nd semester of the school year 2014-2015 to identify the factors that affect the involvement to computer game addiction of the SPSBL students and to determine how it would affect their study habits. Respondents of the study are students of SPSBL of the eight departments namely: Accountancy, Accounting Technology, Banking and Financial Management, Computer Management, Economics, Management Accounting, Marketing Management, Real State Management.
CHAPTER II
THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK
A. Review of related literature
This section presents the related literature and studies that is relevant and significant to the current studies. This will be a guide to the research about the said topic presented in the next chapters.
(Jones. 2003) elaborates that according to the students, gaming has little impact, either positive or negative, on their academic lives. About two-thirds (66%) felt that gaming had no influence on their academic performance. However, in response to another question close to half (48%) of college student gamers agreed that gaming keeps them from studying “some” or “a lot.” In addition, about one in ten (9%) admitted that their main motivation for playing games was to avoid studying. Nevertheless college student gamers’ reported hours studying per week match up closely with those reported by college students in general, with about two-thirds (62%) reporting that they study for classes no more than 7 hours per week, and 15% reported studying 12 or more hours per week. While some educators have noted the possible benefits of gaming as a learning tool, most gamers (69%) reported having no exposure to video, computer, or Internet gaming in the classroom for educational purposes. However, one third (32%) of students surveyed admitted playing games that were not part of the instructional activities during classes.
According to the researchers of University of Washington (2008), there are two areas of psychological research and theory is of critical importance here: addiction and mood disorders. To the extent that your child becomes preoccupied with the games, has seemingly uncontrollable urges to play when their attention should be on other topics, such as school, spends more and more time doing nothing but playing the games in order to get satisfaction from them, that is, the behavior is comparable to an alcoholic or drug addict’s having increased tolerance for their substance of choice, and refuses school or stops doing homework, then a very maladaptive habit, if not an addiction, could be in the making, and you should seek professional help. (Tucker, 2012)
Over the past 25 years, a number of studies have looked at the effects of video games on children and adolescents. A majority of this research has examined associations between video game use and aggressive behavior, but there has also been some interest in the effects of video games on school performance. Video games are a fairly recent new form of entertainment, the first metaanalyses (Anderson & Bushman, 2001; Sherry, 2001) showed that there is a steadily growing body of research looking at their impact on players. The prominence of violent content
in many types of games (Heintz-Knowles et al., 2001) and its potential association with aggression has attracted particular attention (Griffiths, 2000).
Young people in academic settings have been found to be heavy users of the Internet, and early adopters of new technology. This makes them an ideal group for studying trends in Internet and technology use and therefore and ideal population on which to focus the research of gaming use. While the study of new technology use can only claim to capture a snapshot of a continually metamorphosing geography, it is our hope that this early attempt to more clearly define the path of electronic and online gaming will provide a strong foundation for future research in the field. Perhaps the most important trend spotted is the integration of gaming into other activities. Students would take time between classes to play a game, play a game while visiting with friends or instant messaging, or they would play games as a brief distraction from writing papers or doing other work. The compartmentalization of leisure activities that their parents have internalized is largely unknown to the current group of college students. That is not to say that they are unable to relax – quite the contrary. But their leisure is taken in sips rather than gulps, as a breather between other activities.
Gaming is also leading today’s college students toward considering interaction as a routine component of entertainment. The number that were observed either playing multiplayer online games, instant messaging while gaming or chatting with friends in the same room while gaming, along with the number that reported playing games frequently at a friend’s house, leads to the conclusion that gaming is less a solitary activity and more one that is shared with friends and others. Increasing adoption of “always on” broadband technologies and Internet enabled cell phones will likely further contribute to the interactive uses of gaming and entertainment today’s college student will pursue.
Recent studies have shown that trait hostility may moderate the effects of playing violent videogames (Lynch, 1994; Lynch, 1999; Anderson & Dill, 2000). Lynch (1999) has found that the physiological effects of playing violent video games may be even greater for children who already show more aggressive tendencies. Social learning theories of aggression (Anderson & Bushman, 2002; Huesmann, 1986; Patterson, DeBarysche, & Ramsey, 1989) have dominated most of the discussion of video game violence. Other research similarly suggests that Japanese culture tends to foster socially engaging emotions, whereas Western culture tends to foster socially disengaging emotions (Kitayama, Mesquita, & Karasawa, 2006). People develop their own motives and needs to get their gratification or find a solution for their problems, which they meet through media consumption or non-media-based activity (Lucas & Sherry, 2004). For example: some people play video games to meet their need of entertainment and excitement, while others play video games to meet their social needs.
It is worth mentioning that most of the studies brought out earlier on the same issue have tried to bring out the negative side of the whole aspect while keeping the brighter side. However, it can
also not be denied that there is no privation of such studies too, which have dubbed video game as a health-enhancing device.
If pursued as a solitary activity, playing video games can decrease important social interactions with family and friends. A child's interactions with friends may become limited to pumping them for information about hidden passageways and secret doors.
If allowed to dominate your child's leisure and study time, video game scan decrease development of skills in sports, music and art performance in school can be affected if reading and homework. If he doesn't do his homework, if he doesn't get enough sleep, if he doesn't play outdoors, if he becomes a loner, or if he seems preoccupied with aggressive behavior as seen in a video game.
Game time can even be used as an incentive for finishing these tasks properly. Educational computer games tap the motivational power of arcade games and help them learn. They combine academics and entertainment, and also teach computer skills.
Video games are not bad for children. They can teach certain skills and they are more educational than watching TV.
One of the oversights in video game research is the paucity of studies examining college age students and academic variables. Many current college age students grew up playing video games, whereas twenty years ago this would not have been the norm. Thus the relation between video game play and school performance may have changed as video games have become more mainstream. Educational level is associated with video game play. Current students who are at least 18 are more likely to play video games than non-students. Approximately 82% of full-time and 69% of part-time students report playing video games compared to 49% of non-students (Gentile, 2009). Video games may also now be experienced as part of a social interaction. Video games may serve as social facilitators or group activities either in person or via online play (Wack & Tantleff-Dunn, 2009). Many video game players and non-players spend time watching others play video games (Entertainment Software Association [ESA], 2010; Stermer et al., 2006). In the present study, we surveyed college students to examine the relations between video game playing and school performance. College and high school GPA were used as measures of school performance. Video game exposure was measured via self reported time spent playing video games per week. Passive video game exposure, watching other people play, was examined in order to create a more complete picture of time spent in video-game related activities. Participants also completed questions designed to assess their interest in and exposure to violent video games. We predicted video game playing would be significantly negatively correlated with school performance. In addition, we expected a stronger relation for males than for females. We expected that video game watching would be significantly negatively correlated with school performance. We predicted that high frequency video game players would have poorer attitudes towards homework than lower frequency users. Finally, we predicted that violent video game enjoyment would be significantly negatively correlated with school performance. (Stephen Burges)
The advantages that are evident in playing computer games are that you will eventually know more about the computer software and hardware as each game will have its individual problem and this will have to be solved through knowing the use of the computer software and hardware. Playing computer games will also resut in the understanding of computer jargon which would otherwise confuse the mind of a non-player. One more advantage would be that our fingers will grow accustomed to pressing buttons on the keyboard as we gradually become better in our skills at the computer games.
According to Pogue (2000), what is true about study habits was that more than thirty years ago still rings true today-students fail because they do not know how to study.
The best advice he can give is to develop sound study skills. It’s a common scene if some college students fail to finish a passing requirement for a subject course. What is lacking is their ignorance of developing good study habits that are necessary for good academic performance. And to worsen their ignorance are their psychological conception of giving up so easily and the tempting distractions of the surrounding that lead them to a zero percent possibility of creating their own ideal habits. So, it has become a major trouble to college students who are known to be suffocated with loads of works from school.
To elaborate more about study habits, Rothkopf (1982) referred to it as to whether students study at the same time each day, whether they shut off radio, television while reading and whether they paraphrase and write down what they have read during the practical instructions. Study habit also describes some external activities which serve to activate and facilitate the internal process of learning. Study habit is the daily routine of students with regards to their academic duties and responsibilities. Each student has his own study habits varying on his preferences with the place and time of studying, techniques in studying and more.
According to Palm Beach Community College (PBBC, 2008), they recommend that student’s study should have at least three hours out of class for every hour spent in class. They also said that a student must have a special place to study with plenty of room to work. And students should not be cramped. They presupposes that study time will go better if a learner take a few minutes at the start to straighten things up. A desk and straight-backed chair is usually best. “ Don't get too comfortable--a bed is a place to sleep, not to study” as what they said. A student must have everything close at hand (book, pencils, paper, coffee, dictionary, computer, calculator, tape recorder, etc.) before starting to study. Students are not suggested to spend on time jumping up and down to get things. The PBCC suggests also that distracting noise should be minimized however they said that there are some people need sound and some like silence. In this case, a learner must finds what works for him or her. Culprits are family and friends. consider a "do not disturb" sign and turning on your answering machine is the way also to have better study habits according to the PBBC. The best advice he can give is to develop sound study skills. He said that a student should make sure that he/she has a good study environment, a good desk, a sturdy chair, good light, comfortable room temperature and a quiet atmosphere. That means he/she should eliminate all external and internal distractions. Second, get a good overview of the assignment before starting the work. Know what skills, facts and ideas that are expected to master and the ground that are expected to cover. (Khim. 2011).
According to Muega (2003), students need to acquire reasoning skills that would enable them to think critically and to make the right decisions claims on issues. Reasoning entails presentation of arguments. It is when one makes conclusions from what he reads. It is from reading and reasoning one gets to extend his knowledge crtically. To expand Muega’s ideas, according to Acido (2008), data have revealed that the major difference between students with below average, average, and above average reasoning skills centers on their study habits—whether they have good or bad study habits, and their attitude towards learning a particular skill—whether they are interested or not, are responsible for their learning or not, and take responsibility over what they do or not. Acido proves Zolten & Long’s idea that the awareness on the responsibilities of a college student is essential to increase studying skills.
Professors in the developing countries said that the undergraduate students should be fully equip with high level of analytical skills, the capacity for critical reasoning, self-reflection and conceptual grasp and ability to learn autonomously and exercise flexibility of mind (Simmons2003). Study habits are said to be improving because of the advent and wide use of the Internet, hypertext, and multimedia resources which greatly Affects the Study Habits (Liu, 2005).Karim and Hassan (2006) also note theexponential growth digital information, which changes the way students perceive studying and with printed materials that are to be use in facilitating study. (JamesB, 2012)
(Jbosila, 2013) defines study habits as the attitude of one person towards their academic year in life. It has been also studied by many researchers. In fact, according to psychologist John M. Grohol, the study habit of students is affected by its environment. Due to that, he suggests that student should study in smarter way. And so he gives ten effective study habits to assist the students with their schoolwork. These ten effective study habits are the following: 1.) Improve your study mindset by thinking positively towards study, avoiding catastrophic and absolute thinking such as self-pitying, and lastly, avoid comparing yourself with others. 2.) Environment matters in studying so it would be better if you find your ideal place that suits your studying approach. 3.) Bring everything you need, nothing you don’t. Through this study habit, you will be able to focus more on your schoolwork and you will avoid such destruction. 4.) Outline and review your notes. 5.) Use memory games or mnemonic devices in memorizing pieces of information regarding your studies. 6.) Practice by on your own or with friends since practice makes perfect. It can also assist you to remember your lesson easily. 7.) Make a schedule you can stick to and being committed to it hinder you from cramming. 8.) Take breaks and rewards. These breaks will facilitate you to do your schoolwork more efficiently and effectively. Meanwhile, the rewards could be use as your motivation in studying. 9.) Keep healthy and balance. Though it is difficult to live a balanced life while in school, you must consider that the more balanced you seek out in your life, the easier for you to overcome every components in your life. Being healthy also, gives you more energy to do your tasks. 10.) Know what are the expectations are for the class to abet you understand the course requirements and the professor’s expectations.
(Micheng, 2012) describes study habits as the routinely or habitual way of studying the learner. It accustomed method of approach to units of student’s learning with his consistency in ignoring, destruction of his effectiveness to the specific materials being studied and the effects which he exerts through out the process. Every year there are lots of comments from educators, school,
administrators, and parents who are a loss on how to improve their students or children study habits. This required the teacher to promote a new mind set of learning style theories to appreciate each students as a unique individual, instead of trying to force all student into one fixed or pre-set model. Learning style works for all ages, for it is not only children who need to enjoy while learning. Remember, the best way to help your children or students learn is to let them be free. It is only through this freedom that they manifest their initiate skills and abilities. Good study habits help the students to gain much effective learning that profit even more. Students who perform well in classroom and who are academically outstanding are proofs that they have good study habits. This is because study habits involve using organizational techniques of learning which exercise the particular talents and aptitudes of the students.
Every students has different study habits, they have different learning preferences. Some prefer auditory styles while others may be highly visual or tactual/kinesthetic. Everybody has a learning style, and everybody has a learning style strengths. Different people just have different strengths.
Factors Affecting the Decision to Play Computer Games
Having a personal computer at home will mean better access to computer games since the machine is free and always available. Longer hours of playing games may be spent when there is computer at home. Time spent on playing computer games largely affect students’ scholastic performance. As a student spend more time playing, lesser hours are devoted for home work reviews, and other school-related activities. Longer hours of computer gaming might have a negative impact on school grades.
Proximity of computer shops to student’s house is another determinant of school performance. If a computer shop is located near a student’s house, there is a greater tendency to play computer games rather than do school tasks. Gender is one of the major determinants of computer gaming. Several studies have shown that the probability of male students to engage in computer gaming is higher than females.
Moreover, in terms of frequency in playing, males are more frequent players than females. Many studies have shown that the number of siblings is also a determinant in playing computer games. Frequent players are usually those who belong to a small family with 1-2 children, especially if of opposite sex. Peer groups affect individual’s attitude towards computer gaming. Those who belong to a group where in members are computer gamers have higher tendency to become a computer gamer than those who do not have.
C. Hypothesis Assumption
Those who spend more time playing computer games will have a decreased academic performance. This is because they sacrifice studying or homework time simply to play computer games. We also believe that people who play ‘thinking’ computer games and those who play no computer games would have better results than the computer game players.
D. Definition of Terms
Academic Performance – how student deal with their studies and how they cope with or accomplish different tasks given to them by their teachers.
Computer - an electronic device for storing and processing data, typically in binary form, according to instructions given to it in a variable program.
Computer Game – a game played by electronically manipulating image produced by a computer program which is available on or performed using the internet or other computer network.
Internet – is a global network connecting millions of computer. Internet café – a retail establishment that rent computers by the hour.
Offline Game – a computer game that doesn’t require a internet connection to run.
Online Game – a computer game that can be run from an internet browser and requires the internet connection.
Peer pressure – influence from members of one’s group.
Student – a person who is studying at a university or other place of higher education.
Study habit - are the behaviours used when preparing for tests or learning academic material.
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
A. Research Design
In this research, a descriptive correlation method of research is used. Descriptive design focuses on what situation and was a systematic in providing facts may be based. Descriptive design involves the description, recording, analysis, and interpretation of the present nature, composition, or process of phenomena. Descriptive research design was systematic method which contains using the questionnaire to assess the students.
B. Research Locals
This study will be conducted at Saint Paul School Of Business And Law, located at Campetic Pawing Palo, Leyte.
C. Sample and Sampling Techniques
The respondents of this study are the Information SPSBL students. The researchers used the purposive sampling technique based on the knowledge of a population and the purpose of the study. The reason why researchers used this kind of technique is because the respondents fit the description and the purpose of this study. There are forty (40) students selected in random from different year level First Year, Second Year, Third Year and Fourth Year who play computer games. This research will also benefit the respondents in giving them better information about playing computer games and study habits.
The researchers prepared questionnaires containing the questions about playing computer games and their study habits, how these effects affected them and how they reacted on it. The answers of the respondents to the questions in the questionnaires are used to gather data and to achieve the desired output.
E. Data Gathering
This study is assembled through gathering pertinent data which help the researchers in making this study to be more presentable and knowledgeable. They forwarded a questionnaire to know the effects and the reactions of the SPSBL students to the research problem. The respondents will be given with questionnaires to know their insight about playing computer games and the level of their study habits. Then after the success of answering the questionnaires, the results are tallied and tabulated. It will be carefully and checked properly to attain accurate information for the readers.
F. Statistical Analysis of Data
The statistical techniques to be employed in the study shall include use of percentage analysis. The percentage analysis shall be done to make comparisons wherever necessary. For calculating percentage the frequency of the concerned data element would be divided by the total number of respondents in each category and multiplied by 100. The percentages shall be corrected to whole numbers. Gender Male Female 0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Entertainment purpose0% Stress relief 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
The main reason why SPSBL student play computer games
The graph shows that majority of the respondents are playing online computer games for their entertainment which has 37% of the total percentage. The next reason why they play is due to boredom which has 36%. The third reason in playing online computer games is to reduce their stress. This reason received 17%. Personal interests got a 20% response from the respondents.
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
The graph shows that majority of the respondents are playing computer games for 1-2 hours per session in a day (45%). The second most consumed hours in playing are 3-4 hours (40%). It is then followed by playing 5-6 hours per session (8%). The fourth most spent time in playing is 7-8 hours of playing time (4%). The next time is playing 9-10 hours per session in a day (2%). Lastly, the least spent hours in playing online videogames is 11 or more hours (1%).
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
SPSBL student first normally do when they arrive back home?
The first thing student normally do when they arrive back home according to our survey is playing computer games (47%), second they normally do is rest (25%), and (15%) of our respondents answer they study when they arrive at home, while (13%) say they do other things.
Yes No 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Does playing computer games affect SPSBL student's academic performance
13% percent of the total percentage answered that their academic performance is not affected by playing online computer games and 87% answered that they are affected whenever they are playing computer games.
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120% 35% 11% 7% 14% 5% 15% 13% 100%
How does it affect SPSBL student performance
35 percent of the total respondents answered that they cannot focus on their studies, 13 percent answered that they cannot do their projects, 14 percent answered that they cannot do homework, 11 percent answered that they have low grades, and 5 percent answered that they are late in class, 15 percent answered they are absent in class and 7 percent answered they have high grades.
Chapter IV: MATERIALS Budget & Time Frame
SAIN PAUL SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND LAW SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE
Name (optional): _________________________________ Age: _____________
Gender: O Male O Female Religion:____________ Parents Occupation: _____________ Direction : Please answer the following questions completely and honestly. Shade the circle that corresponds to your answer.
Combined monthly income of parents: O 5,000 – 15,000
O 15,000 – 30,000 O 30,000 or more
O Entertainment Purpose O Boredom O Stress relief O Personal Interest O Others:_____
2. How much time do yOou spend in playing computer games per session on a daily basis? O 1-2 hours O 3-4 hours O 5-6 hours O 7-8 hours O 9-10 hours O 11 or more 3. Which of the following would you first normally do when you arrive back home? O Study O Rest O Play computer games O Others:__________ 4. Does playing computer games affect your academic performance?
O Yes O NO
If yes, how does it affect your academic performance? O I cannot focus on my studies
O I have low grades O I have high grades
O I cannot do my homework O I am late on class
O I am absent in class O I cannot do my projects. O Others:_____________
Student’s Performance
Computer Games Year level Owing a PC Time Spent Gender Peer group Proximity of computer shops to house Number of siblingsT h e i m p o r t a n c e o f c o m p u t e r i n t h i s e r a a r e helpful to the school and undisputable because it has much application that made by computer, In particular software and programs. The data obtained from identifying the common problems that will encounter in computer games, their low & failing grades of academic performances. Will one way or another give several insights to those who are in the educational expertise.
To the Teachers, The findings of this study will enable the teachers to discover the positive effects of computer games and not see only the negative side. Since computer can be a medium of communication.
To t h e p a r e n t s , t h e r e s u l t s o f t h i s s t u d y w i l l b e g r e a t h e l p i n g t o t h e p a r e n t s especially those who are bothered about their children who spend too much spend his time for the computer.
To the students, the results of this research will surely benefit the students. With t h i s t h e y w i l l s t a r t t o r e a l i z e d t h a t c o m p u t e r g a m e s c a n i n f l u e n c e t h e i r a c a d e m i c performance in school.