CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

A mobile phone is a device that can basically make and receive calls over a radio link while moving around a wide geographic area. (Pew Research center, 2010). It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile phone operator, allowing access to the public telephone network. The ancient types of Mobile phones support limited services and examples were shown in Fig. 1.1. Such as, calling, sending messages and very few for taking pictures. Mobile phone is one of the most rapidly growing new technologies in the world (Rebello, 2010). In 2001, cell phone users were less than a billion worldwide with the majority of the users from the developed countries. By the end of 2010, however, mobile phone users had reached five billion worldwide with subscriptions from developing countries outnumbering that of the developed countries (Kelly, 2009; Rebello, 2010). Obviously, this increase includes a sharp increase in the number of cell    phones        used by the younger generations. This area of interest was chosen because of the unregulated usage and over dependent attitude on these devices especially among our secondary school students. Interestingly, this is obviously imperative as Geser & Junco (2006); and Merson & Salter  (2010)  had  observed  that  the  youth  have  consistently  displayed  higher  level  of attachment to their mobile phones which could serve as distractions to them because of the time channeled to the phones.

Mobile phones have become an almost essential part of daily life since their rapid growth in popularity in the late 1990s, Ling (2004). A nationwide survey conducted in 2010 shows that 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 culture of the whole world. Ling (2004), states that traditional agents of socialization are families and schools. With the expansion of 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. Researchers have discovered that the use of mobile phone in schools is problematic. The situation is worsened by the ignorance and carefree attitudes of parents who are mostly oblivious of and careless about these adolescents’ needs and challenges. Also, guidance and counseling services are either absent or inactive in most schools and the school teachers are not helping the situation (Taylor & Harper 2003). Most youths of today are highly influenced and so much affected by what they watch on these social media sites over the internet that one can easily see the consequences in their academic performance and life styles. Mobile phone has gained immeasurable ground in the lives of students all over the world. Mobile phone is a common sight today in our schools as you see students going to school/class with some of the most expensive and sophisticated mobile phones, tablets and ipads that has all the applications, facilities and software that can connect them to the internet and all forms of social media platforms, other web sites and so on, where they chat, access, stream, download, upload, exchange and play different kinds of media contents, which most often, are pornographic in nature(Olofuniyi,Fashiku,& Owombo2012). According to Minnesota (2007) “the higher education performance is depending upon the academic performance of graduate students.  

Lot of studies have been conducted in the area of student’s achievement and these studies identify and analyse the number of factors that affect the academic performance of the student at school, college and even at university level. Their finding identify students’ effort, previous schooling, parent’s educational background, family income, self-motivation of students, age of student, learning preferences and entry qualification of students as important factors that have effect on student’s academic performance in different setting. The utility of these studies lies in the need to undertake corrective measures that improve the academic performance of graduate students. However, in recent years, different types of mobile phones have been produced by different phone manufacturers. Each comes with different features for different/ specific function(s). We have different variety of mobile phones as named by their manufacturers, they include, Nokia, Samsung, Motorola, Sagem, Sendo, Siemens,T-mobile, Thuraya, Vodafone, Sony ericsson, Bluebird, alcatel,  Blackberry, and so on. We now have those that can make video calling, ping, take clearer pictures/photographs, surf the internet and lots more. They are also built/ installed in/ with different capacities, mode of operation and features/applications. For example, 17mega Pixel phones normally will produce clearer pictures/photographs, Skype is an application for video calling, Blackberry and other android enabled devices can ping. Some are android enabled; examples are, HTC, Tecno, and so on which are basically the latest of all kinds of mobile phones widely used by both young and old, especially among students (Olanrewaju, 2015).

This study therefore, attempts to find out the impact of mobile phones use among students in both private and public schools on their academic performance. Also, to check whether or not there will be significant difference in the performance of students using mobile phones in Public and Private Schools.

1.2  STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In the past one decade, Mobile phone was not as rampant among users compared to how it is now being used; especially among secondary Schools’ students. Recently, mobile phone which comes in different types/models each for specific tasks/functions is one of the basic essential gadgets possessed by an average school student which relatively might certainly influence such students’ academic performance.

Mobile phone has gained immeasurable ground in the lives of students all over the world. Mobile phone is a common sight today in our schools as you see students going to school/class with some of the most expensive and sophisticated mobile phones, tablets and ipads that has all the applications, facilities and software that can connect them to the internet and all forms of social media platforms, other web sites and so on, where they chat, access, stream, download, upload, exchange and play different kinds of media contents, which most often, are pornographic in nature(Olofuniyi,Fashiku,& Owombo2012). According to Minnesota (2007) “the higher education performance is depending upon the academic performance of graduate students. Durden and Ellis quoted Staffolani and Bratti, (2002) observed that “the measurement of students previous educational outcomes are the most important indicators of students future achievement, this refers that as the higher previous appearance, better the student’s academic performance in future endeavors. This study therefore, seeks to address the impact of mobile phones on student performance in secondary Schools.

1.3   OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is to assess the effect of mobile phones on student performance in secondary Schools. The specific objectives are to:

1.     To discover the rate at which mobile phones are being utilized among secondary Schools students.

2.     Find out the effects of mobile phones on the academic performance of secondary School students.

3.     Compare student performance of students using mobile phone and students not using mobile phone

1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions will guide the researcher during the course of this research to arrive at a valid results:

1.     What is the percentage rate of secondary school students using mobile phone?

2.      What effects does mobile phone has on the academic performance of students

3.     Is there any difference between the performance of students using mobile phone and those not using?

1.5     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is meant to reveal the impact of mobile phones on student performance in secondary Schools. It would expose the students to the implications of spending too much  time on their mobile phones. Also, can serve as precautionary measures towards achieving good academic result for students.

1.6   SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study covers the entire students of Isolo Comprehensive High School, Isolo Lagos state.

1.7   DELIM ITATION OF THE STUDY

The major problem faced during this research is time, the researcher has limited time to complete the research and also insufficient fund to finance the project also to visit more one school.

1.8  DEFINITION OF TERMS

Effects: ability to have an influence over something or someone

Mobile: Anything that can be carried from one place to another.

Phone: Electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds.

 Academic performance:  the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved their short or long-term educational goals. 

Secondary schools: in between basic school and college

Students: someone who is studying in order to enter a particular profession

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