Digital technology practices and academic performance of school students: A gender perspective

Abstract

Digital technologies have become an integral part of the daily life of modern schoolchildren. The debates about the impact of gadget use on the mental and social development of children and adolescents yielded no definitive conclusions so far, which means that it is still highly relevant to study the relationship between the digital behavior of schoolchildren and their learning activity. The article is devoted to the gender specifics of the relationship between digital technology practices and academic performance of schoolchildren. The sample included 241 schoolchildren: 117 males and 124 females aged 12 to 15 years (M=13.6; S=0.58). Digital technology practices were investigated using questionnaires of mobile device usage patterns and phubbing behavior, and a selfrated gadget engagement scale. The age at which a student got his or her own gadget was also taken into account. Academic performance was measured based on school grades, the number of missed classes and methods to determine academic burnout The results showed that the intensity of digital technology use becomes a significant factor not for academic performance, but rather for emotions regarding learning activities. The study found that female students use gadgets more intensively for different purposes and in different contexts as compared to males. However, the correlation of different patterns of gadget use with academic performance is more pronounced in males, whereas in females these patterns are associated with academic burnout and alienation from study. Specifically, male students prone to phubbing are characterized by lower academic performance in humanities and social sciences. The results of the study highlight the importance of taking into account gender differences when encouraging constructive patterns of digital behavior in schoolchildren.