Influence of Mobile Phones Usage on Academic Performance of Junior High School Students in Ghana

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of mobile phone usage on the academic performance of students in Kpone Presbyterian Basic School. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. A sample of 100 students were selected through stratified and simple random sampling for the study. Data were collected through the use of a questionnaire and descriptive analysis used for analysing the research questions while the hypothesis was tested using the independent samples t-test. The study found that, students perceived mobile phones as capable of improving their academic performance positively when used wisely. However, the students were of the view that when mobile phones are not used appropriately and wisely, they can be a distraction to students and affect their academic work negatively. In addition, the study revealed that mobile phones foster interactions and teamwork among students, help with assignments, increase access to learning materials and help prepare for examinations. Students are also able to access supplementary materials and thus accomplish learning tasks more quickly. All of these culminate in an improvement in academic performance. Finally, the study found that there is a statistically significant difference in the influence of mobile phone usage on the academic performance of male and female students. Specifically, males were influenced more by mobile phone usage than females. It was recommended that school authorities organise workshops on technology utilisation for students to ensure that they acquire the skills needed to effectively use their phones to enhance their academic work.