Exploring the relationship between playing video games and academic achievement, from the perspectives of Undergraduate students in Hawtat Bani Tamim

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between video game playing and academic learning, from the perspective of university students in Hawtat Bani Tamim province, Saudi Arabia. To achieve the objectives of the research, the researcher relied on the mixed approach, where the questionnaire tool was used for the quantitative method and the semi-structured interview tool was used for the qualitative method. A total of 48 male university students participated in the questionnaire and 4 male university students participated in the interview. The results of the questionnaire were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results of the interview were analysed in an inductive manner. The quantitative results concluded that there is a high percentage of university students who play video games continuously, and there is no significant relationship between play and academic learning, according to the students' specialization, whether English speaking or Arabic speaking. In addition, there is no significant relationship between playing video games and academic performance scale which used in this study in all aspects focused. However, there was a negative relationship between playing electronic games and academic achievement in case of increased hours of play and in the case of playing sports games. The qualitative results showed a tremendous positive impact of electronic games in terms of learning English as a foreign language and improving some academic and social skills such as team work skills.