High-school students’ perceptions of the effects of non-academic usage of ICT on their academic achievements

We investigated high-school students’ perceptions of the relationship between non-academic information and communications technology (NA-ICT) use and academic achievements. A sample of 533 Israeli students responded to surveys on ICT use habits, achievements, and the relationship between the two. A negative correlation between reported NA-ICT use time and reported scores was found. The idea of the negative effect of NA-ICT use on achievements was accepted by the majority of students, regardless of their academic achievements. However, when asked about the effect that reducing NA-ICT use time might have on their own grades, the majority of students found on the middle levels of the school performance scale appeared to believe that limiting NA-ICT usage will help them improve their grades. In contrast, students found on both ends of the scale (high-achieving and low-achieving alike) did not necessarily see a decrease in NA-ICT usage as beneficial. We discuss a possible explanation relying on Covington's (1992) Self Esteem Theory and the entailed practical implications of our study.