College Student Technology Use and Academic Performance
Rodney A. Bragdon, Kristina Dowler
Abstract
As technology use continues to rise, especially among young individuals, there are concerns that excessive use of
technology may impact academic performance. Researchers have started to investigate the possible negative
effects of technology use on college academic performance, but results have been mixed. The following study
seeks to expand upon previous studies by exploring the relationship among the use of a wide variety of technology
forms and an objective measure of academic performance (GPA) using a 7-day time diary data collection method.
The current study also seeks to examine both underclassmen and upperclassmen to see if these groups differ in
how they use technology. Upperclassmen spent significantly more time using technology for academic and workrelated
purposes, whereas underclassmen spent significantly more time using cell phones, online chatting, and
social networking sites. Significant negative correlations with GPA emerged for television, online gaming, adult
site, and total technology use categories.
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