Effects of Using Gadgets in the Personality Development of Education Students at Bestlink College of the Philippines, Quezon City

Abstract

Today, as the world grows technologically sophisticated, there is a great demand for the hottest electronic gadgets. These are cellphones, smartphones, laptop, and several electronic gadgets. Smartphones or cellphones support a wide variety of other services, such as text messaging, multimedia messaging, electronic mail or e-mail, internet access, business applications, games, photography and calendaring among other services. Also, cellphones are increasingly one of the most popular information access devices. What stands out from the study is the high use of interactive, multi-user functions which can at times be disruptive or beneficial during the study. In essence, the study revealed that cellphones are beneficial for learning, but learners have a tendency to abuse them. The presence of cellphones presents a host of options and challenges for today’s students. The cellphone is an undeniably convenient, helpful tool for study. However, it can be a hurtful source of distraction depending on the attitude and use pattern of a student. As a result, they got lower scores in exams or tests and were less effective at tasks such as note-taking. This generation of “voracious text” might be affected by so many online distractions. When students did not use mobiles, they were better at recalling information. With the exam season underway, there are family arguments about whether teenagers really can learn while using several online gadgets. The study used descriptive with a mixed method of research. Descriptive research is concerned with the description of data and characteristics of a population. Initially, qualitative analysis will be performed through secondary sources like library materials, manuals, journals, articles, researches, theses, etc. Primary sources of information will be gathered through the use of questionnaire augmented by instructed interviews. The effects of using gadgets show the effects of gadgets on the physical health of the respondents. The highest mean was 3.36 with a verbal interpretation of often and marked as rank 1. The respondent who is using gadgets for more than 6 hours has stated that they have sleeping problems. He/she faces the problem of falling asleep or staying asleep until late. This was followed by the problem that the respondent can see objects clearly, but objects farther away, appear blurred with the weighted mean of 2.94; with a verbal interpretation of sometimes and marked as rank 2. Shoulder, wrist, thumb pain, and impaired hand function had a weighted mean of 2.52; with a verbal interpretation of sometimes and marked as rank 3 followed by respondents have physical discomfort of symptoms. (e. g. back pain, headache, etc.) with a weighted mean of 2.44; with a verbal interpretation of sometimes and marked as rank 4. Another physical problem was respondents hear even loud voices poorly with the weighted mean of 1.84; with a verbal interpretation of rarely and marked as rank 5. A respondent who did not use their gadgets for more than six hours feel healthy and energetic and had a weighted mean of 1.44; with a verbal interpretation of never and marked as ranked 6. Respondents can hear normal speech had a weighted mean of 1.32; with a verbal interpretation of never and marked as 7 followed by respondents that have no problem with their sleeping with had a weighted mean of 1.26; with a verbal interpretation of never and marked as never. One of the hot issues in technology is about technological devices; broadly speaking, all smartphones, laptops, and computers. There is no denying that technological devices have become a significant part of students’ everyday lives. But the question is: “How do these devices affect the student’s learning?” We are witnesses of how the students’ learning gets affected by technological devices. The major achievements of technology have left man spell-bound and every part of the world today is enjoying the comforts provided by technology. Modern technology has greatly improved people’s lives through different fields, such as education. They should use it for their benefit and should not abuse its use. Gadgets compile many products in one but overusing them tends to change its usefulness to destruction. Therefore users who are experiencing addiction to gadgets seem to be more noticeable as it greatly affects their psychological ability, especially their social interaction, that is why we made this study to figure out how gadgets dramatically affect students.