oIntroduction

Modern technology has experienced a vast expansion in recent years, leading to its extensive use
by people from all generations. For a generation of young people, technology has assumed a
substantial stake in their social and educational lives. Todays youths have unprecedented access
to modern technology. Over the last few years, the usage of present day technology, among
teenagers has predominantly increased. Modern technology has come to prominence as it has been
implicated for perturbing the grades of students. Due to the enormous development of
technologies, this era is termed the Age of Technology.

Relevance
Many students, if not all, have daily access to technology such as computers, television, cell
phones, radio etc. It is believed that students spend too much time indulging in the use of modern
technological devices and insufficient time doing work. This topic has peaked my interest because
of the tremendous controversy surrounding it. With recognition, technology lies at the heart of
society, hence the purpose of this study is to probe deeply, to analyse intensively, so as to establish
the relationship between technological gadgets and students academics, behavioural patterns as
well as socialization skills. Many students fall trap to technology as it has become a borderline
obsession. While students use these modern gadgets for the completion of assignments, they are
mainly use by students for social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter etc. Social media which
has been included into their daily routines, has led to parents and teachers complaining that while
there are positive dimensions to technology, it has more adverse effects on the students.
Also, the problematic use of technology is of course global, greatly impacting the
Caribbean inclusive of the sixth form students of Holy Faith Convent Penal. However it is alleged
that, parents of the Caribbean are very lenient regarding technological use by their children. This
presented information will be propitious to teachers, parents and especially students as they can
see an analysis of the dynamics that exist between student and the technological world. Also the
community will be provided with an insight of what happens when students are granted full access
to technology. Such an investigation could ignite a need for change in the abuse of technological
devices by students. Perhaps a new awareness could be propelled in relation to this topic.

Problem Statement: What impact does modern technology have on the academic
performance of the sixth form students of Holy Faith Convent Penal?
Sub Problems:
To discover the positive and negative effects modern technology has on students over a
period of time?
How does technology impact the academic achievement of the form six students of Holy
Faith Convent Penal?
Does technological use influence their behavioural patterns?
This research is aimed at determining how much he academia of sixth form students of Holy Faith
Convent Penal, is influenced by the technology of modern society. Holy Faith Convent Penal
located in South Trinidad, is situated south of San Fernando and Debe, but north of Siparia,
consists of 79 students at sixth form level.

Educational Value
This research will raise a new set of issues that educators, parents, and policy makers
should consider. After reading this presented information, parents will realize the inimical effects
technology has on their children and may reduce the timeframe spent using these present day
devices. Teachers will be more aware of children disregarding school work being taught possibly
because they are using their cell phones in the classroom. Also students may be prone to limit
technological use to a more positive extent after gaining knowledge of these adverse effects. On
the contrary, the readers may view technology with high educated value and promote its use for a
greater purpose. I truly believe that if used correctly, technology can be very helpful but can be
very harmful if used prejudicially.

Definition of Key Terms

Education: the process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school

or university

Modern: Relating or belonging to the present period in history or of the latest, most
advanced kind or most advanced equipment and techniques available

Technology: the branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical
means and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment, drawing upon such
subjects as industrial arts, engineering, applied science, and pure science.
 Technophile: a person who loves or is enthusiastic about advanced technology

Literature Review
The evolution of technology has dramatically changed society. An endless number of
people all over the world use modern technology. In the past decade the widespread proliferation
of information, technology is of the most profound changes. Although the research of childrens
use of modern technology is still sketchy and ambiguous, some initial indications of positive and
negative effects are beginning to emerge.
According to the findings, a book entitled Young Children Continue to Reinvent
Arithmetic 2nd grade: Implication of Paegets Theory, written by Constance Kamii, Barbara
Means and Leslie Joseph hope to discover the positive effects of modern technology. This books
focuses on the positive contribution of technology as it applauds these innovative young minds for
their use of technology in efforts in propelling their education, thereby completely neglecting its
negative impact. These authors believe that students are no longer limited to school laboratories,
school hours and specific devices; technology access is increasingly centered on the learners
experience. The book states that Learning with technology enhances students reasoning and
problem solving abilities. However, this information is bias as it investigated only the positive
impact of technology and a small sample size (University of Michigan) was considered into the
writing of this book. Similarly, my study is also based on a small sample size, but is taking into
consideration, not only positive, but the negative effects of technological use.
In the same vein, Chris Davies and Rebecca Eynon wrote the book Teenagers and
Technology. The book examines the various ways, and the extent to which emergent technologies
have impacted the lives of teenagers in the UK. The authors believe that technology enables young
people to transition from adolescence to adulthood. The primary purpose of the book is to
determine the extent to which young people engaging in the characteristics of technological
devices. My research focuses exactly on the impact of technology whereas this book covers the
way in which technology is experienced, discovered and understood. The information is based on
a much bigger sample size (the UK) than that of my research.
Partially mirroring the previously mentioned books, The App Generation was written by
Howard Gardner, a Professor of Cognition and education at the Harvard graduate school of
education, and Katie Davis specializes in studying digital media technologies in adolescent lives.
Davis and Gardner are concerned with three vital areas of adolescent life: identity, intimacy and
imagination. This research, which conducted on Harvard students, happened because Gardner and
Davis, wanted to spread how beneficial as well as detrimental, technology can be. The book states
that the benefits and the harmful effects of technology are equally striking. They believe there are
draw backs to technology such as students may foreclose a sense of identity and even encourage
superficial relations with others. On the other hand the benefits are that they can promote a strong
sense of identity, allow deep relationships and stimulate creativity. Of the three (3) books
mentioned, this is most similar to my research as it talks about both the positive and negative
effects of technology.
Despite lending all these positive contributions, technology also brings many negative
problems. An article, Technology changing how students learn, Teachers say, written by Matt
Ritchel states teachers complained that these students are distracted by technology. Adolescents
spend many hours surfing social sites. They engage in constant interaction and socialization.
Although teen users experience delight when interacting n social networks, their attraction to and
involvement in activities most likely means greater concentration; and they may lose control over
the duties they are expected to perform. Unlike my study, this article totally ignores the positivity
of technology. This study was based in New York and performed because of the ever rising
concerns of technological abuse.
Similarly, another article, entitled Technology Matters, published in the Trinidad and
Tobagos Guardian, alludes to the fact that present day technology can affect adolescents by not
only displacing time to do their homework but influences behavioural patterns. This article states
that, according to the social learning theory, adolescents learn by observing and imitating what
they see. Also with reference to this article, the super peer theory states that the media are like
painful best friends in sometimes making risky behaviour seem like normal behaviour. Another
problem due to excessive usage of electronic gadgets is that they can weaken peoples memory.
This research was based in south Trinidad and performed because of the drastic increase in
technological abuse and decrease in adolescents academic, behaviour and socialization skills.
Unlike my research, this article focuses on the negative impact of technology. However it used a
much larger sample size than this study.
There are persons who strongly believe that technology is most beneficial to their lifestyles
whereas person are against the idea of students being so caught up in it. While some students
flourish in the technological world, the danger it poses still remains.

DATA COLLECTION SOURCES

Research Design
This methodology provides an understanding of how this investigation was conducted and
organized, in order to obtain information that would be relevant to unearthing the impact modern
technology has on students academia. One of the most applicable designs for achieving the aims
and objectives of this applied study was selected. A quantitative approach arises from the belief
that human phenomena and variables in modern technology can be studied objectively and so this
has been chosen as an appropriate research method.Quantitative research uses a fixed design that
coordinates in advance the questions, a detailed method of data collection and analysis.

Method of Data Collection

In this research, the method of data collection was quantitative in nature of which both primary
and secondary sources were used to procure and achieve required information.
Primary sources are those that are directly concerned with the issue at hand. This first-hand
information is acquired through interviews and questionnaires. A questionnaire is a number of
preset questions that can contain open-ended, fixed choice or a combination of both types of
questions. These questions seek to get information about a particular situation or problem. This
questionnaire encompassed of twenty-three(23) questions in which six(6) were free response and
seventeen(17) multiple choice. The use of this research method is ideal because:
A large sample size can be used

It is cost-effective; it is simple and easy to complete

It guarantees confidentiality for the respondents

It is convenient for both the researcher and respondents alike since respondents were able to

respond to the questionnaire at their own convenience, without the monitoring of the

researcher

The data can be easily tabulated, measured and analyzed.

Secondary sources are documents written after an event has occurred, providing secondhand

accounts of that event, person, or topic. Secondary sources were used in the form of books and

newspaper articles, to capture the different writers perspectives on my topic. To captivate the

essence of various prospects, a combination of three books and two articles were used. Unlike
the primary sources, which provide first-hand accounts, secondary sources offer different

perspectives, analysis, and conclusions of those accounts.

Selection of sample

Parahoo (2006) defines a population as the total number of units from which data can potentially

be collected.Holy Faith Convent Penal has a population of seventy-nine (79) students at the sixth

form level, therefore a sample size of 30% was deemed necessary to ensure the accuracy of data

for the questionnaire (30% = 25students). Randomization was employed in the selection of all

participants to achieve an unbiased sample. Simple random sampling is the basic sampling

technique where a group of subjects (a sample) is selected for study from a larger group (a

population). Each individual is chosen entirely by chance and each member of the population has

an equal chance of being included in the sample.The sampling method systematically allowed for

the students to be surveyed adequately hence, giving value to the validity and reliability of the

sample size and the data collected.

Collection of Data
This study was conducted within the 7th January- 20th January 2016. The questionnaires were
distributed to the students of Holy Faith Convent Penal of which the respondents were given three
(3) days to complete the questionnaires and return them to the researcher. The only problems
encountered in collection of this data was:
Questionnaires were not returned within the given time
Some students were reluctant to answering questionnaires
Some respondents refused to answer free response questions

Analysis and Presentation of Data

The data will be analyzed using graphic and tabular methods. Descriptive statistics will

also be used in analyzing and presenting the data.

PRESENTATION Of Findings
 Figure 1: PIE CHART SHOWING WHICH OF THE
TECHNOLOGIES ARE USED MOSTLY

16%

32% Television
Computer/Internet
Mp3 Player
Cell Phone
48%
4% Radio

Figure 1: The above pie chart shows statistical data for the technologies of which students use

mostly. Of the 25 respondents(students),48% occupy their time mostly with a computer/using the

internet. Whereas 32% of the students use their cell phones mostly, possibly because a cellular

phone is a personal item, hence they always have it with them. On the contrary only 16% of the

respondents were said to have watched television mostly out of the five technologies. Only 4%

preferred to use their Mp3 player. However, absolutely none of the respondents choose the radio

as their preferential technological device.

 Figure 2: COLUMN GRAPH SHOWING FREQUENT
USAGE OF TECHNOLOGICAL DEVICES
16
y axis: Number of students

14

12

10

0
Internet/Computer Television Cell Phone Mp3 Player/Radio
x axis: Technological devices

Once a day Few times a day Weekends Not at all

Figure 2: The above column graph shows statistical data for a combination of four questions on

how often each of these technological devices are used. Most of the students said that they used

the Internet/Computer a few times a day. Whereas it appears that the majority of students watch

television only once a day. Furthermore, more than half of the students used their cellular phones

a few times a day. On the contrary, thirteen of the respondents dont use their Mp3 Player/ Radio

at all.
 Figure 3: BAR GRAPH SHOWING LENGTH OF TIME SPENT ON
THESE TECHNOLOGICAL DEVICES
Mp3 Player/Radio
y axis: Technological devices

Cell Phone

Internet/Computer

Television

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18

x axis: Number of students

More than 3 hours 2-3 Hours 1-2 Hours Less than one hour

Figure 3: The above bar graph shows statistical data for a combination of four questions on the

length of time spent on each of these technological. The most amount of time spent using an mp3

player was only 1-2 hours. Most of the students said that they usually use their cellular phones for

more than three(3) hours. Similarly, a total of three hours plus is the time most respondents spend

using the internet/computer. Whereas it appears, most students watch television for either 1-2

hours or 2-3 hours.

 Figure 4: DONUTCHART SHOWING THE TOP
THREE(3) USES OF THE INTERNET

21%
25%

7%

26%
9%

12%

Entertainment Education
Passing Time Shopping
Work/Business Communicating with others

Figure 4: The above doughnut chart shows statistical data for the top three(3) uses of the internet.
The respondents indicated that the top use for the internet was education. Following, 25% said that
they used the internet for communication wit others. Entertainment was the third, most chosen use
of the internet. On the contrary, only 12% used the internet for passing time, whereas 9% uses it
for shopping and only 7% of the respondents used the internet for work/business.
Figure 5: Table showing students percentage at end of term exams. Most students get an average
percent ranging from 50-75%. Followed by eight students who get from 25-50%. Whereas only
five students achieve a percentage of 75-100. Furthermore,the number of students who get between
0-25% was only three(3).

Students Percentage/% Number of students

0-25 3
25-50 8
50-75 9
75-100 5
Figure 6: Diagram showing whether students think that their technological gadgets either promote
or hinder their academic performance. The majority of students believe that their technologies
hinder their academia.While the remaining 32% believe that these devices add to positively to their
grades.

32%
KEY:

Students who think their

technologies promote academia

Students who think their

technologies hinder academia

68%
 The purpose of this study is to examine the impact modern technology has on the

academic performance of students of Holy Faith Convent Penal.

The data collected from question Of the 25 respondents(students),48% occupy their time

mostly with a computer/using the internet. Whereas 32% of the students use their cell phones

mostly, possibly because a cellular phone is a personal item, hence they always have it with

them. On the contrary only 16% of the respondents were said to have watched television mostly

out of the five technologies. Only 4% preferred to use their Mp3 player. However, absolutely

none of the respondents choose the radio as their preferential technological device.

The above column graph shows statistical data for a combination of four questions on how often

each of these technological devices are used. Most of the students said that they used the

Internet/Computer a few times a day. Whereas it appears that the majority of students watch

television only once a day. Furthermore, more than half of the students used their cellular phones

a few times a day. On the contrary, thirteen of the respondents dont use their Mp3 Player/ Radio

at all.

The above bar graph shows statistical data for a combination of four questions on the length of

time spent on each of these technological. The most amount of time spent using an mp3 player

was only 1-2 hours. Most of the students said that they usually use their cellular phones for more

than three(3) hours. Similarly, a total of three hours plus is the time most respondents spend using

the internet/computer. Whereas it appears, most students watch television for either 1-2 hours or

2-3 hours.

The above doughnut chart shows statistical data for the top three(3) uses of the internet. The
respondents indicated that the top use for the internet was education. Following, 25% said that they
used the internet for communication wit others. Entertainment was the third, most chosen use of
the internet. On the contrary, only 12% used the internet for passing time, whereas 9% uses it for
shopping and only 7% of the respondents used the internet for work/business.
Most students get an average percent ranging from 50-75%. Followed by eight students who get
from 25-50%. Whereas only five students achieve a percentage of 75-100. Furthermore,the number
of students who get between 0-25% was only three(3).
The majority of students believe that their technologies hinder their academia.While the remaining
32% believe that these devices add to positively to their grades.