College Student Technology Use and Academic Performance

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. Keyword: Technology use, academic performance, post-secondary education.