Effects of Playing Dota 2 in the Academic Performance

EFFECTS OF PLAYING DOTA 2 IN THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF GRADE 10 MALE STUDENTS OF TUPI NHS

A research Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Grade 10 English Class of Tupi National High School

Submitted by: Belonio, Whea Nicole Catimbang, Dave Ryan Estoris, Jenny Bhe Nolasco, Virross Jericho G. Notario, Roy N. Santos, Misty Kaye S. Sunga, Kimberly P. Tornis, Lalyn Lee R.

November 2016

Chapter I THE PROBLEM

INTRODUCTION It is a common notion to most adults that a number of children, some are even students, are most likely engrossed in playing computer games, of all sorts, than playing physical sports and games outside. Also, access to such virtual games are now made very easy by the sprouting industry of cheap tables, computers, cell phones, and venues that cater them such as computer shops, so playing often could always be a possibility. And one of these famous, captivating and easily accessible games is DOTA 2. Although playing may seem harmless, it became a huge dilemma to the society. These past few years where the popularity of the said game is at its peak, some children were reported to have flunked in school just because of spending too much time in playing it. Reasons may vary as to why they do, but it is relevant enough to use the internet cafes during class hours, to deal with it. This study was chosen because it interests the researchers as to how it can affect the students, who will be affected by the research, and their academic performance. The effects of playing DOTA 2 will also be enumerated and discussed in the later chapters of this research paper. The purpose of this study is to understand the effects of playing DOTA 2 in the lives of the Grade 10 male students of the Tupi National High School (TNHS) this

School year (S.Y.) 2016-2017. The researchers used the term playing and did not specify addiction solely because the latter would truly be a one-sided study. This research aims to see another perspective of the issue.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY Gamers consider playing DOTA 2 as beneficial to their social life, while antagonists, mostly composed of non-gamers, talks about its harmful effects to one’s health and academic performances. As neutral citizens, the researchers would like to find the actual effects of “playing” DOTA 2 to high school students by conducting an experiment to Grade 10 boys of Tupi National High School S.Y. 2016-2017. The researchers would like to explore the idea about how a simple computer game could stir an issue to the social media years ago. The game was very controversial that it was even banned in some places in the country, such as Dasmariñas, Cavite. A City ordinance that bans DOTA 2, or any games alike, in all internet cafes within the said city was issued last November 2014. Most of the costumers in computer shops were gamers so there had been a significant decrease in the income of these shops. Some even were closed. Although some of the accusations of the antagonists are possibly true, there were also information about the benefits of playing DOTA 2 that circulated the social media after such negative issues appeared. There were even news about the discovery of its medical benefits. It was reported that an old man became more alert and healthy after constantly playing DOTA 2. The old man was advised by his physician because of

the existing study abroad about its health benefits. When he tried it out and successful results were shown, he became viral in social media and local television news. This was even featured on Rated K once in 2014. The researchers used the term ”playing” DOTA 2 rather than “addiction” to DOTA 2 because the latter would only discuss about the disadvantages of excessively playing MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game), and the researcers would also like to discuss the possible advantages, if there are any.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The study aims to determine the possible effects of playing DOTA 2 to high school student’s academic performance. In order to do so, it aims to answer the following questions: 1. Among all the male students of Grade 10 of Tupi National High School, is the number of those who play DOTA 2 significant over those who does not? 2. Will playing DOTA 2 affect the study habits of the said male students? 3. What are the effects of playing DOTA 2? 4. Are the effects of playing DOTA 2 significant to the male students of Grade 10 of Tupi National High School?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study entitled “Effects of Playing DOTA2 in the Academic Performance of the Grade 10 Male Students of Tupi National High School” is relevant to the following: To the Gamers. This study must be read and analysed by the gamers in order for them to be aware of the possible effects that will happen to their academic career if they get too engrossed in playing DOTA 2. It will give them a view of the effects of Playing DOTA 2, depending on the number of times they play it. To the Non-Gamers. These usually negates the notion that there are also possible good effects in playing DOTA 2. This study will help them see the other side of the issue, if there are any, and will make them understand why people play this game a lot. To the Researchers. This study will feed the curiosity of the researchers and will them certain information about the relationship of one’s habits, social life, and education to one’s whole being, that will help them in the future.

SCOPE AND DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The following terms are defined operational and conceptual:

Academic Performance. Activities related to the improvement of one’s capacity to learn in school, about the things which are essential in the academe; includes but are not limited to classroom participation, quizzes, examinations, assignments, etc.

DOTA 2. “A Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) video game, played in matches involving two (2) teams of five players”, each uses hero character, which aims to destroy the other team’s stronghold, called the Ancient (GosuGamers, October 2016). Gamer. A person who plays any online or offline game, and is either acquainted or addicted to it. Generally, it could be a male or female, but in this study we will use this term to identify male students of Grade 10 as gamers. MMORPG. Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game means a game played online by several number of people acting a certain virtual role, which consists of either built-in skills or skills still to be built. Chapter II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

For a few years after the outbreak of DOTA 2, some studies were also born to either make it or break it. A few of them had been spotted by the researchers and will be discussed in this chapter.

DOTA 2

A Free-to-Play game developed and published by Valve Corporation was released to Steam, a popular, world-wide online game server, last July 9, 2013, and was then known as DOTA 2. The game is downloadable and suitable to operating systems such as Microsoft Windows, OS X and Linux. It was defined by Steam as a “competitive

game of action and strategy, played both professionally and casually by millions of passionate fans worldwide” just weeks after its initial release. The game was a big hit (Steam Writer and Editor, 2014). Also, DOTA 2 is a stand-alone game sequel of DotA or Defense of the Ancients, which is also a different game, and a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game played in matches between two teams, composed of five players, each occupying separate babes in the “map” and ha a goal of overcoming the other, achieved by playing as a team through independently controlling a single hero each (Kuziku, E., 2016).

BANNED IN THE PHILIPPINES

Although Dota 2, just like any other online games, was created to be a harmless game for fun, entertainment and leisure, it has never prevented itself from issues and controversies leading to its prohibition due to the actions of the ones playing the said game. Year 2015, Dasmariñas, a city in Cavite, Philippines, once banned playing Dota in any internet shops on their territory through a city ordinance published on the said year. Then any internet café that allows gamers to play Dota faces a month-long suspension of their business. Although shocking to others, this claim is “not completely unwarranted because two (2) teens were reported stabbed in November 2014 after a fight broke over a game (The Know, 2015). In the same documentary footage released by The Know, a youtube authorcontributor, to wit:

“Dear countrymen, we will be pushing on with this town resolution because we believe this is the right thing to do for children who are often seen causing trouble, cussing, cutting classes, gambling, staying up late, fighting, and ignoring their studies… those who are playing the game are becoming violent and are learning to deceive, steal… It is not far a possibility for them to kill or be killed just to play (Dasmariñas City Ordinance, January 2015).”

It was also mentioned that this means was only executed due to the said City’s love for children and their future. Aside from the former incident, some Marikina and Manila lawmakers collaborated to draft a law that will prohibit internet cafes in the Philippines from allowing their patrons to play DOTA 2 and other games alike inside their shops because of the many parent’s complaints they are receiving. Such complaints were mostly about how the game affects the performance of the students at school and how such incites violence among those who played it (Barbosa, G., 23 June 2014). To prove the claims above, a 16-year old boy was reported to have alledgedly killed an 11-year old boy by stabbing the latter 40 times for hacking the former’s account DOTA 2 account in Malolos, Bulacan. The article entitled “11 Year Old Boy Stabbed Over 40 Times For Alledged ‘DOTA 2’ Hacking in the Philippnes…” was published online last February 28, 2014 (Sander, L.). Another report entitled “Boy Kills Grandmother For Interrupting DOTA Game In The Philippines!...” said that a 17-year old boy beats his own grandmother to death after

the latter had interrupted the former’s game and scolded him last March 2014 in Quezon City (Denaga, 2014). Lastly, according to Inquirer.net, a small village in Dasmariñas, Cavite chose to ban DotA after two teenagers were stabbed and killed after a fight involving a game last November 2014. This was declared in an Ordinance known and numbered as “Kpasiyahan Blg. 008-S-2015”, and is entitled “Kapasiyahan na Nagbabawal ng Paglalaro ng DOTA (Defense of the Ancients) online o offline sa mga internet/computer shop na sakop ng Barangay Salawag” issued last January 5, 2015. Although by the former statements, it was implied that the game pertained was Dota Warcraft III mod and not DOTA 2, which is the topic of this study, there is a notion among non-DotA/DOTA2 players, among them includes legislators, that the two games mentioned are one and the same, so mentioning this is still relevant to the researchers’ study (Schreler, 22 Jan 2015).

GOOD SIDE OF DOTA 2

“DOTA’s a really big game here in the Philippines, partly because of the presence of Internet cafes around almost every city and provincial district,” says a Kotaku readr whose name was kept a secret due to its request. “Unfortunately, based on my personal obsevations, it seems that a lot of players here can be intense (really, to say the least),” says he (Schreler, J., 2015).

This intense behaviour of the players made the playing of DOTA 2 a little off the norm. This made way to speculations that the said game is bad for one’s well-being, but some also says otherwise. After the many negative controversies the world wide web has shown a about DOTA 2, a lot of optimists countered some of the negative views and defended DOTA through giving their own studies about it. According to “Benefits of DOTA 2” written by Nikkahlubanga last July 31, 2014, DOTA 2 is beneficial to its gamers because it exercises the mind by improving critical and strategic thinking abilities, promotes teamwork, promotes social interaction amongst players, and relieving one’s self from the daily stresses of life. It was compared to a chess game, only more fun and virtual. According to the author of WazzupPilipinas, Dota 2 have notable effects such as improving the ability to respond faster and accurately receiving audio-visual information simultaneously in the fastest time possible, while critically making strategies, improving the ability to make a choice by ruling out possibilities through studying and planning the right combinations of skills and weapos to win productively, enhancing the ability to be aware of things spatially, promoting interpersonal relations and team communications, advocates multitasking and enhances hand-eye coordination. “DOTA is not just a game.” This is according to the facebook page known as Psychology Channel. In its article entitled Cognitive Benefits of Playing DOTA2, Dota 2 has its benefits that are usually cognitive and socially related. But a more significant evidence to the good-benefits-of-the-game side is the news about how it cured an old man. It became an alternative for relieving an old person from possible total

forgetfulness. It was reported that a 66-year old man was advised by his doctor to play video games as a means to relieve stress and also as a mental exercise. When asked by Philippine’s eSports Organization’s Executive Director, this old man said that his mind began to deteriorate as he grew older. But because of playing DOTA 2, which he had done frequently through internet cafes, he manages to stay alert at such an age. This same old man was also featured in the television news through Rated K and TV Patrol in 2015. Such statement is a contradiction to the reported bad effects of playing DOTA 2 in one’s health (Lee T., 2015).

MODERATION

As Sy (2015) said, “Too much of everything is always not good,” so being addicted to any online games is bad in so many obvious ways. But why is this study any different from the rest? The main reason why the group used the term simply “plaing” in coining the study, is because using or imposing the word “addiction” to it as the main idea would lead to an old and repeated study.