Uso de nuevas tecnologías y rendimiento académico en una muestra de bachilleres de 16 a 18 años. Un estudio exploratorio - [Use of new technologies and academic performance in a sample of 16-18 years old scholars. An exploratory study]

- New technologies accentuate a generational and cultural gap while offering new possibilities and creating risks for today's youth. It is common to consider the use of ICT as a factor in reducing school performance. Objective: This research measures the possible gender differences in the use and frequency of the new Information and Communication Technologies in high school students. It also explores its possible association with a decrease in school performance. Material and methods: Sequential random sample of 72 Spanish high school students of both sexes, aged between 16 and 18 years, ICT users in their daily leisure habits. The statistical tests used were Student's “t” and bifactorial ANOVA. Results: Greater use of internet and mobile phones in girls, and video games in boys. Weak and negative relationship between performance and addiction. Conclusion: Gender differences are found in the type of device used. No significant gender differences were found in the development of an ICT addiction picture. No performance decrease is attributed to any individual in the school sample due to daily connections for leisure to ICT.