University of Perpetual Help System Laguna - JONELTA

Basic Education Department – Senior High School

UNDERDEVELOPED COMMUNICATION SKILLS: SOCIAL MEDIA EXPOSURE OF

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

A Thesis
Presented To
The Faculty of the Senior High School
University of Perpetual Help System Laguna
Sto. Niño, Biñan City, Laguna

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Subject
Practical Research 1

By

John Andrei Ababa

Ehrol Joshua Aclaracion
Kaila Joyce Artillero
John Dereck Chavez
Louella Andrea Guico
Rando Allenas-Jimena
Nicolo Ong-Iko
Tricia Mae Real
Herlene Grace See

March 2018

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 University of Perpetual Help System Laguna - JONELTA
Basic Education Department – Senior High School

Chapter 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Introduction

The year that people live today is called the digital era, a world in which technology is now a

thing that people need on a daily basis meaning to say the people that living in this era consider it

as one of the essentials needed in life. Why does technology strive today? Basically, people need

it because technology made our life easier such as appliances, it does help household chores to be

a lot easier, the transportation like trains, ferry and airplane, it made people travel faster while

gadgets such as iPad, laptop, telephone, cellular phone and smartphones was invented to make

communication from distance to distance easier. It comes with the coolest invention, the social

media platforms, it made communication and socializing easier. There are lots of social media

platforms that has been develop and made every day and there are lots of people using it.

There are lots of social media platforms that billions of people are using it, and the

(business insider) made a list about the most used social media platforms and they calculate the

amount of people using each social media platforms; coming to top is Facebook which is widely

used by billions of people, followed by Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. The researchers’ study

is entitled “Underdeveloped Communication Skills: Social Media Exposure of Senior High School

Students”. The focus of the study is to determine if social media platforms can be a hindrance in

the growth of socializing skills and communication skills of a teenager. Whether it can lead to

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Basic Education Department – Senior High School

deterioration of social communication skills because social media limits the face-to-face

communication between individuals. This has made people lack the etiquette that is required in a

normal day personal communication. Spelling and pronunciation are one of the problems because

most of the communication on social media is very informal. Spelling and grammar is not

monitored most of the time. People write in short forms such as log as the message is received and

it may negatively affect the self-esteem of a person because confidence plays a very big role in as

far as communicating with people is concerned. Some experiences on social media such as cyber

bullying may make people fearful, shy and unable to effectively communicate with people in real

situations. It can also create anti-social behavior among people because people spend a lot of time

on social media. This has reduced the amount of time people spend with each other. They also end

up mainly creating virtual relationships. This hampers the ability of these people to properly

communicate with each other in real life.

Theoretical Framework

Uses and Gratifications Theory is based on users actively attempting to satisfy their media

needs. Elihu Katz is often credited with being one of the original creators of this theory. This

theory states that an individual will choose the media or form of media that will satisfy their desires

most completely. There are a number of different desires involved with this theory, such as a desire

for information or social interaction. When seeking to fulfill these desires, an individual will need

to make a decision. This decision-making process if the primary interest for the theorists. When

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Basic Education Department – Senior High School

comparing social networking websites, it is simply a matter of preference at the time. However,

the decision-making process becomes more convoluted when deciding between watching a movie,

playing a game online, or reading a newspaper. The same fundamental principle applies however,

the person will make the decision based on what brings the most gratification.

Operational Framework

This study will be related to the theory, Uses and Gratifications Theory because Social

Media Exposure means being broadly exposed to mass communication and Uses and

Gratifications theory explains that people are active users of social media because they have needs

to fulfill.

The first one is Cognitive needs or Surveillance, which is seeking information. Second is

Affective needs, which includes all kinds of emotions, pleasure and other moods of people. People

watch TVs to satisfy their emotional needs. Third is Personal Integrative needs or Personal

Identity, which discusses the self-esteem need and the self-actualization. People use media to

reassure their status, gain credibility and stabilize. Fourth is Social Integrative need or Personal

Relationships, this encompasses the need to socialize with family, friends and relations in the

society. Fifth is Tension Release needs, which states that people use social media as escapism and

the release of tension needs.

All of these are the needs gratification brought by media to Senior High School students

and that is how they are exposed to Social Media.

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Basic Education Department – Senior High School

Statement of the Problem

The study will focus on understanding and describing the experiences of Senior High

School students in using social media platforms. Specifically, it will answer the core questions.

1. What have the participants experienced in using social media?

2. How have the participants experienced using social media?

Assumption of the Study

The researcher will base this study on the following assumptions:

1. The participants experienced being updated in using social media.

2. The participants experienced the frequency of using social media platforms in a daily basis.

Scope and Delimitation

This study is focused on the effects of social media on Senior High School students of

University of Perpetual Help System Laguna, the study will engage 10 senior students with an age

range of 16 years old and above whom studying at University of Perpetual Help System Laguna,

with the school year 2017-2018. The study will examine the negative and positive effects of social

media in the behavior and social communication skills of the students. This research study will

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Basic Education Department – Senior High School

find out if social media can affect the behavior and also the social communication skills of a

student.

Significance of the Study

The study could be immensely beneficial to students for it serves as a direct in changing,

improving, and also a reflection that may help them understand the effects of using social media

to them.

The results of this study may also help parents to understand the current behavior of the

youth who are aside from being disciplinarians are also next in line to guide them. The lived

experiences revealed in this study could guide them insights on implementing new ordinances that

would aid in promoting good behavior as well as proper time management.

The findings would also give teachers better understanding of students that would make

their jobs as facilitator and motivators easier. They may consider the shared experiences of the

participants as point of reference for them in discovering, strengthening, and directing the energy

and potentials of students under their supervision.

The findings would also benefit the school administrator for it serves as a reflection of the

effectiveness or ineffectiveness of programs offered in higher educational institutions. This may

direct them in changing, improving, or retaining their existing programs to better meet the needs

of students.

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Basic Education Department – Senior High School

The findings may also benefit future researchers as they may come up with a more in-depth

study of student experiences and its possible effects to any educational or psychological variables.

The totality of this undertaking greatly brought intellectual gains, moving insights, and

character empowerment to the researcher. The research process widened her horizons,

strengthened her character, and tested her perseverance.

Definition of Terms

The following terms to be used in this study are defined conceptually and operationally:

Communication is the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express, most

of the teenagers does not have effective social communication skills due to social media exposure.

Exposure is the fact or condition of being affected by something or experiencing something,

Senior High School students of UPHSL are now experiencing the exposure of social media in a

positive and negative way.

High School is a school especially in the US usually including grades 9-12 or 10-12, the

participants will be selected at the Senior High School department.

Senior is a person who is of a higher rank than another person, the study will focus to the lived

experiences of Senior High School students of UPHSL using social media.

Skill is the ability to do something that comes from training, experience, or practice, many

teenagers does not have the skills in socializing and are mostly awkward.

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Basic Education Department – Senior High School

Social Media is a form of electronic communication such as websites, it is believed that Senior

High School students have been addicted to these social media platforms nowadays.

Student is a person who attends a school, college, or university, the study will focus on students

of UPHSL.

Underdeveloped is not normally or adequately developed, teenagers’ social communication skills

are underdeveloped.

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Basic Education Department – Senior High School

Chapter 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter reviews the related literature which support and give credence to the details

of this research. The researcher anchored this comprehensive study to different viewpoints and

perspectives to present a thorough treatment of the problem. Concepts, findings, theories, and

notions, from scholarly researches and articles related to social media addiction are presented to

provide an extensive background of the study and to justify the researchers objective in

undertaking it. This also provides a synthesis of related literature which later on may be confirmed,

negated, or improved by the new knowledge that this study provided.

Social Communication Skills

There is no question kids are missing out on very critical social skills. In a way, texting and

online communicating—it is not like it creates a nonverbal learning disability, but it puts

everybody in a nonverbal disabled context, where body language, facial expression, and even the

smallest kinds of vocal reactions are rendered invisible (Steiner-Adair, 2017). If kids are not

getting enough practice relating to people and getting their needs met in person and in real time,

many of them will grow up to be adults who are anxious about our species’ primary means of

communication—talking. And of course social negotiations only get riskier as people get older

and begin navigating romantic relationships and employment. (Ehmke, 2017)

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Basic Education Department – Senior High School

Social media sites provide children with the opportunity to stay connected to friends and

family, make new friends, share pictures and exchange ideas. Children can also engage in their

communities by raising money for charities, develop their creativity through sharing their art or

music, and get to know others from diverse backgrounds through shared interests (Boyd, 2008).

Social media sites also offer enhanced learning opportunities. Some schools use blogs as teaching

tools with the benefit of improving English skills, writing and creativity. Facebook and other

similar sites allow students to gather outside of school and exchange ideas about assignments or

collaborate on group projects (Borja, 2005).

In a world where conversations happen through blogs, tweets, and Facebook posts, using

proper grammar is important as it reflects back on the writer and the business he/she is

representing. If you want to keep readers and continue the conversation, it is important to use

proper grammar to avoid looking silly. So, before clicking the “send” or “publish” button, be sure

to reread the content that is just created. It is also a good idea to have other eyes read it over to

pick up on misspellings or grammar mistakes that may have missed. Proofreading posts and blogs

will help to ensure credibility and build the loyalty of readers and followers. (Madsen, 2018)

When we engage in face-to-face communication, social information is conveyed by vocal

and visual cues in the context of the situation. Non-verbal communication is an important part of

communicating and it includes facial expressions, eye contact, tone of voice as well as posture,

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Basic Education Department – Senior High School

space between individuals, etc. (Knapp & Hall, 2010). Understanding the non-verbal aspects of

communication is crucial because social situations we need to modify our behavior in response to

the reactions of others (Knapp & Hall, 2010). Our ability to process emotional cues is associated

with personal, social and academic success (Knapp & Hall, 2010). Moreover, children who

understand emotional cues in social settings can develop superior social skills and more positive

peer relationships (Blakemore, 2003). These non-verbal, affective cues are much stronger when it

comes to communicating in person vs. digitally (Sherman, Michikyan, & Greenfeld, 2013). So

when children use digital communication extensively, it can curtail the face-to-face experiences

necessary for them to develop and master important social skills (Giedd, 2012).

The draw of the digital world is profound. Its very nature is inherently reinforcing: it is an

always available, it is constantly novel and it is exciting. The digital highway is full of avenues for

socializing, can expose us to endless learning opportunities and can help us find answers to the

most obscure questions. The virtual world has also proven to be very effective for self-support;

allowing individuals with like interests, problems or goals to connect.

We use digital devices to keep us company when we are alone, prevent us from being bored

and soothe us when we are anxious. The use of these devices has grown significantly over the past

several years. While it is clear that the virtual world has many advantages, it also can be hard to

break away from. Optimal balance between the real and virtual world may be hard to

achieve. (Lender, 2013)

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Social Nation

The Philippines is the world’s “most social nation” based on social media activity of

Internet users, this country used to be known as the text messaging capital of the world. Now, with

easier Internet access and higher smartphone adoption, our findings indicate that the country has

transformed into the most social nation (Gonzales, 2015).

One of the most obvious negative aspects of social networking is losing face-to-face

contact with other people. Teens are sitting around with their gadgets in their hands all day long,

tapping messages onto screens instead of communicating with real people. Many teenagers feel

more comfortable with virtual friends than with real ones. The majority think that it is easier to

chat on the Internet because they lack communication skills (Villanueva, 2015).

While Facebook maintained its position as the top social media platform in the Philippines,

the other platforms are vying for spots in the top, the top 5 platforms now include 3 chat apps:

Facebook messenger, Skype, and Viber. The numbers on the report also clearly shows that the top

activity of mobile users is using mobile messengers which is at 33% followed by watching videos

at 26% and using mobile map services at 25% (Castro, 2016).

Facebook users between the ages of 18 and 65, netizens could very well swing the tide in

this election, which many are calling the country’s first “social media” election. For millennials,

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Basic Education Department – Senior High School

social media is the lifeline of information (or misinformation). Social media can provide free

advertisement, highlight important advocacy work, make speeches and statements readily

available, and help candidates promote their campaign messages widely and freely. In that sense,

it can be seen as democratizing the electoral process. Except, that’s not what always happens. For

better or for worse, social media can also create an obsessive focus on one or two issues, magnify

candidates’ warts and pores, poke fun at their looks or voices, amplify a misstep, an insensitive

remark, expose a prejudice or bias – and all for all the world to see and hear in real time without

delay (Buenaobra, 2016).

The numbers have been coming in the Philippines has one of the highest penetrations

in social media, preceding Australia and Indonesia. Further, in 2011 showed that more than 50%

of the households have high-speed internet connection and around 24% are using their mobile

devices to access online (AGB Nielsen Philippines, 2011)

When it comes to risk management and emergency response, having an informed

citizenry through mass media is not enough. It attempts to explain the nature of social media and

their technological affordances, discuss the communication needs of people at risk met by social

media, and identify the key functions of social media in times of crisis. This paper concludes that

social media, Facebook in particular, afford users a high degree of social presence, making them

the best tool for creating and nurturing small online communities managed by LGUs. They provide

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strong support for social interaction, social integration and the strengthening of bayanihan

(heroism) spirit (Congjuico, 2014).

Internet users worldwide have grown by 7% over the past 12 months, with more than

260 million people coming online for the first time since September 2016, according to the Global

Digital in 2017 report of Kepios, a global digital solutions provider. Around 406 million people

started using social media in the past year, or more than 1.11 million new users logging every day.

That is around 13 new users every second (Salano, 2017)

Social media is now a direct interface for consumers to engage with brands and vice

versa. It removes the layer of separation, bringing companies and customers to the same level. It

is an authentic customer-centric space that can build close and long-lasting relationships (Ricatti,

2018).

There are now 4 billion people using the internet which sees a 250,000 increase

from last year’s 3.75 billion. The Philippines, in particular have 67 million internet and active

social media users. 62 million use social media on their mobile devices. The most interesting part

of the study is that even after 3 years, Filipinos are still on top when it comes to social media usage

on any device, averaging almost 4 hours everyday – 3 hours and 57 minutes a day, to be specific

(Chua, 2018).

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Basic Education Department – Senior High School

While the Philippines topped the list of time spent on social media for the third year in

a row, it fell to second place in terms of total time spent on the internet. On average, Filipino

internet users spent nine hours and 29 minutes online per day, an increase from eight hours and 59

minutes the year before. However, the Philippines placed second to internet users in Thailand, who

spent around nine hours and 38 minutes online each day (Subido, 2018).

Synthesis of Review of Related Literature

The Philippines is the world’s “most social nation” based on social media activity of

Internet users, this country used to be known as the text messaging capital of the world. (Gonzales,

2015). Social media sites provide children with the opportunity to stay connected to friends and

family, make new friends, share pictures and exchange ideas (Boyd, 2008). However, if kids are

not getting enough practice relating to people and getting their needs met in person and in real

time, many of them will grow up to be adults who are anxious about our species’ primary means

of communication talking (Ehmke, 2017). Children who understand emotional cues in social

settings can develop superior social skills and more positive peer relationships (Blakemore, 2003).

Many teenagers feel more comfortable with virtual friends than with real ones. The majority think

that it is easier to chat on the Internet because they lack communication skills (Villanueva, 2015).

Gaps to be Bridged by the Present Study

From the review of the related literature and studies previously presented in this chapter,

it is found out that social media has been a subject of a number of researches for years, most of

which focus on the advantages and disadvantages associated in effective learning of various

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Basic Education Department – Senior High School

students, there is a dearth of studies showing the societal and organizational role in producing and

shaping intellectual students. This study will attempt to address this gap by focusing on both the

student and its frequent use towards social media by providing an in-depth understanding of

millennials’ lived experiences.

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Basic Education Department – Senior High School

Chapter 3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter discusses the research design, the selection of the participants as well as the

instrumentation and validation, data gathering procedures and treatment and analysis of data.

Research Design

For the purpose of describing the meaning of people’s lived experiences of a concept or

phenomenon, the researcher will employ phenomenological research design which focuses on

identifying and analyzing what all the participants have in common as they experience a

phenomenon. This is to be done by reducing individual experiences with a phenomenon to a

description of the universal essence (a “grasp of the very nature of the thing”, Van Manen, 1990

as cited by Creswell, 2007). Specifically, the researcher will utilize Psychological Phenomenology

(also termed Empirical, Transcendental), expounded by Moustakas (1994) as cited by Creswell

(2005), which focuses less on the interpretations of the researcher and more on a description of the

experiences of the participants.

Sources of Data

Majority of the data will be gathered through multiple in-depth interviews with 10

individuals who are using social media. For qualitative researches Polkinghorne (1989), as cited

by Creswell (2007), advised that investigators interview 5 to 25 individuals who have all

experienced the phenomenon. In reviewing related literature and studies needed to provide an in-

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depth background and meaningful answers to the research problems, books, periodicals and online

journals were consulted and cited.

Participants of the Study

The participants of the study will consist of 10 Senior High School students, who have

experienced the advantages and disadvantages of social media exposure. The participants will be

selected utilizing purposeful criterion sampling strategy through which the researcher will

intentionally select the site and individuals for study because they could purposefully inform an

understanding of the research problem and central phenomenon under study (Miles & Huberman,

1994) as cited by Creswell (2007). The criteria for finding participants are, Senior High School

students of UPHSL, should be 16 years old and above, should be using social media, should have

two to three social media applications downloaded in their gadgets.

Data Gathering Procedure

After the validation of research instrument, the researcher will follow the data gathering

procedure advised by Creswell (2007). First, the researcher will select the participants with the

help of the University of Perpetual Help System teachers who will refer the researchers to Senior

High School students. After gaining access and establishing rapport with the students the interview

schedules will be set, then the actual one-on-one interviews will be conducted.

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Basic Education Department – Senior High School

Treatment and Analysis of Data

The researcher will treat and analyze the data gathered from the interviews using

Moustakas’s (1994), as redetailed by Creswell (2007), approach. The first step to be taken is

bracketing in which the researcher will set aside all preconceived experiences and focus on the

lived experiences of the participants. Next, the researcher will proceed with horizonalization, the

process by which the interview transcriptions will be read thoroughly and significant statements

will be highlighted. Out of the significant statements, clusters of meaning will be formulated and

used to write a textural description (what the participants experienced) and structural description

(how the participants experienced the phenomenon). From the structural and textural descriptions,

the researcher will write a composite description that presents the “essence” of social media to the

participants and its bad effects.

After describing the overall “essence” of the phenomenon under study, the researcher will

take the final step, the verification from the participants. The researcher will once again meet the

participants and provide a hard copy of the verbatim transcriptions of their responses and how they

are interpreted. This will enable the participants to review their answers and do clarifications or

modifications if necessary.

Ethical Consideration

The researcher will complete the study bearing in mind ethical considerations especially in

terms of informing and seeking permission from school administrators and participants. Initially,

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Basic Education Department – Senior High School

permission will be sought from the Faculty Members of University of Perpetual Help System

Laguna where the researcher studies so as to examine potential harmful impact and risk of the

study to participants. Written consent will also be secured from School Administrators of

University of Perpetual Help System to have their students interviewed. Prior to the video-recorded

interview, every participant will be assured of absolute confidentiality and asked to sign a consent

form informing him or her right to withdraw from the study at any time.

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Boyd D. Taken Out of Context: American Teen Sociality in Networked PublicsBerkeley, CA:

University of California; 2008.

Borja RR. “Blogs” catching on as tool for instruction: teachers use interactive Web pages to hone

writing skills. Educ Week. December14, 2005.

Knapp, M. L, & Hall, J. A. 2010. Nonverbal communication in human interaction (Seventh.).

Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Blakemore, S. J. 2003. How does the brain deal with the social world? Neuro Report, 14, 1–10.

Uhls, Y.T., Michikyan, M., Morris, J., Garcia, D., Small, G.W., Zgourou, E., & Greenfield, P.M.

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Giedd, J. N. 2012. The digital revolution and adolescent brain evolution. Journal of Adolescent

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Gonzales, Y. V. 2015. Ph most social nation. Retrieved August 01, 2015.

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Villanueva, C. 2015. How does social media affect teenagers. Retrieved October 01, 2015.

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http://social-mediaphilippines.blogspot.com/2015/10/how-does-social-media-affects-

teenagers.html

Castro, F. 2016. Social media and digital stats in the Philippines. Retrieved January 31, 2016.

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wearesocial-data/

Buenaobra, M. I. 2016. Social media a game changer in the Philippines election.

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Congjuico, T. 2014. Social media for risk and management and emergency response for Philippine

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Chua, K. 2018. Ph top in social media usage for 3 years straight. Retrieved February 15, 2018.

https://www.rappler.com/technology/news/196114-we-are-social-philippines-social-

media-usage

Subido, L. K. 2018. Overwhelming evidence that Filipinos spend way too much time in social

media. Retrieved February 1, 2018.

https://www.esquiremag.ph/culture/lifestyle/pinoys-spent-the-longest-time-on-social-

media-in-the-world-in-2017-says-repo-a1726-20180201-src-entrep

Madsen, M. 2018. Why grammar and punctuation are important in social media.

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Important-in-Social-Media

Lender, W. 2013. How to find balance between the real and virtual worlds. Retrieved July 23,

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https://www.noozhawk.com/article/winifred_lender_20130723

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