Academic Performance and Social Media Habits

of Grade 8 Students of San Isidro National High School S. Y. 2019 – 2020

(Basis for Future Intervention Plans and Strategies)

An Action Research Full Paper

SAN ISIDRO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

GELENN L. ABLAZA

ABIGAIL MAALINDOG
 ABSTRACT

The researchers made a study on the Academic Performance and Social

Media Habits of Grade 8 Students of San Isidro National High School S. Y. 2019 – 2020
In this study the respondents will answer a questionnaire that would reflect their
academic performance, time spent in reading activity and time spent in social media
and online games usage. This research intends to find significant effect of reading
habits and and social media habits in the Academic Performance of the respondents
of the study.
This action research is descriptive because it aims to find out if the time spent in reading
and the time spent on social media has effect on the student’s academic
performance. The researchers used a simple survey questionnaire to know the
academic rating of the respondents last school year and the time they spent in reading
and on social media. The researcher used the grade students as their respondents since
both of them are in grade 8.
Most of the grade 8 students spend less time in reading. It shows that most of
them don’t value reading. It reveals that there is a direct relationship between the
Academic performance of the students and the time they spend in reading because as
the time of the students spend in reading increases the performance rating of the
students also increases. Most of the grade 8 students spend 2 hours and more on social
media. It also shows that even though students spend so much time on social media it
does not have direct relationship with their academic rating. Even the time spent on
social media increases it doesn’t affect their academic rating. The result also shows that
65% of the grade 8 students spend their time on social media while only 35% spend their
time in reading.

KEY WORDS: READING, RATING, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, TIME, SOCIAL MEDIA

INTRODUCTION

In today’s generation, gadgets become kid’s constant

companion. There are lots of versions nd variations of these gadgets which are now
available in the market. In a conservative country like the Philippines ,there are still
assumptions from parent that social medi has negative effects on student’s performance.
On the other hand , there are parents who allow their children to be exposed to Social
Media because they believed I will help children to be more alert,smart and excel in
school.
Reading habits are well palneed and deliberate pattern of study which
has attained a form of consistency on the part of the students towards understanding
academic subjects and passing at examinations.reading habits determine the
Academic achievements of achievements toward great extent. Students often come
rom different environment and localities with different level of academic ahievemnt.
Therefore,they differ in pattern of reading habits.while some student have good reading
habits,others tend gto exhiit pooer reading habits. Academic achievement means w
much knowledge the individual has acquird fom the school. (Bashir & Mattoo 2012
 It was also in DepEd Memorandum 244, s. 2011 which declares November
as National Reading Month of every year and in support of the Ten – point Basic
Education Agenda of the Aquino Administration and the institutionalization of “Every
Child is a Reader” Program (ECARP), Among activities DepEd lined up for November
are the Read-a-Thon, which aims to discover outstanding readers in class; the Dear
program, which engages students in 15 to 20 minute of reading daily;
In support to this program, the researchers made a study on
Academic Performance and Social Media Habits of Grade 8 Students of San Isidro
National High School S. Y. 2019 – 2020
In this study the respondents will answer a questionnaire that would reflect their
academic performance , time spent in reading activity and time spent in social media
and online games usage. This research intends to find significant effect of reading
habits and and social media habits in the Academic Performance of the respondents
of the study

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

According to an article by Taylor and Francis entitled Gaming vs. reading: Do they
benefit teenagers with cognition or school performance?, after a busy day children do
need downtime to rest and relax. Increasingly kids leisure time is spent gaming, but does
it detract from homework or would kids be better off reading a book? Historical research
shows in some cases that interactive gaming can have positive effects for cognition by
promoting memory, attention and reasoning. Other speed oriented games have been
shown to improve perception and motor skills, so should gaming for relaxation be
encouraged? Lieury et al investigate whether type of leisure activity produces a 'transfer
effect' influencing learning processes thus improving student performance at school.
With an emphasis on gaming and reading they linked patterns of leisure activity with
performance in phonology, reading and comprehension, math’s, long term memory and
reasoning. Fascinatingly gaming previously thought to improve fluid intelligence showed
little or no positive correlations to performance whilst reading did, particularly in memory
and comprehension. It seems then despite lack of a causal link that reading may be
more likely to enhance academic performance.
Should we assume that time spent gaming and away from homework is harmful to
students? A further comparison of reading and gaming to most frequent leisure activities
showed no negative patterns but interestingly resting had a favorable effect on
performance as well as reading. So frequent leisure activity is not necessarily harmful to
progress, or always at the expense of homework but can be enriching. The authors
conclude "we think that video games are mainly recreational activities and the cognitive
stimulation provided is very different from school learning. On the contrary, the results of
this survey fully justify the educational role of parents and teachers in promoting reading."
A case study entitled, “ The effects of social media on students’ behaviors” by
Tugberk Kaya and Huseyin Bicen (2016) explained that in our modern times today,
computer games continuously influence younger generation specifically kids. Back then
children used to play outdoors and board games but as we can see today, they are
getting more and more addicted to online games. The research have shown that the
children who are playing online games continue to be younger and younger, so that the
internet is more popular and become widespread in the world. Because even the
younger know how to use the computer or how to play the computer games which give
a huge impact to the people’s working, it is easy for them to socialize and also in their
behaviors (Dindar & Akbulut, 2014). It is uncommon for today’s generation that instead
of playing traditional games, many of the students are playing with their mobile phones
or computer because for them it is easy to play and for them not to feel tired. Online
Games is a type of game where in two or more players in different location can play
through using the internet. Stated by Hassan (2011), there is good and bad impact that
you can get while playing online games. Good for those who know on how to limit their
time in playing games and know how to manage their time. Bad for those students who
are attached themselves seating for a long time playing online games. We all know
nowadays students spend their vacant time in playing Online games instead of
advancing their studies that will affect their study habits.
These are just some of the many different studies and articles about the effect of
social media in the study habits of the students and how reading habits improve some of
the skills of students. This just proves that social media and reading can be considered a
big factor on the student’s academic rating.

ACTION RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This study intends to know the impact of the student’s time spent in reading and
the time spent on social media on their academic rating last school year.
1. What is the average academic rating of the students who spent 30 minutes, 60
minutes, 90 minutes, 120 minutes, 150 minutes and 180 minutes in reading?
2. What is the average academic rating of the students who spent 30 minutes, 60
minutes, 90 minutes, 120 minutes, 150 minutes and 180 minutes on social media?
3. What is the relationship between the student’s academic rating and their time
spent in reading?
4. What is the relationship between the student’s academic rating and their time
spent on social media?
5. Where do the respondents spend their time with, in reading or on social media?

SCOPE AND LIMITATION

The data and information gathered were based on the result the
questionnaire given to grade 8 students about their academic rating last school year and
the time they spent in reading and in social media/mobile games. The participants of this
study are all grade 8 students of San Isidro National High School.
This study is limited only on finding out the relationship of the respondent’s
academic rating to their time spent in reading and on social media. It also wants to know
where the respondents spends most of their time, in reading or on social media.

METHODOLOGY

This action research is descriptive because it aims to find out if the time spent in
reading and the time spent on social media has effect on the student’s academic
performance. The researchers used a simple survey questionnaire to know the academic
rating of the respondents last school year and the time they spent in reading and on
social media. The researcher used the grade students as their respondents since both of
them are in grade 8.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The following are the results and the analysis done from the data.
A. Time Spent in Reading and the Student’s Academic Rating
The result of the survey regarding the students time spent in Reading and their
Academic Rating last school year is presented in Table 1.

Table 1
Student’s Time Spent in Reading and the Average of their Academic Rating

Time Spent in Reading No. of Average Academic Rating

Students last School Year
30 minutes and less 206 78.19
60 minutes/ 1 hour 191 80.26
90 minutes 84 81.9
120 minutes/ 2 hours 21 80.52
150 minutes 0 0
180 minutes/ 3 hours 26 83.33
More than 3 hours 0 0

The table reveals that 206 or 39% of the respondents spend only 30 minutes in
reading with an average grade of 78.19, while 191 or 36% of the respondents spend 1
hour in reading with an average grade of 80.26. Another information is that 84 or 16% of
the respondents spend 90 minutes in reading with an average of 81.9 while 21 or 4% of
the respondents spend 2 hours in reading with an average grade of 80.52. Lastly, only 26
or 5% of the respondents spend 3 hours in reading with an average grade of 83.33.
The table reveals many information. One is that most of grade 8 students spend 30
minutes or less in reading. It shows that most of them don’t value reading.

Below is the line graph of table 1, showing the relationship of the respondent’s
Academic Rating and their time spent in reading.
 Respondent's Academic Rating and Time Spent in Reading
84

83

82

81

80

79

78

77

76

75
30 mins 60 mins 90 mins 120 mins 180 mins

Series 1 Series 2

The graph reveals that as the time of the students spend in reading increase the
performance rating of the students also increase.

B. Time Spent in Social Media and the Student’s Academic Rating

The result of the survey regarding the students time spent on Social Media and
their Academic Rating last school year is presented in Table 2.

Table 2
Student’s Time Spent on Social Media and the Average of their Academic Rating

Time Spent on Social No. of Students Average Academic Rating

Media last School Year
30 minutes 85 80.01
60 minutes/ 1 hour 68 81.51
90 minutes 84 80.55
120 minutes/ 2 hours 111 81.18
150 minutes 0 0
180 minutes/ 3 hours 0 0
More than 3 hours 180 81.88
 The table reveals that 85 or 16% of the respondents spend only 30 minutes on social
media with an average grade of 80.01, while 68 or 13% of the respondents spend 1 hour
on social media with an average grade of 81.51. Another information is that 84 or 16% of
the respondents spend 90 minutes on social media with an average of 80.55 while 111 or
21% of the respondents spend 2 hours on social media with an average grade of 81.18.
Lastly, 180 or 34% of the respondents spend more than 3 hours on social media with an
average grade of 81.88.

Below is the line graph of table 2, showing the relationship of the respondent’s
Academic Rating and their time spent on social media

Respondent's Academic Rating and Time Spent in Reading

82.5

82

81.5

81

80.5
The graph shows that there is a little increase in the academic rating of
the80students as their time spent on social media increase but the changes are unstable
since it falls down during the 90 minutes spent on social media. It is safe to say that
79.5
there is a very weak relationship exist between the student’s academic rating and the
time
79
they spent on social media.
30 mins 60 mins 90 mins 120 mins more than 3 hours

Academic Rating
 C. Number of Students who Spent time in Reading and on Social Media and the
Student’s Academic Rating
The result of the survey regarding the students time spent in reading and on Social
Media and their Academic Rating last school year is presented in Table 3.

Table 3
Number of Students who Spent time in Reading and on Social Media
and the Student’s Academic Rating

Time Spent on Social No of Students who No. of Students who Spends

Media Spends Time in Time on Social Media
Reading
30 minutes 206 (6180) 85(2550)
60 minutes/ 1 hour 191(11460) 68(4080)
90 minutes 84(7560) 84(7560)
120 minutes/ 2 hours 21(2520) 111(13320)
150 minutes 0 0
180 minutes/ 3 hours 26(4680) 0
More than 3 hours 0 180(32400)
Total per minute 32400 59910
AVERAGE 35% 65%

The table reveals that 35% of the respondents spend their time on reading while
65% of spend their time on social media. It shows that most of the respondents spent
most of their time on social media rather than in reading. This is alarming since it was
proven in table 1 that the time spent in reading affects the student’s academic rating.

Below is the pie graph on where the respondents spend their time with.

The graphical representation of table 3 shows clearly that students spent

most of their time on social media rather than in reading.

AVERAGE OF TIME SPENT

READING
35%

SOCIAL
MEDIA
65%

READING SOCIAL MEDIA

 CONCLUSION
Based on the above findings, the researcher concludes the following:
1. Most of the grade 8 students spend less time in reading. It shows that most of
them don’t value reading.
2. It reveals that there is a direct relationship between the Academic performance
of the students and the time they spend in reading because as the time of the
students spend in reading increases the performance rating of the students also
increases.
3. Most of the grade 8 students spend 2 hours and more on social media.
4. It also shows that even though students spend so much time on social media it
does not have direct relationship with their academic rating. Even the time spent
on social media increases it doesn’t affect their academic rating.
5. The result also shows that 65% of the grade 8 students spend their time on social
media while only 35% spend their time in reading.

RECOMMENDATION

Based on the above findings and conclusions, the following Action Plan was
suggested.
1. Since it was proven that reading affects the academic rating of the students,
teachers, especially English and Filipino teachers should enhance their strategies
in encouraging students to read.
2. Teachers may formulate intervention program and strategies that would make the
students read more.
3. Even though spending time on social media doesn’t have direct effect on the
academic rating of the students teachers should encourage the students to read
more instead of just browsing on their social media accounts or read educational
articles or stories on social media.
4. Teachers may use the result on this action research as reference for making action
researches in the future.

REFERENCES
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/295010160_The_effects_of_social_media_on
_students'_behaviors_Facebook_as_a_case_study
Gaming vs. reading: Do they benefit teenagers with cognition or school performance?
Taylor&Francis 2014
https://gradesfixer.com/free-essay-examples/the-effects-of-online-games-on-the-study-
habits-of-selected-grade-11-students-in-taguig-city/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141006094456.htm
https://www.questionpro.com/blog/descriptive-research/