Republic of the Philippines

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY

Pablo Borbon Main I, Batangas City
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
Second Semester, A.Y. 2020 – 2021

IMPACTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS ON THE EFFECTIVE

COMMUNICATION DURING THE PANDEMIC AMONG THE MEMBERS
OF GULOD FARMERS ASSOCIATION

Batallantes, Franzis Jayke P.

Lalong-isip, Wendell P.

BS Development Communication 3202

May 2021
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CHAPTER I
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

This chapter presents the problem and its setting, introduction, and how the

researchers prepared the necessary actions as basis for the completion of the study.

Introduction

Since the start of the new millennium, technology and different social media

platforms have been one of the primary focuses of research. Technological

advancement and the use of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,

Messenger, Google Meet, and Zoom Meetings rose to popularity in the field of

research as people continue to utilize its purpose, which led researchers inside and

outside the academe to seek and perform studies about the positive and negative

impacts of different social media platforms in a group, workplace and in person's

daily life.

With that, different organizations and institutions like government, including

local government units, non-government organizations, businesses, and

universities, pioneered their research to look for social media platforms' possible

effects as an advertising and communication tool.

In the year 2019, the COVID- 19 Pandemic has drastically changed the lives

of everyone. The usual things that people do have change as they practice the rules
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implemented in the new normal. From different physical activities to various virtual

transactions, technology and gadgets became more rampant as the world faced this

pandemic. Social media and other online platforms became the new ground and

primary communication tool of students, professionals, laborers, and agricultural

workers to cope with this new normal.

According to Almunawar et al. (2018) in the "Encyclopedia of Information

Science and Technology, 4th Edition", the emergence of different technology and

gadgets allows people to communicate easily using the internet and various online

platforms. Teenagers or adults who are still studying in higher education institutions

can quickly transfer work assignments to continuous learning. On the other hand,

employers and workers may interact by using technology transfer, transferring

documents, and sharing information about their current work status.

In the study conducted by Wong et al. (2020) entitled "The use of social

media and online communications in times of pandemic COVID-19", it was stated

that countries around the world had managed the COVID-19 pandemic through the

use of 'physical distancing strategies, which essentially involves the restriction of

physical contact to the bare minimum required for daily living. This has intensified

people's reliance on social media sites and online platforms to remain connected for

work, education, and social purposes; platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams

have seen exponential growth in users during this time.

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The Philippines is one of the countries that implement different health

protocols to halt the spread of the virus. One of the government's solutions to

minimize the increasing number of infected people is to practice the new standard

set-up wherein face-to-face learning, physical transactions, live activities, and office

works are moved to an online platform. The Philippines Digital Economy Report of

2020 stated that the use of digital technologies such as digital payments, e-

commerce, telemedicine, and online education, is rising in the Philippines and has

helped individuals, businesses, and the government cope with social distancing

measures, ensure business continuity, and deliver public services during the

pandemic.

In Calapan City Oriental Mindoro, the Gulod Farmers Association – an

organization whose mission is to assist farmers in increasing their yield, improving

farming methods through the use of mechanisms, and, most importantly,

emphasizing the value of a farmer; is also affected by the paradigm shift brought by

the pandemic. The usual face-to-face meetings became virtual meet-ups, and social

media platforms were utilized for information dissemination and communication.

Despite the advent of social media outlets, members of the Gulod Farmers

Association have various perspectives and experiences about how social media has

affected their lives and the organization.

With such drastic measures required to contain the spread of the virus, it is

now imperative that social media must be used properly to optimize its benefits to
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the workforce and education while acknowledging its limitations. Before this

pandemic, various researchers have conducted studies regarding the different views

on the effects and efficacy of online sites and social media networks in education,

organization and a large group; however, researches that focus on the small group

in rural areas that utilizes social media and online platforms are still few. As a result,

the researchers will conduct this study to identify the impacts of social media

platforms as a communication tool to a small group of individuals in a particular

rural area. Therefore, the researchers will propose creating educational

communication materials to incorporate other social media platforms that they can

use to effectively disseminate information and engage in other communication

activities, since a lot of people can benefit from using an open-source platform to

easily carry on discussions, learn, and acquire new information (Fang Yie et al.,

2021).

In light of this research, the researchers aim to determine the impacts of

utilizing social media platforms as an effective communication tool among the

members of the Gulod Farmers Association during the pandemic.

Statement of the Problem

The study aimed to look for the impacts of social media platforms as an

effective communication tool among the members of the Gulod Farmers

Association during the pandemic. Specifically, it sought to answer the following

questions:
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1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1 Age;

1.2 Gender; and

1.3 Location?

2. What are the social media platforms that have been utilized by the selected

members of the Gulod Farmers Association during the pandemic?

3. What are the positive and negative impacts of social media platforms used during

pandemic on the effective communication of respondents in terms of:

3.1 Information dissemination;

3.2 Communication; and

3.3 Pursuance of association's goals and objectives?

4. Is there a significant relationship between the respondents’ response towards the

positive and negative impacts of social media, and the social media used during the

pandemic?

5. Based on the findings, what communication campaign or materials may be

produced to show the effectiveness of online communication for the selected

members of the Gulod Farmers Association?

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Scope, Limitations and Delimitation

This study aims to determine the impacts of social media platforms on

effective communication among the members of the Gulod Farmers Association

during the pandemic. It will cover the age, gender, and location of respondents from

the Gulod Farmers Association. The researchers will include the positive and

negative impacts of social media networks during the pandemic in different

categories such as information dissemination, communication, and pursuance of the

association's goals and objectives.

In order to collect data, the researchers will use a self-made survey

questionnaire as their research instrument. The study's participants will be limited

to 148 members of the Gulod Farmers Association. Furthermore, the report would

exclude all other organizations and farmers' associations, for these, may cover a

greater scope, rendering this analysis more confusing. Lastly, this research will

exclude farmer experiences and interactions unrelated to mediated communication

and online platforms.

Significance of the Study

This study aimed to be of benefit and intended to be significant to the

following recipients:

Gulod Farmers Association. This study will help the community

understand the various effects of the social media platforms they use in the
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organization. Also, they will be able to assess the efficacy of the social media outlets

they used in terms of information dissemination, communication, and pursuance of

the association’s goals and objectives during the pandemic.

Other organizations. This research will help them understand the impacts

of social media on their organization. It will assist them in developing potential

solutions to different issues they may experience when using social media.

Communication Students. This study will aid this group to spread and

understand the essence of this study, like knowing how online platforms and

mediated communication impact their field. The students will know the positive and

negative impacts of social media channels in different terms and situations.

Future Researchers. This research will enlighten the way towards more

researches regarding the effectiveness and effects of utilizing social media channels

in a group or an organization with or without the pandemic. Furthermore, future

researchers working in the same area of study can use this research as a foundation

for learning the other aspects of the study.

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CHAPTER II

REVIEW AND RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter includes the conceptual literature, research literature,

conceptual framework, conceptual paradigm, theoretical framework, synthesis and

definition of terms of the study.

Conceptual literature

The following information presented supported and strengthened the study

in interpreting the topics as to rise and emergence of social media and the

importance of social media platforms.

Rise and Emergence of Social Media

Social media is defined as a form of electronic communication such as

websites for social networking and microblogging through which users create online

communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content such

as videos (Merriam-Webster).

Websites and apps designed to enable people to exchange content easily,

effectively, and in real-time are referred to as social media. Although many people

use social media via mobile applications, it all began with computers, and the term

"social media" refers to any internet networking platform that enables users to

exchange content and interact with others (Hudson, 2020).

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Social media refers to the means of interactions among people in which they

create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and

networks. Some of the common social media platforms that people utilize are blogs:

a platform for casual dialogue and discussions on a specific topic or opinion.

Facebook where users create a personal profile, add other users as friends and

exchange messages, including status updates. Twitter which social

networking/micro-blogging platform that allows groups and individuals to stay

connected through the exchange of short status messages. YouTube, a video hosting

and watching websites. Flick, an image and video hosting website and online

community. Instagram is a free photo and video sharing app that allows users to

apply digital filters, frames, and special effects to their photos and then share them

on a variety of social networking sites. And LinkedIn, a place where groups of

professionals with similar areas of interest can share information and participate in

a conversation (Tufts University).

Most social media platforms require users to create a profile, which typically

consists of a name and an email address. Users can create and share content after

creating a profile. Social media users may identify other users whose posts they

want to follow or comment on in addition to creating content for their profiles.

Depending on the social media platform, a user may "follow" another user, add them

as a "friend," or they may "subscribe" to another user's page (Hudson, 2020).

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In addition, social media often employs "feeds," which allow users to scroll

through content. The content that appears and the order in which it appears is

determined by social media firms using algorithms based on a user's profile data.

Content from "followed" users as well as companies that pay to promote their

content will appear in the feed (Hudson, 2020).

Social media can be classified into the following categories – Social

networking sites: a social networking site is a web-based site for people to build

social networks or social connections, such as mutual interests or activities. Blogs:

A blog (from the word weblog) is an online journal in which a person, community,

or company keeps track of their activities, opinions, and beliefs. Content generating

and sharing sites: These sites serve as sources of information for various topics.

User appraisal sites: User appraisal sites act as a forum for product and service

evaluations. Consumers may express their opinions in a variety of ways, but user

appraisal sites specialize in these types of feedback (Baruah, 2012).

The origins of social media are much deeper than most people realize.

Despite the fact that it appears to be a recent movement, sites like Facebook are the

inevitable result of centuries of social media evolution (Hendricks, 2021).

The internet's origins can be traced back to the 1960s and 1970s when a

number of private and public institutions were attempting to develop ways for

computers to communicate with one another. In certain ways, this can be seen as

the start of online social media. Personal computers did not become more common
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until the 1980s, and especially the 1990s, which paved the way for the advent of

social media. Furthermore, the rise of blogging in the 1990s ushered in the era of

social media. The idea that a regular person could log on to the internet and write

about their thoughts, feelings, and personal news, and that these posts could be read

and replied to by anyone at any time made people appreciate the internet's full

potential (Jones, 2015).

Social media exploded more in popularity after the advent of blogging. In the

early 2000s, sites like MySpace and LinkedIn grew in popularity, while Photobucket

and Flickr enabled online photo sharing. In 2005, YouTube launched, ushering in a

whole new way for people to connect and collaborate across vast distances.

Facebook and Twitter were both open to users all over the world by 2006. These

sites are still among the most popular social networking sites on the web. Tumblr,

Spotify, Foursquare, and Pinterest were among the first sites to emerge to fill unique

social networking niches (Hendricks, 2021).

Social media use has skyrocketed over the past decade and a half. Whereas

only five percent of adults in the United States reported using a social media

platform in the year it was started, that number is now around 70 percent. The rise

in the number of people using Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and other

social media platforms — as well as the amount of time they spend on them — has

aroused the attention of policymakers, teachers, parents, and clinicians concerned

about social media's effects on our lives and psychological well-being (Allen, 2019).
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Market leader Facebook was the first social network to surpass 1 billion

registered accounts and currently sits at more than 2.6 billion monthly active users.

The company currently also owns four of the biggest social media platforms, all

with over 1 billion monthly active users each: Facebook (core platform), WhatsApp,

Facebook Messenger, and Instagram (Tankovska, 2021). YouTube and Whatsapp,

two other social media sites, both have over one billion users. These are big

numbers: the world's population is 7.7 billion people, with at least 3.5 billion of us

online. This means that one-third of the world's population uses social media sites,

and more than two-thirds use them daily (Ortiz-Ospina, 2019). As per this, by 2025,

the number of people using social media will have grown to 4.41 billion

(Tankovska, 2021).

The top 5 countries that have the highest social media penetration are the

UAE at 99%, Taiwan at 89%, South Korea at 85%, Singapore at 79%, and Hong

Kong at 78%. While, countries that have the lowest social media penetration are

Nigeria at 12%, Kenya at 16%, Ghana at 19%, India at 23%, and South Africa and

Egypt at 40%. These statistics are based on the amount of active social media users

for the top social networks in each country compared to the total population (Twose,

2019).

The main reason why these countries may use social media more than others

is most likely related to the economy of that country, as the 5 countries with the

lowest social media penetration are predominately developing countries compared

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to the UAE and Singapore that have strong economies. Also, this may be due to the

average age within that countries population being lower, as studies show that

younger generations use social media more than older generations.

Another reason could be due to the culture of that country, as some cultures

are a lot more social than others and this could mean that they value social media a

lot more. The economy of that country could also be a contributing factor as the 5

countries with the lowest social media penetration are also predominately

developing countries (Twose, 2019).

Also, the Philippines according to the statistics is one of the top users of

social media in the world. In fact, the country tops the world again for time spent

using social media this year, making it the 6th straight year it has done so. Filipinos

spend an average of 4 hours and 15 minutes each day on social media, which is 22

minutes higher than last year's average of 3 hours and 53 minutes, and 3 minutes

higher than 2019’s average of 4 hours and 12 minutes (Chua, 2021). According to

We Are Social's Global Digital Report 2019, there are 76 million active Filipino

social media users – 71 percent of the entire population – quite the dissonance

considering the country’s lackluster internet speed which averages at 15 Mbps

(Estares, 2021).

There are many reasons why social media has become so popular in the

Philippines and among Filipinos. The first explanation is socioeconomic, which can

be attributed to the wide range of inexpensive smartphones available in the country,

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which can be used to access social media. Second, the age group that makes up the

largest group of social media users in the Philippines is 18-24 years old - university

to early career age - accounting for 33 percent of active users or about 21 million

people. Third, there is the cultural aspect, which demonstrates that Filipinos are very

social people who value strong familial relations. With an estimated 10.2 million

Filipinos living or working abroad, Facebook's sharing community helps to fill the

gap in a way that other sites can't. After all, social media is still a tool for connecting

people. Finally, social movements in which Filipino youth used social media to

communicate disapproval and youth activism – due to the fact that young people

have the largest presence in Philippine social media – have taken to the streets, both

literally and virtually (Estares, 2021).

Likewise, the number of social media sites continues to increase, and popular

platforms such as Facebook are constantly expanding and introducing new features.

With an ever-increasing need for a social presence and an overwhelming number of

network options, deciding the social platforms to use can be difficult (Bump, 2020).

These platforms that have lasted the last decade have greatly changed what

they have to give users. In the beginning, Twitter, for example, did not allow users

to upload videos or photos. Since 2011, this has become possible, and photos and

videos now account for more than half of all content posted on Twitter (Ortiz-

Ospina, 2019). Regarding this, the changes among other social media sites like

Facebook and Instagram are also noticeable especially when it comes to their
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features like the newsfeeds, layouts, likes, and reactions, and others to be more

visual and personalized to the user. (Bump, 2021).

Although no projections beyond 2039 are available, experts believe that

social media will be widespread and incorporated into people's everyday lives in a

variety of ways by then. It's predicted that social media will be incorporated into

wearables that monitor people's behaviors, with interactive interactions thrown in

for good measure, and dealing with the vast quantities of data that will be generated

will be a challenge (Wellons, 2014).

Importance of social media platforms

Social media has evolved over the last decade to become an important driver

for acquiring and spreading information in different domains such as business,

entertainment, crisis management, and politics. The increasing popularity of social

media raises a number of questions regarding why we use it so much and what

aspects influence this activity. What about gender? What about education, income,

age, or social status? (Hruska & Maresova, 2020). Platforms created by the rise of

social media have a wide range of significance and applications in society, including

in the fields of the communication industry, education, government, and even in the

ordinary lives of everyone.

Internet-based platforms for exchanging and debating knowledge are known

as social media... This broad description encompasses a wide variety of current

resources and, in several ways, reflects the essence of social media. The main word
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here is interacting; a regular website that merely allows feedback as an 'add-on' to

site content is unlikely to be considered social media; however, a website where

commenting and engagement are central to the intent and design of the website is

likely to be (e.g. a blog) (Fernando, 2019).

It's important to understand that social media isn't all negative. It only

becomes a problem when it is used for bullying, public humiliation, and spreading

rumors. In reality, according to research published in 2017, there are several

advantages to using social media (Gordon, 2020).

One advantage that users can gain from social media is communication.

Websites like WordPress and Blogger can be used to build posts (usually of news

article length) that visitors can comment on. They also include social networking

sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, where people can post comments,

personal information, and media like images and videos, as well as form

relationships with other users (Fernando, 2019).

Because of the emergence of social media sites, contact time, which is an

important aspect of communication, has become more instant. Instant messaging,

which is a type of online communication that allows for real-time text transmission

over the Internet, is available on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and

Instagram. Users are drawn to this form of messaging because it does not necessitate

a long wait for an answer or to speak with a specific individual. Since there would
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be a limited amount of time to speak with an individual, a user should accommodate

as many people as possible using social media sites (Huse, 2019).

In comparison to conventional SMS, which is another benefit of social media

platforms in terms of communication, Facebook Messenger, provides a cheaper or

low-cost means of communication whether it is local or international. For

companies that are scaling up, the cost can be a major factor. For marketing

correspondence, email has surpassed all others. It's not uncommon to have a million

people on an email list, and companies can connect with that list for very little

money. If a company creates a 1 million-person SMS list, it will cost a lot of money

to communicate with that group. If a company pays one penny per text message,

sending one million messages to that list would cost at least $10,000. It's just one of

the variables that come into play (Michael, 2017).

According to the statistics, teens are the most common use of social media

around the world where they spent a lot of time to use utilized it. Teens may use

social media to create online identities, interact with others, and form social

networks. These networks can be extremely beneficial to teenagers, particularly

those who are socially excluded, have disabilities, or suffer from chronic illnesses

(Mayo Clinic, 2019).

Another thing is that teenagers use these opportunities to encourage things

that are helpful to others, such as fund-raising activities to help a worthy cause and

make a difference in the community. It also provides them with a way to avoid
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feeling alone, and as teenagers find their groove, they become more individualistic,

extroverted, and have higher self-esteem. Finally, these platforms are an excellent

tool for teens to express themselves, especially their creativity in the arts,

performing arts, and other areas (Gordon, 2020).

Inclined with this, it is not only teens who garnered a lot of benefits from

these platforms but the adult and senior also. Several reasons why seniors have

social media accounts and many of them ultimately benefit physical and mental

health. These age groups utilize these platforms in terms of – easy way to connect

with long-distance family, forge new friendships, and reconnect old friends,

inspiring civic engagement, which can lead to new business ventures, and

entertainment (Sauer, 2018).

For businesses, social media has provided a way to deliver a brand's

messaging to the right people at the right moment in the hopes that the brand will

stand out enough to pique their curiosity, let alone keep them loyal throughout their

lives (Hollingsworth, 2019). Prior to the advent of social media, companies had to

attend live events in order to find a specific community of prospects. Unfortunately,

attending even a small business conference costs about $1,000, making it extremely

difficult for startups to reach their target audience (Mahoney, 2021).

Although it can seem overwhelming, its significance cannot be overstated.

It's so critical that 97 percent of advertisers use social media, and 78 percent of

salespeople use social media to outsell their competitors (Dukart, 2018).

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Likewise, the use of these platforms can lead to the creation of public social

media pages for an online business which can attract many viewers and create brand

awareness. These actions increase and gained more trustworthiness and recognition

of the brand itself since before continuing with transactions with a new or previously

unknown company, they look for trustworthiness markers. It increases customer

loyalty and service levels – customers can praise or criticize the brand, and how

quickly and correctly people react can have an effect on your brand's credibility.

This helps to build an online community and share true stories by giving a voice to

people who are not heard from or seen in conventional media and connecting them

with those who are similar to them. And the last one is the increase of revenue with

social commerce (Daly, 2020).

Social media provides immense potential for businesses because consumers

habitually log on to it daily and are exposed to companies. It also presents huge

challenges for businesses, however, because it’s an ever-changing space that is

extremely noisy and crowded (Marketing Insider Group, 2018).

Aside from the business sector, social media and its platform bring a lot of

uses and benefits in the government and politics. Social media isn't just about

sharing memes and keeping up with what's trendy. It can also be a very effective

way for government officials to communicate with people. There are many key

benefits that social media in government can achieve—including social’s roles

(Tran & Bar-Tur, 2020). Social media is constantly being used by government
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departments to communicate with the people they represent. These connections

have the ability to enhance government decision-making and problem-solving by

extending government programs, soliciting new ideas, and soliciting new ideas

(Bertot et al., 2012).

The aforementioned benefits of social media to the government doesn’t

conclude all its benefit, it also has significant benefits for people, such as outreach

and public participation. The usage of social media platforms helps the government

sector to expand its reach by providing an active hub of information and

conversation on platforms. Also, channeling real-time data collection and

transforming public perception and maximize awareness of agency goals, drive

citizen engagement with limited resources and budget are among the benefits

(Advanced Learning Institute, 2015).

Education sector which is one of the most essential sectors these days also

benefits from social media platforms. The education industry has welcomed the

changes, from smart classrooms to smart learning devices. People can almost

confidently say that social media now plays a major role in the modern world. It has

changed how they plan, communicate, and even enjoy their lives (Norman, 2019).

Nowadays, there is no preventing students from using social media. These

channels, on the other hand, aren't just for wasting time scrolling down the page.

While many parents and teachers are still wary of the internet's potential for

distraction, it is not all doom and gloom. It, like every other network, has its own
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set of advantages. Social media offers students numerous opportunities in a variety

of areas, encourages them in a variety of ways, and opens doors to the world that

have never been opened before (Norman, 2019).

The educational benefits of social networking sites have also been

documented in a study conducted by researchers from the University of Minnesota.

According to the study, social media sites helped students practice their technology

skills, improve innovation and communication skills, and be more accessible to

different viewpoints, according to the report, which collected data from students

aged 16 to 18 over a six-month span (Stenger, 2013).

The use of social media by schools has the potential to improve contact

between parents and students. They will stay informed of what their children are

learning at school and what they might have accomplished during the day, allowing

them to participate in classroom activities. For educators, social media can be useful

in a variety of ways, like keeping up with the latest content, ideas, and "best

practices" in the field. For instance, by following useful Twitter accounts such as

Teachthought, which post relevant content that helps teachers gain knowledge and

motivation for their classroom (Richardson, 2018).

Research Literature

The following literature is presented as important sources for the data

interpretation and comprehensive discussion of the topics being undertaken.

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In the study of Baruah (2012), it was stated that Social media has done an

admirable job of bridging the gap in communication between citizens. The various

social media tools allow people to communicate with one another in the shortest

amount of time possible. On both an interpersonal and a group level, social media

has the ability to radically alter the character of our social lives. Young people, who

are the most frequent users of social media, have also seen changes in their contact

habits and social interactions. It is also stated that the rise of social media has shown

the following benefits and drawbacks such as sharing of ideas, networking tool,

bridges communication distance, source of information, important marketing tool,

important customer engagement tool, important crisis communication tool, low

costs/cost-efficient, and less time consuming are the key benefits of social media.

According to Musta'in et al. (2020), the usage of social media platforms is

handy and accessible for every individual to share, post, and gain medical

information regarding the corona outbreak. As people are working from home, and

ensuring social distance, thus the majority of their regular time has been used up by

spending more times on social media platforms not only to stay connected and

receive and give social support to their relatives, colleagues, and friends, who cannot

be visited due to the physical distance restriction, but also for socio-psychological

healing, sharing public information about the virus and illness, and suggestion

regarding risk communication sourced from various information available around

the world.
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Social media can be used in other professions and sectors such as in health

care. Wong et al. (2020), discussed that the presence of social media new thing to

healthcare by providing a common channel for healthcare professionals, patients,

and the public to communicate regarding health issues, with the potential to improve

health outcomes. It serves as a powerful tool for social interaction and ongoing

education and facilitates collaboration between users. Also, in times of pandemics,

where time urgency, physical distance, and the need to widely spread knowledge

have forced us to find new ways of working and learning, there are clear benefits to

using social media for health communication. However, it is important that users of

social media keep a close eye on the information they share for accuracy and

reliability, and that they value patient privacy when participating in clinical

discussions.

For Ismail & Khalid (2015), the proliferation of mobile internet connectivity

and social media has provided the Malaysian fishing industry with new marketing

tools, reducing its reliance on intermediaries. Social networking is an important

platform for promoting, educating, and raising customer awareness about the

emerging fishermen markets. According to the findings of their study, in order for

the project to be effective, FDAM must adhere to information credibility, frequency

of information updates, and posting of insightful articles on their social media

channel. Consumers' buying behavior can be influenced by a high level of product

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knowledge, which could lead them to the fishermen market - no matter how remote

the area.

With the study of Balkrishna & Deshmukh (2017), on social media, several

organizations have official accounts, websites, and groups. It provides a quick

answer to the query. It saves farmers' time and money. Farmers are receiving the

right information at the right time. Take, for example, a weather forecast.

Companies that provide network services are offering more data at lower costs. It

makes it easier for farmers to browse more. Young farmers place a greater emphasis

on using social media to sell their products. On YouTube and Facebook, they look

for more stuff. Farmers are more likely to use WhatsApp.

As cited by Bell et al. (2013), the preliminary findings say that many older

adults use Facebook, mainly to keep in touch with relatives. Maintaining social

connectedness as adults reach older adulthood may become more difficult due to

mobility disabilities, chronic diseases, and other age-related issues, resulting in

decreased physical connectedness with friends, family, and society. For these

reasons, social media will begin to play a more active role in socially connecting

this population. As a result, knowing the factors that affect social media usage in

older adults is becoming increasingly important.

Synthesis

The current research is similar to Baruah's study, "Effectiveness of Social

Media as a Tool of Communication and its Potential for Technology Enabled

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Connections: A Micro-Level Study," since both studies deal with the effectiveness

of using social media as a communication tool in a specific community of people.

Furthermore, both studies saw the advantages of the emergence and rise of social

media platforms. However, they differ in one important way: Baruah's aim is to

evaluate the capacity of social media as a platform for technology-enabled

connection, which is not present in the other study.

The study of Musta'in et al. titled “Usage of social media during the

pandemic: Seeking support and awareness about COVID‐19 through social media

platforms” is connected to the study. The two studies show how social media was

utilized during times of pandemics especially in the colleagues. They vary in other

ways, however, since Musta'in research focuses on the transmission of personal

messages and medical information from one person to another. Furthermore, the

respondents in the two studies are not the same since the current research includes

a particular category of people, the Farmers Association, while the other does not.

The study of Wong et al. titled “The use of social media and online

communications in times of pandemic COVID-19” has similarities with the present

study. One significant similarity is that both studies demonstrate how social media

can be used as a powerful tool for social networking and ongoing education, as well

as to promote user collaboration. Another similarity is that these two studies

concentrate on communication during a pandemic. Wong's study, on the other hand,

focuses on the health sector and health professionals.

 26

The study of Ismail and Khalid titled “Leveraging Social Media for the

Fishing Industry: An Exploratory Study” is identical to the present study because it

both defines the proliferation of mobile internet connectivity and social media has

provided an important platform for promoting, educating, and raising customer

awareness. Unfortunately, the coverage differs; the current study focuses on

farmers, while the other focuses on the Malaysian fishing industry. In addition,

Ismail and Khalid's research addresses social media networks as a means of gaining

greater access to new marketing resources and reducing reliance on intermediaries,

which is not present in the other study.

The study of Balkrishna and Deshmukh titled “A Study on Role of Social

Media in Agriculture Marketing and its Scope” covers the same as the expectations

of the researchers to their study, to know the role of platforms brought the rise of

social media in a particular group under the sector of agriculture. In addition,

respondents for both studies are farmers and agricultural-related individuals.

However, this research by Balkrishna and Deshmukh discusses the use of social

media in agricultural marketing, and the focus of this study is on a daily basis, as

opposed to the current study, which would be conducted during a pandemic.

The study of Bell et al. titled “Examining social media use among older

adults” is similar to the current study in terms of the age range of respondents, who

are older adults. In addition, the two groups of respondents were also social media

users, and in terms of demographics, these two studies looked at the respondents'
 27

gender and age. However, the objectives of these two studies differ since Bell's

research focuses on the relationship between Facebook usage and isolation, social

satisfaction, and technology trust of a random older adult, while the current study

focuses on the use of social media platforms as communication tools older adult

farmer of the association.

Theoretical Framework

This study will be anchored on Uses and Gratification Theory (UGT) by Jay

Blumler and Elihu Katz (1974). This will be the basis for the variables included to

examine in this study.

Uses and Gratification Theory seeks to explain the relationship between an

audience and how this audience uses the media. The audience selects and uses the

media to fulfil their own needs and desires. These individuals may use the media

for various reasons, including, but not limited to, entertainment, the desire to learn

about world events or to divert themselves from life problems.

Some research on uses and gratifications, the media, and its audience started

in the 1940s, but it has grown in recent years as the communications environment

has changed. Recognizing the elements of this principle allows one to see how much

it is used in daily life and how it can be used in employment and campaigns.

An early study published in the journal CyberPsychology & Behavior on uses and

gratifications of the internet found seven gratifications for its use: information
 28

seeking, aesthetic experience, monetary compensation, diversion, personal status,

relationship maintenance, and virtual community. A virtual community could be

considered a new gratification as it has no parallel in other forms of media. Another

study, published in the journal Decisions Sciences, found three gratifications for

internet usage. Two of these gratifications, content and process gratifications, had

been found before in studies of the uses and gratifications of television. However, a

new social gratification specific to internet use was also found. These two studies

indicate that people look to the internet to fulfil social and communal needs.

Research has also been conducted to uncover the gratifications sought and

obtained through social media use. For instance, another study published in

CyberPsychology & Behavior uncovered four needs for Facebook group

participation. Those needs included socializing by staying in touch and meeting

people, entertainment through the use of Facebook for amusement or leisure,

seeking self-status by maintaining one’s image and seeking information in order to

learn about events and products.

The researchers aim to determine the social media’s impact on the

respondents during the pandemic. Therefore, the Uses and Gratification theory is

essential in this paper because it will be the basis of variables needed in the study

since it seeks to explain the relationship between an audience and how this audience

uses the media.

 29

Conceptual Framework

The IPO style of framework showed how the researchers will conduct the

data gathering procedure using the proposed questionnaire. The input box contains

the information regarding the profile of the respondents in terms of age, gender, and

location. It also contains the questions about social media platforms that have been

utilized, positive and negative impacts of social media platforms used during

pandemic, significant relationship among the positive and negative responses of the

respondents on the effectiveness of social media platforms, and communication

campaign or materials may be produced to show the effectiveness of online

communication. The next box, which is the process box, presented the supposed

possible solution on how the researchers conducted the data gathering to their

respective participants which is the self-made survey questionnaire. Lastly, the

output box presented the educational communication materials, which include the

information regarding the topic.

 30

Figure 1 presents the conceptual paradigm of the study.

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

1. What is the
demographic profile of
the respondents in
terms of:
1.1 Age;
1.2 Gender;
1.3 Location; and

2. What are the social

media platforms that
has been utilized by the
selected members of
the Gulod Farmers
Association during
pandemic? Analysis of data Proposed educational
2.1 Facebook through a Self-made communication materials
2.2 Messenger survey questionnaire to show the effectiveness
2.3 Zoom of online communication

3. What are the

positive and negative
impacts of social media
platforms used during
pandemic on the
effective
communication of
respondents in terms
of:
3.1 Information
dissemination;
3.2 Communication; and
3.3 Pursuance of
association's goals and
objectives

FEEDBACK

Figure 1.
Conceptual Paradigm of the Study
 31

Hypotheses of the Study

Based on the finding, the researchers hopes to arrive at the following

hypothesis:

1. Alternative Hypothesis: There will be a significant problems encountered

in using social media as an effective communication tool of the members of

Gulod Farmers Association during the pandemic.

Null Hypothesis: There will be no significant problems encountered in using

social media as an effective communication tool of the members of Gulod

Farmers Association during the pandemic.

2. Alternative Hypothesis: There will be a significant relationship between the

respondents’ response towards the impacts of social media and the social

media used during the pandemic.

Null Hypothesis: There will be no significant relationship between the

respondents’ response towards the impacts of social media and the social

media used during the pandemic.

Definition of Terms

The following are the terms used in the study that provided a specific

definition for both the conceptual and operational meanings of the terms identified.

Communication. The process of sending and receiving messages through verbal or

nonverbal means, including speech, or oral communication; writing and graphical

 32

representations (such as infographics, maps, and charts); and signs, signals, and

behavior (Nordquist, 2019). In this study, the term was used as the basic topic of the

research with regards to the use of social media platforms.

Educational Communication Materials. This refers to the tool used to transfer

knowledge to the target audience thereby assisting the promotion of positive

behaviors. (Eklil, 2010). In this study, the term was used as the material that will be

used to inform the respondents of the study regarding use of social media platform

in communication.

Online Communication. Refers to how people communicate, connect, transact to

send, retrieve, or receive information of any kind via the internet using digital media

(Bhasin, 2021). In this study, the term was used to assess the impact of social media

platform for the respondents.

Social Media. A computer-based technology that facilitates the sharing of ideas,

thoughts, and information through the building of virtual networks and communities

(Dollarhide, 2021). In the study, the term was used a communication platform that

has a big impact as a tool for online communication.

 33

CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter includes the research design, respondents of the study, data

gathering instruments, data gathering procedures and statistical treatment used in

the study.

Research Design

In this study, the researchers will use the descriptive quantitative research

method because it is the most appropriate research method to simplify the study and

obtain the necessary data. As per Manuel and Medel, as cited by Joy (2014), the

descriptive method involves describing, recording, analyzing, and interpreting the

data, composition, or phenomena. On the other hand, quantitative research deals

with the statistical, mathematical treatments coming from polls, questionnaires, or

other computational strategies (Creswell, 2013).

Since the study aims to collect data and gather information about the impacts

and efficacy of social media platforms used in different ways during a pandemic by

the members of Gulod Farmers Association, the descriptive method was chosen. It

is suitable to describe the respondents' responses towards the positive and negative

impacts of utilizing social media. This research design will help the researchers to

describe and identify the different social media channels they utilized during the
 34

pandemic. It was also used in order to provide a good means of observation and

information coming from the knowledge of the respondents.

Respondents of the Study

The respondents of the study are the members of the Gulod Farmer

Association in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro. The study will cater and focus on

this association because it is one of those communities that are affected by this

pandemic. Like the other groups, their communication practices eventually change

from the old normal face-to-face to the new normal online set-up.

The researchers will use the Slovin’s formula in determining the total number

of the participants to be examined. Such formula is used when it is not possible to

study the whole population, a smaller sample is taken using the random sampling

technique. The Slovin’s formula helps the researchers to identify the sample

population accurately.

𝑛
The researchers will use the formula 𝑁 = where N refers to the total
1+𝑛(𝑒)2

number of the respondents, while n refers to the total population of high school

students and e refers to the margin of error.

The Gulod Farmers Association of Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro has total

population of 148 members. The researchers used 5% margin of error in computing

the total number of the respondents.

 35

Thus,

148
𝑁=
1 + 148(0.05)2

Therefore, the total number of respondents of the study is 108.

This study will purposely select 108 members of the Gulod Farmers

Association as their respondents, whereas they are the ones who will primarily

source information for this study. Purposive sampling is an intentional selection of

informants based on their ability to elucidate a specific theme, concept, or

phenomenon (Robinson, 2014). Purposive sampling will be used in 108 respondents

regardless of age, with different gender and a resident of Brgy. Gulod, Calapan City,

Oriental Mindoro.

The respondents of the study will be given enough time to answer the online

survey provided by the researchers. After gathering all questionnaires, the

researchers will tally, analyze and record the results to complete the study.

Data Gathering Instruments

To achieve the purpose of the study, the researchers will create a self-

constructed questionnaire to gather the necessary information to complete this

study. Google Forms will be used to administer the questionnaires, and the link will

be sent to the respondents. Moreover, the online survey questionnaire will be

composed of questions based on the statement of the problem.

 36

The questionnaire of this study will be written in English form with Tagalog

translation for them to understand it well and will be composed of three parts. Scale

one (1) the respondent's demographic profile, including age, gender, and location.

Scale two (2) social media platforms used by the respondents during the pandemic.

Lastly, scale (3) will be the positive and negative impacts of social media.

Furthermore, in the third scale, the researchers will use Likert Scale to determine

the respondents' perspective towards the positive and negative impacts of social

media in terms of information sharing, communication, and adhering to the goals

and objectives of the organization.

Data Gathering Procedures

The main data for this research will be gathered using self-made survey

questionnaire, which will be divided into three parts, (I) Demographic Profile of the

Respondents, (II) Social Media used during the pandemic, and lastly, (III) Positive

and negative impacts of social media platforms.

The researchers will seek the validation and confirmation of experts to

strengthen their questionnaires. They will send a letter of request with a copy of

their statement of the problem and survey questionnaire. This approval will be

considered as a vital contribution to this study.

After gathering the questionnaires, the researchers will proceed to the

evaluation of the survey results. These results will serve as a reliable source of

information in formulating the conclusions and recommendations of the study.

 37

To sum up, the researchers will gather data by consolidating through

disseminating an online self-constructed survey questionnaire, which will be used

to determine the necessary variables in the research.

Statistical Treatment

The following are the statistical treatments used in the conduct of the study:

Percentage

It uses to present the demographic profile of the respondents. In determining

𝑓𝑥100
the percentage, the researchers used the formula 𝑃 = ; wherein, P refers to
𝑁

percentage, f refers to the frequency or number of response of respondents, n refers

to the number of respondents and 100 which is a constant multiplier.

Ranking

It is defined as is a statistical hypothesis test used to determine whether two

categorical or nominal variables are likely to be related or not.

Weighted Mean

It involves multiplying each data point in a set by a value which is determined

by some characteristic of whatever contributed to the data point (Carter, 2010). The
𝐹𝑥𝑉
researchers used the formula 𝑊𝑀 = , where WM refers to the weighted mean, F
𝑁

for frequency, V for value and N refers to the number of respondents as an average

computed by giving different weights to some of the individual values. This will be
 38

used to obtain the degree of the positive and negative impacts of social media

platforms in given categories to the respondents.

Mean/Value Verbal Interpretation

4.50 – 5.00 Strongly Agree

3.50 – 4.49 Agree

2.50 – 3.49 Neither Agree nor Disagree

1.50 – 2.49 Disagree

0.00 – 1.49 Strongly Disagree

Likert scale

It is defined as a one-dimensional scale which is use to collect respondents’

attitudes and opinions. Researchers often use this psychometric scale to understand

the views and perspectives towards a brand, product, or target market. With this

scale, respondents are asked to rate items on the impacts of social media platforms

during pandemic to the Gulod Farmers Association. It will be used to determine the

perception of the respondents towards the impacts of social media platforms in

terms of information dissemination, communication, and pursuance of association’s

goals and objectives.

 39

Mean/Value Verbal Interpretation

5 Strongly Agree

4 Agree

3 Neither Agree nor Disagree

2 Disagree

1 Strongly Disagree

After the survey questionnaire was gathered, the researcher made the

appropriate tabulation of the responses through statistical treatment tools.

Chi – Square Test of Independence

It is defined as a statistical hypothesis test used to determine whether two

categorical or nominal variables are likely to be related or not.

The researchers will use this tool to determine the relationship of the

variables such as the positive and negative impacts of social media platforms used

during pandemic on the effective communication of the members of the Gulod

Farmers Association and the social media utilized by the respondents, and other

(𝑂−𝐸)2
concerning objective of the study. With the formula, 𝑥2 = ∑
𝐸

where, x2 refers to chi-square, O for observed frequency and E for expected

frequency.
 40

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