CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Communication is important in any relationships as it allows to effective

sharing of feelings, information, opinions and expectations. All healthy

relationships have always relied on effective communication (Chrysalis, 2019).

However, the COVID-19 pandemic changed people’s lives from normal to

new normal. It caused a lot of challenges and a huge impact on all people all

over the world. People are mandated to stay at home and only those healthcare

and other essential workers are allowed to report to their work. Most people are

working from home during the pandemic with limited to no face-to-face

interaction except with their families (Taunton, 2020).

According to Levine (2020), “The most obvious changes are that most of us

now have limited face-to-face, in-person interaction with others, and when we are

face to face, we are wearing masks. We have less interaction over all with people

outside of the people we live with, and we spend more time on Zoom, Skype and

other mediated platforms. Moreover, social distancing is beneficial to one's health

in the long run, but social isolation is not.”

Humans are by nature sociable creatures. Socializing and interacting with

people are almost as important to our life as food and water. In recent years, the

way we interact has changed dramatically. There are numerous channels and
1
modalities for interacting with others. Thanks to technological advancements

such as the internet, instant messaging, and cellphones. Then, technology has

become an integral part of daily life and the way people communicate with one

another. It has taken place of the face-to-face interaction. The rapid growth of

digital technology and the use of Socially Interactive Technologies (SIT) such as

online social sites and instant or text messaging are on the rise among all

people. Due to the rapid expansion of technology many individuals fear that

people may be too immersed in this digital world and not present enough in the

real world (Drago, 2015).

Meanwhile, Lutkevich (2022) declared that “Instant messaging, often

shortened to IM or IM'ing, is the exchange of near-real-time messages through a

standalone application or embedded software. Unlike chat rooms, where several

users are engaged in different and overlapping conversations, IM sessions are

usually between two users in a private, back-and-forth communication format”.

Furthermore, mobile instant messaging enabled students to demonstrate

social presence through affective, interactive, and cohesive responses.

Particularly, students seemed to be most comfortable to use MIM to express

emotions, address groups, and continue a discussion. Second, compared to the

online forum, MIM is particularly suited to promoting the expression of emotions,

agreement, and providing support (Tang and Hew, 2020).

In another study of Eser, Ensari, Bahar and Yozgat (2011), who also

determined the preference of the students in Marmara University Andolu Hisari

2
Campus in Turkey in terms of communicating, came up with conclusions that

instant messaging enables people to communicate synchronously even in

different locations with a low communication cost. Furthermore, in their study,

students stated that face-to-face allows for an efficient communication

environment, prevents misunderstandings, and is the best way to gather around

special and important issues. However, for instant messaging, they used phrases

like "easy, cheap, and best way to transfer knowledge."

As electronic communication becomes increasingly common, and as

students juggle study, work, and family life, many universities are offering their

students more flexible learning opportunities. Classes once delivered face-to-

face are often replaced by online activities and discussions (Kemp & Grieve,

2014). In contrast, Plumridge (2020), author of “Communication: Online vs. Face-

to-Face Interactions” agreed that face-to-face communication fosters higher

quality interactions than online communication.

In the Philippines, technology usage has increased dramatically over the last

few decades. Kemp (2022) stated in the Digital 2022 report, a new research from

the London-based consultancy, that "We Are Social". The Philippines has once

again topped the world in terms of social media usages. There were 92.05

million social media users in the Philippines in January 2022, mainly on

Facebook. It said that there were 83.85 million accounts on Facebook in the

Philippines matching the total number of social media users in the country.

Another, 18.65 million Filipinos were using Instagram and 55.15 million Filipinos

3
using Facebook Messenger which is also owned by Facebook. Moreover, there

are 10.50 million Filipinos using Twitter. Overall, internet usage in the Philippines

remains on a growth trajectory with 2.1 million users added over the past year.

Internet penetration now stands around 156.5 million cellular mobile

connections in the Philippines at the start of 2022, the report showed.

At La Patria College, instant messaging was used by the teachers and

students for communication for their academic classes as face-to-face classes

are limited and people are mandated to stay at home most especially during this

time of pandemic. Given the overwhelming popularity of socially interactive

technologies among students, the purpose of this study is to know the preference

of the respondents in communicating between instant messaging and face-to-

face communication.

For these reasons, the researchers decided to conduct this study because

communication is very important in academic learning and mostly in the

interaction with people in every day’s life. Also, this is a very timely topic in order

to determine the effect on the communication during the pandemic, to know the

communication preference of co-engineering students and the reasons on their

preferred mode of communication.

4
Statement of the Problem

Given the overwhelming popularity of socially interactive technologies among

students, this study aimed to know the respondents’ preference in

communicating between Instant Messaging and Face-to-Face communication.

Specifically, this study sought to answer the following questions:

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

1.1 Age;

1.2 Sex; and

1.3 Year

2. What is the respondents’ preference in utilization between Face-to-

Face communication and Instant Messaging communication regarding

about different dimensions:

2.1 Information richness;

2.2 Ease of use or usefulness;

2.3 Emotion express; and

2.4 Social presence

3. Is there exist a significant difference in the preference of respondents

between instant messaging and face to face communication in terms of

the following dimension:

3.1 Information richness;

3.2 Ease of use or usefulness;

3.3 Emotion express; and

3.4 Social presence.

5
Null Hypothesis
1. There is no significant difference in the preference of respondents

between instant messaging and face to face communication in terms of

the following dimensions:

1.1 Information richness;

1.2 Ease of use or usefulness;

1.3 Emotion express; and

1.4 Social presence.

Conceptual Framework

Figure 1 shows the research paradigm of the study.

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

OUTPUT OUTPUT
1. Respondent’s Profile
1.1 Age;
1.2 Sex; and
1.3 Year
2. Respondents’ preference in  Survey Questionnaire
between Face-to-Face
communication and Instant - Microsoft Form was used for
Messaging communication adhering the questionnaire A proposed webinar for the
regarding about different
awareness about instant
dimensions: - Facebook Messenger was
2.1. Information richness used to disseminate the messaging and face-to-face
2.2. Ease of use/usefulness questionnaire to the students communication among
2.3. Emotion express and Engineering Students of La
2.4. Social presence - Microsoft Excel was used to Patria College, A.Y. 2021-
3. Significant Difference on the tabulate and analyze the data 2022.
preference of the respondents gathered in the questionnaire
between instant messaging and
face-to-face communication in
terms of:
3.1. Information richness
3.2. Ease of use/usefulness
2.3. Emotion express and
2.4. Social presence

Feedback

Figure 1. Paradigm of the Study

6
 As the baseline of this study, a determination of the respondent’s profile is

in order. The respondent’s preference between face-to-face and Instant

Messaging as their choice for communication is identified from their ratings from

the given four dimensions which are: Information Richness, Ease of

Use/Usefulness, Emotion Express, and Social Presence. Also a significant

difference was analyzed to know if there is a significant difference on the

preference of the respondents as to the four dimensions.

In the process, the data were gathered though a questionnaire which was

administered through Microsoft form and then used Facebook messenger to

disseminate the link questionnaire. Data were then analyzed and interpreted

through Microsoft Excel.

The output consisted the desired results of the study which was a suggested

Webinar on instant messaging and face-to-face contact among Engineering

Students.

Theoretical Framework 

a. Information richness

For the dimension of information richness, this study is anchored on the

Media Richness theory that was introduced by Richard L. Daft and Robert

H. Lengel in 1986. The goal of this theory is to provide a framework upon

describing a communication mediums ability to reproduce the information given

to it. 

7
 According to this theory, Media richness is a function of (1) the medium’s

capacity for immediate feedback’ (2) the number of cues and channels available,

(3) language variety: and (4) the degree to which intent is focused on the

recipient. The greater social presence of medium creates a greater immediacy

and warmth of the communication, because of the greater number of channels. 

In addition, the proponents stated that when people select a communication

channel, not only the information exchange capacity, but also evaluation of the

costs of using this channel is also taken into consideration as a crucial factor.

When dealing with highly equivocal tasks, choosing communication channels

with high information richness is very important in order to eliminate the cost of

potential misunderstandings. 

b. Ease of use/usefulness

For the Ease of use/usefulness dimension, the Technology Acceptance

Model (TAM) is another theory that is relevant to this research. TAM was

originally developed by Davis (1989) to explain why people accept or reject new

technology. When users are faced with new technology, the model argues that

two main variables, perceived ease of use and perceived utility, impact their

decision on how and when to utilize it.

c. Emotion express

According to Kiesler (1986) in Reduced Social Cues (RSC) Theory, computer

mediated communication (CMC) conveys less social and contextual cues than

face-to-face communication. Social cues are divided into two categories: static

8
and dynamic social cues. Dynamic social cues comprise personal information

sent in a typical face-to-face conversation, such as facial expressions or

gestures, whereas static social cues contain information linked to place, position,

and person. "Senders have no means to link the substance or tone of messages

to receivers' answers in CMC," she claims, "so they cannot evaluate how their

messages are received”.

d. Social presence

The final theory on which this study is based is social presence theory, which

is defined by Grinter and Paylen (2002) as the ability of a communication

medium to allow a group member to sense the presence of other group members

as well as the feeling that the group is jointly engaged in communicative

interaction.

These four dimensions which are which are: Information Richness, Ease of

Use/Usefulness, Emotion Express, and Social Presence describe how students

prefer in using instant messaging and face-to-face communication in the

educational shift to online classes because of the existing pandemic. By

recognizing this, teachers and students can start becoming more flexible and

adaptable to the changes in our education system.

Significance of the Study

This study aimed to know the respondents’ preference in utilization between

Face-to-Face communication and Instant Messaging communication and the

9
purpose the use of Instant Messaging and Face-to-Face communication. This

study is beneficial to the following:

Institution. The result of the study can be utilized in classroom discussions

to educate students to the importance of face-to-face communication especially

group works and when to use the presence of technology. The result of the study

can be served as a guide on the modalities of communication that can be utilized

to help students’ education.

School Administrators. This study will help the school administrators to

give insight about the growing population of using internet among students, and

to strengthen programs adhering solutions to communication problems that affect

the students’ academic performance through awareness program among the

students. Also, to educate students on the advantages and disadvantages of

utilizing technology.

Engineering Program Head. This study will be beneficial to the Engineering

Program Head in providing insight into the growing population of internet users

among Engineering students and adhering solutions to communication problems

affecting their academic performance.

Engineering Instructors. The result of this study may encourage

Engineering instructors to come up with teaching strategies that will improve the

students’ technological and face-to-face communication skills and their attitude

toward their academic performance.

10
 Students. The students are the primary beneficiaries of this research. They

will learn the limitations of using Instant Messaging and be more responsible in

doing things with or without the presence of internet.

Parents. This study will help the parents to give insight about the growing

population of using internet among their children. By giving awareness to them

on the advantages and disadvantages of using instant messaging and face-to-

face communication, this will serve for them as a guide to look into their children

on the proper utilization of technological communication.

Future Researchers. This study can be a basis for further investigation and

research study as they explore other variables on the different social contexts

such as different cultures and corporations.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The study focused on the respondents' preferred medium of communication

between Instant Messaging and Face-to-Face communication. The respondents

were students from College of Engineering and Technology taking up Bachelor of

Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE); from first year to fifth year during the

A.Y. 2021-2022. The total number of respondents were one hundred twenty nine

(129) students.

Definition of Terms

For purposes of clarity and understanding of the terminologies used in this

study, the following are operationally defined:

11
 Communication. As used in the study, it is a process by which information is

exchanged between individuals through Instant Messages and Face-to-Face

dialogue.

Ease of use/usefulness. As used in the study, it is one of four research

dimensions which perceived ease of use and utility influence their decision on

how and when to use it. The degree to which a person believes that utilizing a

certain technology or system would be easy is referred to as ease of use (Davis,

1989).

Emotion express. As used in the study, it is one of four research dimensions

that measures people's ability to access and or generate emotions in a given

mediated communication (Kiesler, 1986).

Face-to-Face communication. It is defined as the interaction of two or more

people in which everyone is in direct contact with each other.

Information Richness. As used in the study, it is one of the four research

dimensions that measures an information exchange's ability to change a

participant's understanding over time. Information that is adequate for the

medium's carrying capacity is more likely to be delivered and understood quickly

and accurately (Daft and Hengel, 1986).

Instant Messaging Communication. It is a form of text-based

communication in which two persons participate in a single conversation over

their computers or mobile devices within an Internet-based chatroom (Larson

2016)

12
 Preference. It is a great liking for one alternative over another or others.

Social presence. As used in the study, it is one of four research dimensions

that measures the involvement of the other person in the interaction and the

interpersonal connection (Grinter and Paylen, 2002).

13
 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter provides an overview of related literature and studies that the

researchers cited. It tackles about different concepts, ideas, conclusions,

understanding, and generalizations in attempt of the researchers to be

familiarized to the baseline information about the present study. Those that

included in this chapter will serve as a guide of the research to be done.

Related Literature

a. Foreign Literature

Communication Process and the Advent of Technology

Velentzas and Borni (2014) defined the word “communication” as it was

derived from the Latin word “communis,” meaning “common.” Therefore,

“communicating” means “making common,” “making known” or “sharing” and

involves verbal, non-verbal and electronic means of human interaction. This act

of making common and known is done by sharing opinions, ideas or the like. One

can have the exchange of thoughts and ideas by gestures, signs, signals,

expression or writing. People are said to be in communication when discussing

some subject, when talking on their telephone, or when exchanging information

14
via letters. Communication is essentially the exchange of information, whether

written or oral.

Furthermore, the communication process also draws from many

interpersonal skills. They include talking, listening, watching, interviewing,

analyzing, interpretation and evaluation. Message recipients must be able to

identify the intent of the sender, take into account the context of the message,

resolve any misunderstandings, decode the information accurately and decide

how to act upon it. Such skills are essential for learning, building healthy

relationships, building a sense of community and gaining workplace success.

With the advent of technology, Instant Messaging, often shortened to IM or

IM'ing, is the exchange of near-real-time messages through a standalone

application or embedded software. Unlike chat rooms, where several users are

engaged in different and overlapping conversations, IM sessions are usually

between two users in a private, back-and-forth communication format (Lutkevich,

2022).

The statement of Lutkevich is significant to the present study because it

tackles about instant messaging that is present to the current study. He defined

what is instant messaging which is necessary to understand what is the use of it

and how does it work. Also, it is somehow seeing the same perspective because

one aim of the researchers is to determine the use of instant messaging in

communication.

Dimensions on the Preference in Communication

15
 A medium is said to possess more richness if it has a larger form of criteria

like face-to-face and online media. Daft and Lengel (1986) emphasized that it is

the idea that all types of communication are compared to each other in their

ability to convey understanding to another person. When we talk about how “rich”

a source of communication is we are referring to how much information is being

transferred from the sender to the receiver. 

Meanwhile, Davis (1989) perceived the ease of use refers to the degree to

which a person believes that using a particular system would be free of effort.

This is based on the definition of ease, which is "the absence of difficulty or

substantial effort." However, perceived usefulness is defined as a person's belief

that adopting a specific system will improve his or her performance. This is

supported by the definition of useful: "capable of being employed usefully."

As described by Tang and Bradshaw (2020), face-to-face interactions allow

students to communicate with one another across numerous channels at the

same time, sending and receiving verbal and nonverbal messages in real time.

Also, face-to-face communication can predict enhanced quality of life, internet

communication cannot. While the internet has opened up a new realm of

possibilities in terms of connecting with people across the globe, at any time,

there are inherent factors in online communication that limit its ability to promote

the same levels of satisfaction as traditional face-to-face communication (Lee et

al. 2011)

16
 As expressed by Kiesler (1986), in terms of environmental conditions, face-

to-face and computer-mediated communication are very similar. It is also

supported that computer-mediated communication does not completely lack non-

verbal information. Because it has its own set of nonverbal cues, known as

'emoticons'. Instant messaging emoticons, like non-verbal cues in face-to-face

communication, help to accentuate or reinforce a tone or meaning during

message creation and delivery interpretation. Emoticons make it easier to

communicate immediate emotions and moods in a more direct and apparent

way. In addition, he supported that "Instant messaging is not suitable for socio-

emotional contexts due to its inefficiency in transferring dynamic social cues such

as facial expressions or gestures."

A communication medium's expected social presence degree for task

ambiguously and socialization processes is circumstantial. According to social

presence theory, media with a high degree of social presence is better suited to

ambiguous and uncertain tasks that require people to resolve differing views and

opinions. Furthermore, communication media that convey more cues will result in

a higher level of social presence. Given the requirements of students such as

being a team member, cooperating in Project groups, and their style of

developing relationships, it is reasonable to expect that Face ‐to ‐face

communication will be preferred for social presence among students (Grinter and

Paylen, 2002).

According to Oh (2018), digital media differ in their ability to communicate

social cues and, as a result, computer-mediated interpersonal communication

17
facilitates social presence. Video and phone calls, which have a high social

presence are likely to be better at facilitating social connectedness because they

are closer to face-to-face communication than text messaging and email, which

have a low social presence.

Today, people can draw on a variety of information and communication

technologies to maintain social contact across distances when opportunities for

in-person interactions are not possible.

Eser, Ensari, Bahar and Yozgat (2011) also determined the preference of the

students communication in Marmara University Andolu Hisari Campus in Turkey.

Their study investigated on university students' preferences for these two types

of communication. The survey looked at four primary aspects of communication:

information richness, ease of use/usefulness, emotion express, and social

presence. Instant messaging chat rooms and emails have given adolescents new

way to talk with their friends or make new friends. They came up with

conclusions that instant messaging enables people to communicate

synchronously even in different locations with a low communication cost.

Furthermore, in their study, students stated that Face-to-Face allows for an

efficient communication environment, prevents misunderstandings, and is the

best way to gather around special and important issues. However, for Instant

Messaging, they used phrases like "easy, cheap, and best way to transfer

knowledge."

Challenges in Communication during COVID-19

18
 During the COVID-19 pandemic, governments and public health institutions

all around the world implemented physical-distancing and stay-at-home

measures to avoid the spread of the novel corona virus, which has the potential

to cause serious health problems (World Health Organization, 2020).

Furthermore, industry reports showed that people were increasingly turning

to social media and messaging apps, particularly video conferencing capabilities,

for contact in the early weeks of the pandemic (Kemp, 2020).

This statement is relevant to the present study for it tackles about the

situation during the time amid of COVID-19 pandemic and the effect of it to the

increasing usage of social media and other mediated platform. Also, it is relevant

to the current study as the researchers conducted this study during COVID-19

pandemic.

b. Local Literature

Use of Social Media Platforms in Education during COVID-19

According to a survey conducted in the Philippines by the Statista Research

Department (2021), 98 percent of the adult population utilized Messenger to

interact with family and close friends. Viber, which was utilized by 5% of

surveyed Filipino internet users, came in second with a large margin. With 2%

each, WhatsApp and Telegram are next, followed by WeChat with 1%.

Through various distant learning modes, more than 22 million Filipino

youngsters can enroll and get education services. Distance learning should be
19
viewed as a supplement to face-to-face learning rather than a replacement. This

is especially true for students who do not have access to the internet or

technology, as well as those whose parents and caregivers are unable to provide

active home-based support (UNICEF Philippines, 2020)

Related Studies

a. Foreign Studies

Dimensions on the Preference in Communication

Recent study by Tang and Hew (2020) showed how social presence was

displayed in a Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM)-facilitated environment and

compared the social presence levels manifested in the mobile instant messaging

group to those in the online forum group. The results show that, first, mobile

instant messaging enabled students to demonstrate social presence through

affective, interactive, and cohesive responses. Particularly, students seemed to

be most comfortable to use MIM to express emotions, address groups, and

continue a discussion. Second, compared to the online forum, MIM is particularly

suited to promoting the expression of emotions, agreement, and providing

support.

Tang and Hew's research study is relevant to this study since it addresses

how social presence is portrayed in mobile instant messaging. According to the

study, students were able to display social presence through emotional,

interactive, and coherent responses using mobile instant messaging. In

20
particular, students appeared to be most comfortable using mobile instant

messaging to express emotions, address groups, and prolong a discussion,

which the researchers wanted to discover in the current study corresponding to

the four dimensions.

In another study shows that text messaging mixed with emoticon use

increases information richness, which leads to perceived fun in mobile instant

messaging. Furthermore, the perceived playfulness produced in the instant

messaging process plays a key role in fostering social connectivity, user identity

expression, and mobile instant messaging usage advocacy (Hsieh and Tseng

2017).

This study is significant to the current study since it claims that using a mix of

emoticons in mobile instant messaging improves information richness, social

connectivity, user identity expression, and usage. Furthermore, it is related to the

current study since the researchers are interested in the elements that influence

students' communication preferences in terms of information richness and

emotion expression.

b. Local Studies

Role of Social Media Platforms in Communication

In a study conducted by Dela Vega, Flores & Magusib (2017) about how

social media usage affects face-to-face interactions within the home, found that

social media activities vary according to the need of the situations they are in.

21
Some became active because they discovered the greater opportunity of

connecting with their classmates and friends, checking their friends’ online

activities, updating oneself on trending topics, and building new relationships.

Additionally, social media play an important role in the lives of teenagers and

in family communication at home. First, social media platforms, particularly

Facebook and Twitter, present information and expose concerns in the United

States and around the world, allowing family members to add subjects and boost

participation in family discussions at home. Second, despite the distance, social

media allows family members to keep up with the activities and events of their

relatives and friends. Third, social media allows youngsters to communicate by

participating in online debates about various themes and concepts. Social media

also provides them with a more extensive communication platform with  their

professors and classmates.

As expressed on the study of Diamante & Barrios (2018) about Relationship

of Instant Messaging to the Face-to-Face Communication and Social

Relationship of College Students, they found that the more the respondents use

instant messaging, the more their face-to-face communication improved. In the

same way, their social relationship also develops as they use instant messaging.

Make use of instant messaging as a tool to improve the quality of students’ life.

This study is relevant to the current study because it affirms that instant

messaging can improve the student’s life. It also reveals that using instant

messaging can also improve the face-to-face communication of the students. In

22
addition, instant messaging can also develop social relationship which is

important to the current study.

In another study of Insorio & Olivarez (2021) about Utilizing Facebook and

Messenger Groups as Platforms for Delivering Mathematics Interventions in

Modular Distance Learning, based on the computed effect size, the technological

interventions were effective, and the students were able to learn mathematics

competence while being in the comfort of their homes. As a result, pupils grasp

mathematics concepts better and enjoy learning at their own schedule.

This study is relevant to the current study because its state a fact that as

Facebook messenger is one platform of instant messaging that is beneficial to

the students while learning. It also reveals that students can have more time for

others things because they can personally choose their time to study.

Furthermore, it is somehow seeing parallel to the current study as one aim of the

researchers to determine the use of instant messaging in communication in

terms of the dimension, specifically in the dimension of ease of use/usefulness

and media richness dimension.

Synthesis

It is noted that the reviewed related literature and studies have contribution to

the points of relationship between and among the factor variables used which are

to be in general, mostly foreign and local in context. As it has been clearly

pointed out that this study concentrates in knowing the Engineering students

preference in utilization between Face-to-Face communication and Instant

23
Messaging communication regarding about different dimensions which are:

information richness, ease of use or usefulness, emotion express and social

presence. It is humbly presumed that the result and findings of this study will

yield valuable advantage and benefit to the Engineering student-respondents as

the primary recipients of instruction, to the instructors as the imparter of

knowledge, and to the administration to strengthen programs and adhering

solutions to communication problems that affecting their students academic

performance.

As the researchers carefully evaluated and reviewed related literature and

studies, they discovered the following similarities with the current study: the

findings of relevant studies such as the study of Eser, Ensari, Bahar and Yozgat

(2011) who also determined the preference of the students’ communication in

Marmara University Andolu Hisari Campus in Turkey. Their study investigated on

university students' preferences for these two types of communication. The

survey looked at four primary aspects of communication: information richness,

ease of use/usefulness, emotion express, and social presence. The result of their

study showed that students prefer face to face communication for emotion

express, usefulness and social presence whereas they prefer instant messaging

for information richness.

In addition, the study from Tang and Hew (2020) is relevant to this study

since it addressed on how social presence is portrayed in mobile instant

messaging. According to the study, students were able to display social presence

24
through emotional, interactive, and coherent responses using mobile instant

messaging. In particular, students appeared to be most comfortable using mobile

instant messaging to express emotions, address groups, and prolong a

discussion, which the researchers wanted to discover in the current study

corresponding to the four dimensions.

Furthermore, the study of Diamante & Barrios (2018) about Relationship of

Instant Messaging to the Face-to-Face Communication and Social Relationship

of College Students found that the more the respondents use instant messaging,

the more their face-to-face communication improved. In the same way, their

social relationship also develops as they use instant messaging. Make use of

instant messaging as a tool to improve the quality of students’ life.

This study is relevant to the current study because it affirms that instant

messaging can improve the student’s life. It also reveals that using instant

messaging can also improve the face-to-face communication of the students. In

addition, instant messaging can also develop social relationship which is

important to the current study.

As described on the study of Insorio & Olivarez (2021) about Utilizing

Facebook and Messenger Groups as Platforms for Delivering Mathematics

Interventions in Modular Distance Learning, based on the computed effect size,

the technological interventions were effective, and the students were able to

learn mathematics competence while being in the comfort of their homes. As a

25
result, pupils grasp mathematics concepts better and enjoy learning at their own

schedule.

This study is relevant to the current study because its state a fact that as

Facebook messenger is one platform of instant messaging that is beneficial to

the students while learning. It also reveals that students can have more time for

others things because they can personally choose their time to study.

Furthermore, it is somehow seeing parallel to the current study as one aim of the

researchers to determine the use of instant messaging in communication in

terms of the dimension, specifically in the dimension of ease of use/usefulness

and media richness dimension.

However, the reviewed related literature and studies differ significantly from

the course of this study in that: the interrelationship between the spelled out

factors that affect the respondents in using the two modes of communication is

comprehensively investigated as to how they influence the students'

communication preferences such as the study conducted by Dela Vega, Flores &

Magusib (2017) about how social media usage affects face-to-face interactions

within the home, they pointed out that social media activities vary according to

the need of the situations they are in. Some became active because they

discovered the greater opportunity of connecting with their classmates and

friends, checking their friends’ online activities, updating oneself on trending

topics, and building new relationships.

26
 Meanwhile, the time and situation of the reviewed related literature and

studies differ significantly such that the current study was conducted during the

time of COVID-19 pandemic the study of Eser,Ensari,Bahar and Yozgat (2011)

who also determined the preference of the students communication in Marmara

University Andolu Hisari Campus in Turkey was conducted before the pandemic

which was significantly differ from the course of this study.

CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the methodology of research particularly the

research design, respondents, research instruments, procedures for the data

collection, and the statistical tools utilized by the researchers needed in

accomplishing this study.

Research Design

The researchers used the descriptive comparative method of research as

well as interpretive analysis to the qualitative and quantitative data collected. In

descriptive-comparative research, they evaluated two noted manipulated

variables and establishes a formal procedure to determine that one is better than

the other. A descriptive-comparative study which investigated the preferences of

27
engineering students’ utilization between Instant Messaging and Face-to-Face

communication in terms of Information Richness, Ease of Use/Usefulness,

Emotion Express and Social Presence were also utilized.

Research Respondents

The respondents of this study were the students from the Engineering

program of all levels at La Patria College, Santiago City. The total number of

respondents were one hundred twenty nine (129) students.

Data Gathering Procedure

In gathering the needed data, the following activities were undertaken: (1) a

request letter addressed to the La Patria College Vice President for Academic

Affairs, Program Head from the College of Engineering and Technology were

prepared by the researchers. The purpose of the request letters were to seek for

permission to administer the questionnaire to the respondents; (2) the

questionnaire contained the profile of the respondents as to age, sex, and year,

the respondents’ preferred medium of communication between Instant

messaging and Face-to-Face communication, and an open-ended questions

asking respondents for what purpose they use Instant Messaging and Face-to-

Face communication were floated; (3) the questionnaire was adopted on a 12-

item and an open-ended question based on the study of Eser, Ensari, Bahar and

Yozgat (2011) who also determined the preference of the students

28
communication in Marmara University Andolu Hisari Campus in Turkey; (4) the

gathered data were analyzed and interpreted and it served as a basis whether

the researchers will accept or reject the hypothesis. It also served as a key to

answer the statement of the problem of this study.

Research Instrument

The researchers utilized Microsoft Form to create an online survey, wherein

the first part determined the respondents’ profile. The second part consisted of

12 items and each respondent was asked to answer these questions

simultaneously both for Instant Messaging and Face-to-Face. The questionnaire

was adopted on a 12-item and an open-ended question on the study of Eser,

Ensari, Bahar and Yozgat (2011) entitled “Preference of the Students

Communication in Marmara University Andolu Hisari Campus in Turkey”.

These 12 items were assessed on 5-point Likert scale with responses

ranging from “Strongly Agree” to “Strongly Disagree”. These items evaluated the

preferences of the students’ utilization between Face-to-Face and Instant

Messaging. In this part of the questionnaire, the main focus was to evaluate

29
different dimensions called; information richness, emotion express, ease of use/

usefulness and social presence.

The score, range and description are:

Score Mean Range Qualitative Description

1 1.00-1.80 Strongly Disagree
2 1.81-2.60 Disagree
3 2.61-3.40 Neither Disagree nor
Agree

4 3.41-4.20 Agree
5 4.21-5.00 Strongly Agree

The last part of the questionnaire included two open ended questions asking

respondents for which purpose they use Instant Messaging or Face-to-Face.

Statistical Treatment of Data

All the data gathered were recorded, tallied, tabulated, analyzed, interpreted

and subjected to computer software using Microsoft Excel.

Moreover, all the data gathered were statistically treated using the following

statistical tools:

1. Frequency

- It was used to obtain data for the profile of the students.

2. Percentage Count

- It was used to determine the profile of the respondents.

30
 f
P¿ n ×100

Where: f = frequency
n = total number of respondents
P= %

3. Paired Sample T-Test was performed to test the significant differences in

preference of students’ utilization between Face-to-Face and Instant messaging

communication. A T-Test was conducted for all four dimensions (Social

Presence, Information Richness, Emotion Express and Usefulness) separately.

CHAPTER IV

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This portion of the study presents the discussion and interpretation of results

gathered. It covers the description and differences of Instant Messaging and

Face-to-Face communication in terms of frequency count, percentage, mean,

standard deviation and t-test.

Table 1. Demographic Profile

31
 Based on the given table, it is clear that age ranging from 18-21 got the

highest frequency with 87 or 67.44%; and the least one belonged to the age

bracket 30-35 with a frequency of 1 or 0.77%. This implies that most students in

Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering are aged 18-21 who are mostly

engaged in using instant messaging and face to face communication.

The sample profile shows 118 or 91.47% of the total respondents are

male and 11 or 8.53% are female. This implies that majority of the respondents

Frequency Percentage
(n=129) (100%)
Age 18-21 87 67.44%
22-25 32 24.81%
26-20 9 6.98%
30-35 1 0.77%
129 100%
Sex Male 118 91.47%
Female 11 8.53%
129 100%
Year 1st Year 37 28.68%
2nd Year 49 37.98%
3rd Year 28 21.71%
4th Year 4 3.10%
5th Year 11 8.53%
129 100%
who are enrolled in Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering are male.

It can also be observed from the table that in terms of year level, 49 or

37.98% are students from second year; 37 or 28.68% are students from first
32
year; 28 or 21.71% are students from third year; 11 or 8.53% are students from

fifth year; and fourth year students got the least in frequency count with 4 or

3.10%.

Table 2. Mean and SD of Respondents’ Preference in Face-to-Face and

Instant Messaging Communication

Dimensions Std. Description

Mean Deviation
Allowing to feel the emotions of 3.5969 .71282 Agree
others (IM)
Allowing to clarify ambiguous 3.4574 .73959 Agree
issues (IM)
Allowing to convey emotions 3.4496 .78024 Agree
exactly and correctly (IM)
Emotion
Allowing to feel the emotions of 4.3101 .73738 Strongly Agree
Express
others (F2F)
Allowing to clarify ambiguous 4.2093 .79721 Agree
issues (F2F)
Allowing to convey emotions 4.2558 .74245 Strongly Agree
exactly and correctly (F2F)
Information Allowing to communicate more 3.7907 .63337 Agree
Richness information (IM)
Conveying a large amount of 3.7132 .70924 Agree
information faster (IM)
Ease of access to 3.6279 .66226 Agree
people/knowledge (IM)
Allowing to communicate more 4.3488 .71426 Strongly Agree
information (F2F)
Conveying a large amount of 4.2326 .78573 Strongly Agree
information faster (F2F)
Ease of access to 4.2171 .75995 Strongly Agree
people/knowledge (F2F)
Social Feeling closer to friends and 3.8682 .77439 Agree
family members (IM)
Presence
Allowing better social interaction 3.7364 .74498 Agree
(IM)
Allowing to develop friendship 3.9147 .69632 Agree
more quickly (IM)

33
 Feeling closer to friends and 4.3256 .74123 Strongly Agree
family members (F2F)
Allowing better social 4.2248 .74204 Strongly Agree
interaction (F2F)
Allowing to develop friendship 4.3023 .68013 Strongly Agree
more quickly (F2F)
Ease of Useful tool for interacting with 3.8837 .69178 Agree
friends (IM)
Use /
Useful tool for developing 3.7519 .61277 Agree
Usefulness networks (IM)
Useful tool for working (IM) 3.7829 .73910 Agree
Useful tool for interacting with 4.1783 .70100 Agree
friends (F2F)
Useful tool for developing 4.2558 .71018 Strongly Agree
networks (F2F)
Useful tool for working (F2F) 4.2248 .74204 Strongly Agree
Legend: 1.0 – 1.80 = Strongly Disagree 2.61 – 3.40 = Neither Disagree nor Agree 4.21 – 5.0 = Strongly Agree
1.81 – 2.60 = Disagree 3.41 – 4.20 = Agree

Table 2 presents the respondents’ preference in face-to-face and instant

messaging communication.

Based on the results, in terms of information richness statements, Face-to-

Face communication has a significantly higher means than Instant Messaging

communication. This implies that participants prefer Face-to-Face

communication in terms of "Information richness". This finding is opposite to the

research of Eser, Ensari, Bahar and Yozgat (2011) which in the result of their

study they came up with the conclusion that in terms of “information richness”

students prefer Instant messaging communication.

However, in the study of Daft and Lengel (1986) on their Media Richness

Theory, it highly ranks face-to-face communication as the most effective

34
approach in information richness. People talk to each other directly and do not

need to use any of the medium as their bridge.

In terms of “Ease of use or usefulness”, the second result revealed that the

means of “Ease of use or usefulness” dimension of Face-to-Face communication

statements is significantly higher than the means of “Ease of use or usefulness”

dimension of Instant Messaging. This implies that participants prefer Face-to-

Face communication in terms of "Ease of use or usefulness".

The result run parallel to the variables of Eser, Ensari, Bahar and Yozgat

(2011) in their study wherein students stated that Face-to-Face allows for an

efficient communication environment, prevents misunderstandings, and is the

best way to gather around special and important issues. However, for Instant

Messaging, they used phrases like "easy, cheap, and best way to transfer

knowledge."

In terms of "emotion express," the third result further revealed that Face-to-

Face communication statements for "Emotion express" dimension has a

significantly higher means than Instant Messaging "Emotion express" dimension.

This implies that participants prefer Face-to-Face communication in terms of

"Emotion express".

The result is consistent with Kiesler (1986) who supported that "Instant

Messaging is not suitable for socio-emotional contexts due to its inefficiency in

transferring dynamic social cues such as facial expressions or gestures.".

Moreover, the variables run parallel to the variables of Eser, Ensari, Bahar and
35
Yozgat (2011) who also determined that the preference of the students in

Marmara University Andolu Hisari Campus in Turkey in terms of emotion

express. The results on their study showed that face-to-face communication is

still perceived as being more valuable than Instant messaging. The findings, on

the other hand, contradicted to the findings of (Tang and Hew, 2020) who

claimed that Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM) is particularly suited to promoting

the expression of emotions, agreement, and providing support.

In terms of "Social presence" the result also showed that Face-to-Face

communication statements under "Social Presence" dimension has a significantly

higher means than Instant Messaging "Social Presence" dimension. This implies

that engineering students prefer Face-to-Face communication in terms of "Social

Presence".

This result is consistent in the social presence theory of Grinter and Paylen

(2002) who claimed that given the requirements of students such as being a

team member, cooperating in project groups, and their style of developing

relationships, it is reasonable to expect that Face ‐to ‐face communication will be

preferred for social presence among students.

Furthermore, this result runs parallel to the finding of Eser, Ensari, Bahar and

Yozgat (2011) that students choose face-to-face communication than instant

messaging which indicates that, if the task is complex and there is a need for

more social interaction, face-to-face communication may be a better option. On

the other hand, our findings contradict the findings of Oh et al. (2018) who claim

36
that digital media differ in their ability to communicate social cues and, as a

result, computer-mediated interpersonal communication facilitates social

presence.

Table 3. Mean, Standard Deviation And Significance Level

Mean Std. Dev. df p-Value

Information 128 0.00*
richness
IM 11.13 1.68
F2F 12.80 2.05
Usefulness 128 0.00*
IM 11.42 1.76
F2F 12.66 1.98
Emotion 128 0.00*
express
IM 10.50 1.92
F2F 12.78 2.14
Social 128 0.00*
presence
IM 11.52 1.87
F2F 12.85 1.96
p < 0.05 ,*significant

A paired samples t-test was used to see whether there were significant

differences in student choice between Face-to-Face and Instant Messaging

communication. Each of the four dimensions (social presence, information

richness, emotion express, and utility) was tested independently with a t-test.

Table 3 showed the result of all samples t-test analysis results.

37
 In terms of "Information richness," the first result revealed that there is

a significant difference between Instant Messaging and Face-to-Face scores.

In terms of “Ease of use or usefulness”, the second result showed that there

is a significant difference between Instant Messaging and Face-to-Face scores.

In terms of "Emotion express", the third result revealed that there is a

significant difference between Instant Messaging and Face-to-Face scores.

In terms of "Social presence", the result further revealed that there is a

significant difference between Instant Messaging and Face-to-Face scores.

The results for the t-test of four dimensions run parallel to the study of Eser,

Ensari, Bahar and Yozgat (2011) which in the result of their study, they came up

with the conclusion that there was a significant differences in the four dimensions

(Information richness,Ease of use or usefulness,Emotion express, and Social

presence)

Thematic Sketch

1. I prefer Face-to-Face communication mostly for…

Table 4. Frequency Distribution in terms of which purpose they use in Face

to Face communication

Frequency Percentage
(n=129) (100%)
Face-to-Face
Information Richness 21 16.28%
Ease of use/usefulness 75 58.14%

38
Emotion Express 9 6.98%
Social Presence 23 17.83%
99.23%
Table 4 presents the frequency distribution in terms of which purpose they

use face to face communication.

1.1 Information Richness (F2F)

It is clear that their responses in the open ended question for Face-to-Face

communication shows that 21 or 16.28% are categorized for information

richness.

Two (2) respondents stated:

Student 1: “School it allows me a better communication and explain clearly

the information since both speaker and listener meet in person.”

Student 2: “Studying because it allows a better exchange of information since

both speaker and listener are able to see and interpret body language and

facial expressions.”

1.2 Ease of Use/Usefulness (F2F)

75 or 58.14% were categorized for ease of use /usefulness face-to-face open

ended question.

Two (2) respondents stated:

39
 Student 1: “For study and to know/understand new information about the

topic and also this is the best way to easily interact to other

teachers/people/friends. Face to Face communication is the best because you

can see the reaction/emotionally of the person.”

Student 2: “When taking about important issue. And i prefer face to face

when talking about studying.”

1.3 Emotion Express (F2F)

9 or 6.98% responses in category for emotion express face-to-face open

ended question.

Two (2) respondents stated:

Student 1:”Talking about emotions, counseling, giving advice”

Student 2: “expressing my feelings/emotions”

1.4 Social Presence (F2F)

Lastly, 23 or 17.83% for social presence face-to-face open ended question.

Two (2) respondents stated:

Student 1: “Interacting to my family and friends”

Student 2: “Social interaction and good communication”

2. I prefer Instant Messaging communication mostly for…

40
 Table 5. Frequency Distribution in terms of which purpose they use in
Instant Messaging

Instant Messaging
Information Richness 34 26.36%
Ease of use/usefulness 85 65.89%
Emotion Express 2 1.55%
Social Presence 7 5.42%
99.23%

Table 5 presents the frequency distribution in terms of which purpose they

use instant messaging communication.

2.1 Information Richness (IM)

In terms of instant messaging communication, it is clear that their responses

in the open-ended question shows that, 34 or 26.36% is categorized for

information richness.

Two (2) respondents stated:

Student 1: “Allows you to communicate with others in real time, with no

delays such as those associated with email communication. As long as the other

person is available, you can hold a conversation instantly, meaning quicker and

more efficient communication.”

Student 2: “For emergency, because sometimes we don't need to tell all the

details for us to save time and to immediately solve the problem.’’

41
 2.2 Ease of use/usefulness (IM)

85 or 65.89% were categorized for ease of use/usefulness instant

messaging open ended question.

Two (2) respondents stated:

Student 1: “Have a conversation even in distance”

Student 2: “The rhythm in eagerness to study and to communicate well within

Professors and students”

2.3 Emotion Express (IM)

2 or 1.55% responses in category for emotion express instant messaging

open ended question.

Two (2) respondents stated:

Student 1: “For sharing emotion”

Student 2: “Allows ease of expressing feelings”

2.4 Social presence (IM)

and lastly 7 or 5.43% for social presence instant messaging open ended

question.

42
 Two (2) respondents stated:

Student 1: “Interacting with family and friends”

Student 2: “Chatting with friends and relatives”

The data collected from the third section of the questionnaire which consists

of two open-ended questions were subjected to content analysis. The responses

to these questions were compiled into an excel table and categorized into four

categories: information richness, emotion express, social presence, and

usefulness. For each question, each main category has been classified into sub-

categories. The first question was “I prefer face-to-face communication, mostly

for...” 9 subcategories were classified under three headlines; 2 for information

richness, 2 for emotion express, 3 for usefulness, 2 for social presence.

According to the answers given to the question, students prefer face-to-face

communication mainly since it is an easier way to gain knowledge and

understanding lessons from different subjects

The second question was “I prefer instant messaging, mostly for...” 9 sub-

categories were classified under four headlines; 2 for information richness,3 for

usefulness, 2 for social presence and 2 for emotion express. According to results

given to the question, the reason why students prefer instant messaging for

academic purposes as it enables students to communicate easily in real time

specially in asking questions about school activities and also it it the easier way

to contact peers.

43
 This result run parallel to the variables of Eser, Ensari, Bahar and Yozgat

(2011) who also determined the preference of the students in Marmara University

Andolu Hisari Campus in Turkey in terms of communicating. In their study,

students stated that Face to face allows for an efficient communication

environment, prevents misunderstandings, and is the best way to gather around

special and important issues. However, for Instant Messaging, they used phrases

like "easy, cheap, and best way to transfer knowledge." In addition in the

conducted open ended question, students prefer Face-to-Face communication

mainly since it is an easier way to gain knowledge and understanding lessons

from different subjects.

CHAPTER V

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter presents the summary of the study, conclusions derived from

the findings and recommendations offered by the researchers for the

improvement of the persons address in significant of the study.

Summary

44
 Generally, the purpose of this study is to know the preference of the

respondents in communicating between instant messaging and face-to-face

communication. Also to determine what are the respondent’s purpose in using

Instant Messaging and Face-to-Face communication.

The study was conducted during the 2nd Semester of A.Y. 2021-2022, with

one hundred twenty nine (129) respondents in Bachelor of Science in Electrical

Engineering. The researchers utilized Microsoft Form to create an online survey

to gather the needed data in the study and the result of the study revealed that

majority of the respondents are male and majority of the respondents are

students coming from second year level.

Moreover, the results of this study showed the Engineering students'

preferences between Instant Messaging and face-to-face communication. This

research indicated that despite of the current situation during COVID-19

pandemic and the overwhelming popularity of socially interactive technologies

among students, face-to-face communication is still accepted as being superior

for “information richness”, ”usefulness”, “emotion express” and “social presence”

among the Engineering students .

Conclusions

This study entitled “Engineering Students Preferences in the Utilization of

Instant Messaging and Face-To-Face Communication: An Exploration ” was

conducted to determine the preference of the respondents in communicating

45
between instant messaging and face-to-face communication. Further, its purpose

was to determine the respondent’s purpose in using Instant Messaging and

Face-to-Face communication. Based from the results of the study, the following

conclusions were derived:

Majority of students enrolled in Engineering program are between the ages of

18 and 21 years old .The findings of this study revealed that the majority of

students enrolled in Engineering courses are male, and majority of the

respondents are students coming from second year level.

Also, despite the current situation during the COVID-19 pandemic and the

overwhelming popularity of socially interactive technologies among students,

face-to-face communication is still preferred for "information richness,"

"usefulness," "emotion express," and "social presence" .

As for the hypothesis, T-Test analysis revealed that there was a significant

difference in all dimensions between Instant Messaging and Face-to-face

communication. The study shows that most of the students prefer Face-to-Face

communication mainly since it is an easier way to gain knowledge and

understanding lessons from different subjects. On the other hand students prefer

instant messaging for academic purposes as it enables students to communicate

easily in real time specially in asking questions about school activities and also it

is the easier way to contact peers.

Recommendations

46
 This study was conducted to determine the preference of the respondents in

communicating between instant messaging and face-to-face communication.

Also to determine what are the respondent’s purpose in using Instant Messaging

and Face-to-Face communication. Based from the results of the study, the

following recommendations were derived:

1. The institution and administration are encouraged to support the proposed

webinar to be conducted to raise awareness on the preference of the

students in communication.

2. The Engineering Program Head may initiate and support in the conduct of

the proposed webinar to Engineering students and faculty as well.

3. The Engineering Instructors should participate in the proposed webinar;

further, it is a great way for them to device strategies that can be used in

teaching based on the result of this study.

4. To the students, they should understand the limitations of instant

messaging and be more responsible in their actions, whether or not the

internet is present. Further, they are encouraged to participate in the

proposed webinar.

5. The parents should be informed of the benefits and drawbacks of using

instant messaging and face-to-face conversation; this will serve as a guide

for them to look into their children's use of technology communication.

47
6. To the future researchers, when doing a similar study, they should use

both quantitative and qualitative research methods. It could be expanded to

accommodate a wide range of engineering programs from other colleges and

institutions. Since this research looked into students' preferences for instant

messaging and face-to-face contact in terms of several dimensions, it could

serve as a foundation for future research.

48