CHAPTER 1

Introduction

● Purpose: To introduce the topic and set the stage for the research.
● Example:

Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdown changed many peoples’ lives in 2020, forcing them to
stay home and limit physical interactions. Many were unable to leave their homes for months
due to the lockdown, and even when they started going out, masks and face shields were
required by many governments. Scientists were even more affected when WHO declared
Covid-19 a pandemic (WHO, 2020), and the impact on the tourism industry was devastating as
countries closed off their borders (Gössling, 2020).

Students were not exempt from the impact of the lockdown: they experienced a change in their
schooling, the inability to meet with their friends, and simply boredom (Aristovnik et al., 2020).
Students were forced into homeschooling, and many parents were required to help implement
remote learning (Fontenelle-Tereshchuk, 2021).

Many studies have found students’ mental health to be declining, 2.7% of college students in
particular reporting mild to moderate-severe anxiety (Talevi et al., 2020). 50% of people who met
WHO’s recommended physical activity started neglecting their physical activities (Bronikowska
et al., 2021).

Background of the Study

● Purpose: To provide context and background information on the research topic.

● Content: Discuss the history and current state of the topic, including any relevant
theories, research, or debates.
● Example:
The lockdown caused a shift in peoples’ physical activity, with over 64 studies
reporting a change in physical activity, a majority of the change being a decrease
in physical activity and an increase in sedentary behavior (Stockwell et al., 2021).
 Students were especially prone to living sedentary lifestyles even before the
lockdown, increasing sitting times and declining self-care (Lee & Kim, 2018).

Depression and anxiety were more prevalent among those who watch COVID-19
news, though their findings indicate it is more due to the screens than the news
specifically. Meanwhile, more physical activities, such as exercising, gardening,
housework, or even partaking in hobbies, improved mental health (Bu et al.,
2021).

“Particularly during the lockdown, such activities (which provided opportunities to

leave home) may have helped provide physical and mental separation from
fatiguing or stressful situations at home, offering a change of scenery and
providing a feeling of being connected to something larger.” (Bu et al., 2021)

However, as schools moved to remote learning, screen time/sitting time

increased among students as their physical activeness declined (BARKLEY et
al., 2020). To solve the problem of physical activity declining, some have called
for schools to implement measures to keep students physically active during the
lockdown (Gobbi et al., 2020).

While the lockdown was a global phenomenon, the study’s school of choice
remained fundamentally unaffected. Gopala Learning Haven is a
homeschooling-focused school with long-time and recent students engaged in
some form of remote learning while enrolled in Gopala. It officially opened in
2008 and has been serving homeschooling families since then.

Statement of the Problem

● Purpose: To clearly define the problem your research is addressing.

● Example:
This study aims to answer the question: What are the lockdown-induced changes
in the physical activities, socialization, and social media consumption of homeschool
students at Gopala Learning Haven? This study will answer this problem through:

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 1. Profiling homeschooled students who developed lockdown-induced behaviors in
terms of:
a. Grade level
b. Age
c. Sex
2. Determining how active homeschooled students were before the lockdown in
terms of:
a. Kinds of physical activities
b. Duration spent on each activity
c. Socialization
3. Identifying the lock-down induced behaviors developed by homeschooled
students in terms of:
a. Physical Activity
b. Communication
c. Social Media Consumption

Conceptual Framework

● Purpose: To outline the theoretical basis for your study.

● Example:

Figure 1 Conceptual Framework

Figure 1 shows the relation between the study’s independent and dependent
variables. The demographics of the homeschool students and their activities before and
during the lockdown are the independent variables. A frequency count will be used to
find the changes in behavior, the dependent variable.
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Scope and Limitation of the Study

● Purpose: To define the boundaries of your research. What it covers and what it
does not cover.
● Example:
This study will focus on the physical and social activeness of students at Gopala and
their use of social media and technology before and during the lockdown. It is limited to
students of Gopala Learning Haven due to the need for students that were
homeschooling before the lockdown and ease of access.

This study centers on the Grades 10-12 of Gopala in the school year 2022-2023, the
oldest students in the school, and thus would theoretically better know what to answer
in our questionnaire. Especially with the transition from Grade 10 to senior high, and the
senior high school students’ work on thesis and focus on more college-like work, they
would also be the busiest students, making them take time out of physical activities.

After considering the limited time allocated for conducting the study, the data gathering
was more feasible in an online survey. Furthermore, such a method also prevents
physical contact that could put all concerned parties at risk.

Significance of the study

● Purpose: To justify the importance of your research (who benefits from it)
● Example:
The findings of this study could add to the body of knowledge that could underpin
homeschooling systems aiming to address the issues brought about by the pandemic
on students. Notably, traditional schools forced to homeschool may find this information
potentially helpful should they want to understand how homeschooling-based schools
manage. It may also help homeschooling-based schools see students’ physical activity
and potentially adjust to having more required activities, should they believe it is
needed.

Other researchers may find this study helpful in understanding how homeschool
students before the lockdown coped with being forced to stay home compared to

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students from traditional schools who were forced to stay home. With homeschool
students not having an obligation to go to a school building to learn, they may be more
used to finding ways to be healthy at home.

Definition of Terms

● Purpose: To clarify any terms or concepts that are central to your study; this is
also the operational definition, or how terms are used in the study.
● Example:
Several terms are defined here to aid in understanding this study.

Lockdown. A measure implemented by governments or authorities to restrict the

movement and activities of people in a specific area or the entire population to control
the spread of a contagious disease, such as COVID-19. It typically involves the closure
of non-essential businesses, schools, and public spaces, as well as restrictions on
social interactions and travel.

Homeschooled Students. In this study, homeschooled students refer to

students of Gopala Learning Have who receive education at home, typically facilitated
by parents or guardians, rather than attending traditional schools. Homeschooling often
involves personalized and individualized learning experiences outside of the
conventional school setting.

Physical Activity. Any bodily movement that results in energy expenditure, such
as exercise, sports, recreational activities, or daily physical tasks. It includes both
planned and unplanned activities that promote physical fitness and well-being.

Sedentary Behavior. Activities that involve minimal physical movement or

energy expenditure, such as sitting, lying down, or engaging in screen-based activities
for extended periods. Sedentary behavior is associated with a lack of physical activity
and can have negative health effects if prolonged.

Socialization. The process of learning and internalizing social norms, values,

and behaviors through interactions with others in society. It involves developing social
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skills, building relationships, and participating in social activities that contribute to one's
integration into a social group or community.

Social Media Consumption. The act of using and engaging with various social
media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok. It involves activities
like browsing, posting, sharing, commenting, and interacting with content and other
users on social networking sites.

Likert Scale. A rating scale used in surveys and questionnaires to measure

respondents' attitudes, opinions, or agreement with specific statements or statements. It
typically consists of a series of statements or items that respondents rate on a scale,
usually ranging from "Strongly Disagree" to "Strongly Agree" or similar gradations,
indicating their level of agreement or disagreement.

Respondents. In the context of the study, respondents refer to the individuals

who participated in the research by providing responses to the survey questionnaire or
other data collection instruments. They are the students that responded and consented
to having their surveys recorded.

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