Research Group 1 Final Manuscript Stem12
Research Group 1 Final Manuscript Stem12
Mike Arence DC. Ramos1,2,3,4, Janelle Aceron1,2,3,4, Lorraine C. Bajada1,2,3,4, Ma. Gwin Anne C.
Ignacio1,2,3,4, Princess Maglalang1,2,3,4, Jayvelle SG. Malgapo1,2,3,4, Radcliff Harry C. Ubaldo1,2,3,4,
Aldrin D. Verdillo1,2,3,4 Kevin Avorque1,2,3,4,5 Ed Louie F. Garcia1,2,3,4,5
1
Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics
2
Senior High School Department
3
Research Development and Innovation Center
4
Our Lady of Fatima University
5
Research Adviser
April 2025
STUDENTS’ NEWS LITERACY: THE RELATIONSHIP… i
Endorsement
This research entitled “Students’ News Literacy: The Relationship of Social Media Use and News
and Current Events Awareness of Grade 11 STEM students Team A at Our Lady of Fatima University” is
prepared and submitted by Mike Arence DC. Ramos et al., in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
Research Project, has been examined and recommended for Oral Defense.
This is to certify that Mike Arence DC. Ramos et al., is ready for Oral defense.
Ed Louie F. Garcia
Research Adviser
This is to certify that the research entitled “Students’ News Literacy: The Relationship of Social
Media Use and News and Current Events Awareness of Grade 11 STEM students Team A at Our Lady of
Fatima University” is prepared and submitted by Mike Arence DC. Ramos et al. of STEM 12-5, is now
recommended for Oral Defense.
Member Member
Member
Phil Darren E. Agustin, MA, RPm
Research Campus Coordinator Engr. Roel D. Trinidad
Dr. Corazon A. Esluzar Administrative Dean
SHS Principal
Certificate of Originality
We hereby declare that this research is our own work and that, to the best of our knowledge and
belief, it contains no material of previously written or published by another person nor material to which to
a substantial extent has been accepted for award of any other degree or diploma of university or other
institute in higher learning, except where due acknowledge is made in text.
We also declare that the intellectual content of this research is the product of our work, even though
we may have received assistance from others on style, presentation and language expression.
Members:
Janelle V. Aceron
Lorraine C. Bajada
Ma. Gwin Anne Ignacio
Princess M. Maglalang
Radcliff Harry P. Ubaldo
Ed Louie Garcie
Adviser
May 2025
Table of Contents
Endorsement i
Certificate of Originality ii
Table of Contents iii
List of Figures v
List of Tables vi
List of Appendices vii
1.0 Abstract 1
2.0 Introduction 2
2.1 Review of Related Literature 3
2.1.1 Social Media 3
2.1.2 News Awareness and Literacy 6
2.2 Problem Statement 8
2.3 Purpose Statement 8
2.4 Hypotheses 9
2.5 Theoretical Framework 10
2.6 Research Simulacrum 11
2.6.1 Research Paradigm 11
3.0 Research Method 11
3.1 Research Design 11
3.2 Site and Sampling 12
3.3 Research Instrument 13
3.3.1 Pre-Data Collection 13
3.3.2 Formulations of Measurement Instrument 13
3.3.3 Data Collection 14
3.3.4 Post Data Collection 14
3.4 Data Collection 15
3.5 Data Analysis 15
3.5.1 Use of Descriptive Statistics 15
3.5.2 Use of Inferential Statistic 16
List of Figures
Figure 1.0 Research Paradigm 11
Figure 2.0 Scatter Plot Diagram 25
Figure 6.0 Scatter Plot Diagram 29
List of Tables
1.1 Age 19
1.3 Sex 20
4.0 Correlational of Social Media Usage and News and Current Events 24
Awareness
5.0 Combined Social Media Usage and Nes and Current Events Awareness 25
1.0
ABSTRACT
In the modernization era, people’s primary source of news particularly among students is the social
media. This research study examines the relationship between social media use and news awareness among
Grade 11 STEM Team A students at Our Lady of Fatima University. It also explores how social media
correlates to their understanding and awareness of news and current events and assess their level of news
literacy. The study involved 56 Grade 11 STEM Team A Students from Our Lady of Fatima University,
Cabanatuan Campus, using stratified random sampling for equal representation from sections STEM 11-1
and 11-1P. The study found that Grade 11 STEM students are highly active on social media (mean = 3.457)
and use it frequently to stay updated on news and trends. Their awareness of news and current events is
average (mean = 3.182), but a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.69, p < 0.001) shows that more social
media use is linked to greater news awareness. Additional responses support to this, showing students rely
on social media for information. They also rated themselves highly in news literacy (mean = 3.332),
confidently analyzing and verifying online news content with correlated relationship of social media as well
with r = 0.56 and <0.001 p-value. This study deployed the use of Pearson R correlation statistics in order
to draw conclusions with regards the relationship of the variables measured. The researchers have
concluded that the relationship between the social media use, level of news and current events awareness,
and news literacy of students have a moderate positive correlation.
Keyword: Social Media, News awareness, Current events, Awareness level, News Literacy
2.0 Introduction
Modernization is a result of great change and a result of stellar minds and knowledge in our society.
With the emergence of new technology, advanced equipment and social media, it has laid a massive change
and effect on the diurnal lives of people in the society. Social media is one of the mainstream results of the
evolution of the modern technology that enabled people to be connected even with great distance. Because
of the popularity of social media and its impressive features, students became overly dependent on it. In
addition, social media has its essential role to play in ways citizens consume news, information and opinion
in this day and age. Social media as a publisher and distributor of the legitimate latest news and crisis
reflects the indispensable responsibility and tremendous power that social media can wield in terms of
dissemination of information among the users. (Cetina Presuel, R., & Martínez Sierra, J., 2019). The routine
of giving highlight and advocating stories and news to individuals with social media facilitating the needs
of the users has become widespread around the world. With the amendment of rising platforms namely
Facebook and Twitter it transforms social media as a quarter for users to share, analyze and debate the
reports of professional journalists. Its website’s list of most-tweeted news features a mixture of informative,
alluring, and exciting pieces on any given day. The usage of social networks for news is on the rise, and
social recommendation is becoming a larger contributor of traffic for news websites, according to audience
study. News on traditional media such as newspapers are rarely observed among the teens and even in
adults as the use of social media emerged. Newspaper reading was almost non-existent, while a handful of
people still watch television for news, however it is mostly initiated with the purpose of family activity and
rarely watch for its own accord (J. Swart, 2021). In contrast, the news and information’s ability to spread
across various social media platforms enabled it to reach a broad spectrum of people across the globe
because of the never-ending modernization of technology.
Students nowadays are mostly technical and have an extensive knowledge when it comes to using
and navigating the social media world. From the simplest to more complex features of social media, students
have become proficient as the modern technology evolves day by day. This proficiency that students
possess gives them the ability to voice out their ideas and to dispute and agitate controversial issues
regarding society and communities. As L. Megan Mahoney & Tang Tang (2024) states, social media has 3
major functions and roles namely the ability to present information, giving the ambiance of a community,
and mobilizing users into action. In addition, from the statement, through the high-speed transmission of
social media via the internet, messages that are sent online are able to reach the intended and targeted
individuals and also activate the blooming of behavior and dialogue changes among internet users. The
ability of social media to present and provide information enabled the users to witness posts and articles
that some are non-factual and unsupported by factual evidence. The internet and social media have a vast
scope of information whether factual or not. Each day multiple pieces of information are published on many
social media platforms that give rise to non-factual news and information. News literacy and awareness of
students in the crisis that the Philippines is currently sustaining and suffering from is an essential thing to
acquire as a concerned Filipino citizen. A research study concluded that there are growing concerns of false
information on social media. Scholars, educators, and commentators see news literacy as a means to
enhance the critical consumption of media in the vast world of the internet. This research states that News
Literacy plays a necessary role in shaping the discernment and insights of information shared online.
(Vraga, E., & Tully M., 2019).
Due to the social media’s popularity, it has become an essential role in students’ lives. Learners
mostly rely on the news from social media to maintain their access to the national crisis. With the frequent
use of smartphones, young generations use social media platforms to stay updated with the latest news.
According to Tierney (2024), a research team surveyed students nationwide with regards to their
experiences with social media and technology and its effects on their well-being. As a result, almost 75
percent of students report that social media is the most common source for news. Almost all of the learners
nationwide are only dependent on social media news. For further investigation, one of the primary
advantages of using social media is sharing of knowledge and information among diverse groups. This
interaction helps to shape communication skills, especially among students and learners in educational
settings. (Kumareshan, 2024). As social media plays an important role as a channel for information sharing,
especially in times of national emergency. This study aims and has the purpose to examine how frequent
social media use impacts STEM students at Our Lady of Fatima University’s knowledge of news. We can
gain a better understanding of social media’s influence on perceptions, decision-making, and community
awareness by investigating how these students use it during significant events. In the end, this study will
illustrate the importance of social media in modern practices among young, tech-savvy people by delving
into the subtleties of its influence.
Web-based applications and user-generated content that facilitate communication and teamwork
through computers, smartphones, and other communication devices are referred to as social media. The
lines between face-to-face and one-to-many communication are blurred by social media. They enable both
synchronous and asynchronous connections between people and groups over time and space barriers.
Because of evolving technology, social media is always growing as people create original material and new
applications. Message content and construction, identity creation, relationship building, community
building, political action, disinformation, and cyber risks are just a few of the topics that scholars have
examined in relation to social media. Additionally, both state-sponsored and non-state actors may utilize
them to spread violence or misleading data. (Sandel T. L., Ju B., 2019)
A study conducted by Duong C. T. P. (2020) has induced its findings via employing social media’s
attributes to clarify its purpose. This states that social media’s quick development and growth have
transformed how people engage and communicate, capturing attention on a recent scale. Because of its
rapid advancement social media has been widely spread, especially social media that are based on 21 st-
century social media types. Additionally, social media has begun to transform into a much more proficient
tool for individuals specifically for students with regards to functions as a communication and information
sharing tool. Also, it suggests that social media networking is a suitable and valuable instrument for
dissemination of information and can be used to uplift students’ engagement. (Sivakumar, A., Jayasignh,
S., Shais, S., 2023) In relation to that, students that use social media are able to access the social media
sharing-knowledge features that appear to have positive results among them. As the result of vast
dissemination of social media to many countries, the use of social media has become a norm among
students. (Shafiq, M., Parvin K., 2023)
In recent times, researchers have collected the data of 221 Indian social media users and have found
that motivations like past time, information sharing, and socialization drive users to share news instantly.
Those motivations are behind the spread of fake news in the vast majority of social media. Those individuals
who exhibit and possess extraversion, neuroticism and openness are most likely to share news on social
media instantly. This has led to the rapid rise of fake news and misinformation into the public discourse
over the last few years (Sampat, B., & Raj, S., 2022).
A research study examined the roles of social media as an attention driver for traditional media.
Testing the hypothesis in various fields, social media attracts and channels the engagement and attention of
individuals towards an issue or a topic. Analyzing stock-related news articles and stock-related social media
posts, provided evidence that social media platforms act as attention drivers to engage people. (Ren, J.,
Dong, H., et al., 2022) While, the concern over news organizations’ reliance on Facebook and other
platforms for viewer engagement is growing. Scholars are still figuring out the scope of this dependency
and practical manifestations. Researchers have discovered that, in reaction to Facebook’s algorithm
modifications, news media organizations have lately begun to diversify both their distribution techniques
and related economic models. Facebook is still significant, but we think that the intricate connections that
news organizations have with these platforms deserve more focus. (Meese, J., Hurcombe, H., 2021)
In this current modernized age, social media has become indispensable to the diurnal lives of
individuals wherein it has the ability to engage numerous people instantly, especially to those individuals
which belong to this current generation. (De Guzman, E. V., 2022) While on the other hand, platforms such
as Facebook, Messenger, TikTok, Youtube, and Instagram have a paramount use among individuals with
an average of 1-3 hours of expenditure among 52.83% appearing that half of the users have a moderate use
of social media daily. (Deguito, C., Aranas, A., et al., 2023). As the proficiency of and efficacy of
technology evolves between the dusk of the twentieth and twenty-first century, it continues to arise and put
a noticeable effect on the way of life of human beings. This rise of technology has stimulated the
phenomenon of transformation with regards to the interaction and communication of individuals facilitated
by social media. It has gained a prominent place with its enormous advancement as it became renowned
and highly-prized by individuals. (De Guzman, E., 2022).
The advancement of technology has led to the employment of social media as an educational tool
and has raised the platforms as an accepted and concrete source of news. Students on the higher hierarchy
of education are encouraged to immerse in activities which aim to seek information concomitant with use
of technologies to acquire knowledge quickly. However, satisfaction among students did not proceed to
continue the use of social media as an instrument for news consumption. (Bertumen, E., Lazo, M., Mama,
B., et al., 2024) While students are being encouraged to use social media, a study highlighted and suggested
that students use social media platforms, specifically YouTube, as a source of reliable information and
service knowledge. In addition, the utilization of social media must be established to further ensure its
credibility and acquisition of relevant knowledge. (Yallung, H., Tuliao, D., Gabriel, P. R., et al., 2020)
Over the years of evolution of technology, social media has quickly changed the path of information
and communication. It has bloomed to a multitude of functions leading to more people using social media
as an instrument and a medium not only for communication but also to spread, receive, and access news
about certain topics namely about politics, business, and society. A total of 193 respondents contributed in
concluding social media platform, delivery accounts, level of information extent, language used, and
delivery type that was considered by respondents. The results have shown these attributes considered by
the respondents; social media platform (38.019%), delivery accounts (30.508%), level of information extent
(14.623%), language used (8.907%), and delivery type (7.943%). (Santos A., Prasetyo Y., Persada S., et
al., 2023
2.1.2 News Literacy and Awareness
The growing reliance of young individuals on social media for news needs higher levels of news
literacy, which in turn has led to a rise in media literacy programs that help young people develop the ability
to critically and thoughtfully explore news. However, being news literate does not necessarily imply that
one applies these knowledge and skills in practices. Based on the study that used in-depth interviews to
explore the strategies and tactics people use to access, evaluate, or engage with news. It results in the case
that these behaviors can be viewed as an expression of news literacy, which is a skill that media education
teaches young people to deal with platform structures and norms. Additionally, it interprets news literacy
as a type of situated knowledge, highlighting the ways in which both social and platform contexts influence
users’ views, motives, and sense of responsibility (Joëlle Swart, 2021).
According to the study by Petrucco & Agostini (2020), the issue of fake news has highlighted how
crucial it is to develop critical thinking abilities in educational settings. These competencies should be
taught to students since they will benefit them in their schooling as well as in their future careers and
personal lives. According to the findings of their study, students overestimate their critical thinking abilities
and are overexposed to things from both new and old media, which makes fact-checking challenging.
Additionally, there is a great need for a technologically and humanistically based technique for educating
people about fake news. On the other hand, a study aimed at determining the news literacy difference
between journalism and non-journalism students discovered that neither group had a satisfactory level of
news literacy knowledge, particularly when it came to a challenging level of media system knowledge.
Therefore, students must be well-versed in media in order to compete in today’s technologically advanced
environment (Begum et al., 2022).
In today’s digital age, media literacy has become more and more important since it is necessary for
students to understand how to critically assess news sources in order to spot hoaxes and make smart choices
(Kusumalestari et al., 2024). According to their study, which sought to assess how a media literacy course
affected students’ critical thinking and news literacy abilities, critical thinking was more important for news
literacy than media literacy. According to the survey, students’ critical news literacy skills were at a
moderate level, as many of them had trouble spotting hoaxes in media texts.
In the Global Perspectives survey, which was administered by Cambridge Assessment International
Education in the year 2022 where 11,000 students aged 13-19 participated. According to the research,
nearly all of the students who responded to the survey (96%) think that learning about global issues in
school is essential. Even if they would like to, almost a third (31%) of states do not currently have the
chance to do so. As a result, the study discovered that a large number of students worldwide are using other
information sources, such as the internet, various social media platforms, and charities and organizations
devoted to global issues, in order to learn about global issues. On top of that, it also found that an astounding
92% of young people worldwide already take some kind of action, showing how many students are already
actively addressing global issues on their own. Over half (55%) increase awareness by informing friends
and family, and 46% have made changes to their own way of lifestyle. About two out of five students use
social media to spread awareness (38%), join petitions (26%), and donate money to organizations that tackle
major issues (21%). (Cambridge Assessment Network, 2020)
Numerous studies reveal that students are aware of a particular global issue. Such as, in the study
by Rogayan Jr. and Nebrida (2019), found that science students are highly aware of environmental concepts
and the state of the environment; and in environmental issues and problems because they also frequently
practice taking action to address environmental problems. Meanwhile, according to Marittes Padilla (2022),
the May 9 election in 2022 became the main concern of both Filipinos and even non-Filipinos. It digs into
the background of a single candidate or another, which helps students understand how the public views
politicians. Thus, even when students have not become eligible to vote, they already show an interest in
issues and trends associated with local and national elections. They want to know who will win and who
will be in power in the upcoming years, by that time they also have already cast their ballots.
To further analyze the awareness of students, some studies reveal the level of their awareness
towards the crises and issues rising in the country. A study conducted by Hermosa, J. (2021) ought to
identify the level of Political awareness and Involvement of students at Laguna State Polytechnic
University, the research revealed that the awareness of the respondents in societal issues such as public
policy, political leaders and political issues are at a high level. Filipino students, who are one of the top
users of the Internet worldwide and are very active in social media which makes them vulnerable to most
phenomena incined with misinformations. People’s fear is heightened by misinformation across various
types of media. This study reveals that students have basic knowledge and facts about COVID-19. (Superio,
D., Anderson, K., Oducado, R., and et al., 2021)
The contiguous sequence of evolution of technology has been regarded in the past years of
modernization. As a result, social media platforms have arisen into existence that led to its utilization in
various fields such as dissemination of information to individuals. It has been consistently observed over
the years that misinformation has been a concerned phenomenon in the world of social media. In contrast,
students in this modern age appear to have more awareness towards issues and crises worldwide with 92%
of them being aware. Identifying the possible correlation of social media use to students’ awareness of news
and crises will provide insights on the efficiency of social media as a medium of credible information
source. This study aims to identify the relationship of social media on news awareness of students to further
assess the relevance of social media in the field of news circulation.
The aim of this study is to conduct an in-depth analysis and quantifying the relationship of social
media use to students’ level of awareness in news at Our Lady of Fatima University. At the end of this
research, researchers will be able to address these following questions:
The purpose of this research project is to test the Uses and Gratification Theory that relates the
social media use to news and current events awareness of Grade 11 STEM Team A students at Our Lady
of Fatima University. This study, undertaken by Grade 11 STEM Team A at Our Lady of Fatima University
is conducted to investigate the multifaceted impact of social media usage on news dissemination and current
events awareness. This study aims to explore how the usage of social media platforms correlates the way
individuals consume and access news, particularly during times of current controversial issues. This
research will delve into the relationship of increased/decreased social media usage among students,
analyzing its association to the level of awareness of students and considering it to be a potential affecter
of the level of cautiousness across the vast internet world.
By conducting this research, researchers hope to gain a deeper understanding of the complex
relationship between social media and current events awareness and news literacy. Findings will contribute
to a more informed discussion about the role of social media in modern society and its implications for both
news consumption and crisis response.
● To gain knowledge on the relationship of social media to Current events and News Awareness of
STEM Students
● To create a statistical data on the effects of social media to the News Awareness of STEM
Students
● To measure the relevance of social media to the students’ awareness towards news and current
events and their literacy.
2.4 Hypotheses
To make an inference about the impact of social media to the news and national crises awareness
of students, the researchers will navigate the paths of statistical analysis while basing on the data collected
from the respondents and various hypotheses are to be tested to achieve the objectives of this research.
Ideally, the researchers aim to discover whether the use of social media will impact the awareness
of STEM students to news and multitude of national crises along with its possible correlation.
This section of the research includes possible outcomes achieved after a systematic process of steps
in conducting data collection and sophisticated analysis done by the researchers. Hypotheses are denoted
as H0 as follows
H0: There is no statistically significant relationship between frequency of social media use and the level of
news and current events awareness among Grade 11 STEM Team A students at OLFU.
H0: There is no significant relationship between the frequency of social media use and level of literacy
among Grade 11 STEM Students Team A
This study is grounded and inclined with the concept of the Uses and Gratification Theory
developed by Katz, Bumbler, and Gurevitch (1974). According to them, this theory primarily focuses on
users choosing and using media actively on communication and to achieve specific goals. Theorists state
that a media user sought out a media source that is best suitable for their needs. Our objective is to explore
how social media influences news literacy and current events awareness among Grade 11 STEM students
at Our Lady of Fatima University. By applying this theory, we aim to uncover how social media usage
among students relates to their awareness of news and their ability to critically engage with critical current
issues. This research seeks to enhance our understanding of the dynamic interplay between social media,
news literacy, and awareness in today’s rapidly evolving media landscape.
This theory, the Uses and Gratification Theory, revolves around the user of the media source that
emphasizes why people use media in many ways including their personal uses and their gratification. The
developers of this theory Katz and Gurevitch categorized the theory based on needs namely affective,
cognitive, personal, integrative, and tension-free needs. Furthermore, this theory includes utility, that states
that media is used to accomplish specific tasks intentionally acquainted with the user’s prior motive in using
the said media source. According to Hajdarmataj F., and Paksoy A. F. (2023), it was discovered that users
are drawn, attracted, and held by media and contents that satisfy their need in terms of psychological and
social needs. In Katz, Gurevitch, and Blumler’s paper, they highlighted five assumptions within the scope
of this theory. According to Kasyire (2022), the author implies that the audiences are active media members
that consume contents that they prefer and that media users are conscious or aware of the reason behind
their choice of media to consume and use. To support these articles, research says that this theory suggests
that the users are responsible for choosing media organizations for gratifications. (Egede E., Nwosu E.,
2013).
This theory accompanies the objective of this research as it highlights on how frequently the
students use and choose to use social media. Furthermore, this research aims to measure the level of
awareness of the students in news and current events which lies to shed light on the gratification of the
students’ usage of social media. To further support this context, Kasyire F. (2022) states that the theory
focuses on the people that use certain types of media and what gratifications that they get from them. This
theory guides our variable selection and interpretation by framing students as active agents who selectively
use social media to satisfy cognitive and informational needs, which in turn affects their awareness of
current events and crises. By examining the students’ frequency level of social media use, this study applies
Uses and Gratification Theory to understand how social media satisfy their information gratification needs
and contribute to their awareness of news and current events awareness. This theoretical grounding supports
our exploration of whether higher frequency of social media use is associated with greater news and current
events awareness.
The paradigm was constructed to illustrate the central issues of the study. A graphic organizer is
utilized, primarily focusing on the independent and dependent variables of our research that we aim to find
answers. The study will examine the effects of social media usage on the news literacy and news and current
events awareness of Grade 11 STEM Team A students.
STUDENTS’ NEWS
SOCIAL AWARNESS AND
MEDIA USE LITERACY
Figure 1.0
This study employed a numerical based approach to conduct this research, a quantitative method,
specifically survey research design. It is where researchers use quantitative instruments to collect data. The
researchers decided to follow a specific structure wherein it illustrates a correlational research structure
highlighting the correlation between social media use and awareness of students with regard to news and
current events. This study involves using a survey containing closed-ended questions for quantitative
evaluation of news literacy, relationship of social media and students’ news and current events awareness.
To ensure the validity of the questionnaires and measuring instruments, a pilot-testing procedure was
conducted with 15 sampled participants and a crossed-check validation was employed with the help of
research experts.
In conducting the data gathering, a probability sampling method was used called stratified random
sampling, where researchers randomly select the respondents in divided strata to ensure precision and
accuracy due to less bias resulting in an equal representation in each stratum. Descriptive statistics analysis
was used for data analysis, using numbers and graphs for summarizing, organizing, and presenting the
collected information. Using the most suitable statistical approach to draw conclusions, inferential statistics,
will help to fulfill the objectives of this study.
The respondents of this study were the Grade 11 STEM students of Our Lady of Fatima University
Cabanatuan Campus, specifically those in Team A the population has 71 students. This study includes 28
samples from each group/section of Grade 11 STEM students who were willing to participate in this
research. Convenience sampling method was employed on the pilot-testing procedure, ensuring the validity
of the measurement instrument that is employed in the study. In using the final version of the measurement
instrument and gathering useful data, a probability sampling method was employed and utilized by the
researchers in order to conduct this study. To accomplish the objective of this study, researchers used a
Stratified Sampling method in order to give an equal representation to each section of Grade 11 STEM
Team A. This provides the researchers with more precise and accurate data due to less variability as each
stratum is divided based on shared characteristics.
To conduct the study and achieve its objectives, the researchers employed the efficiency of Slovin’s
Formula to calculate the needed sample/respondents. The sample size needed for collecting data in order to
draw conclusions is 56 Grade 11 STEM Team A. With the utilization of the potency of stratified random
sampling, the population is divided into 2 based on their shared characteristics. First strata being STEM 11-
1 and the other strata being STEM 11-1P. These strata are divided into their respective sections. Researchers
will draw 28 samples in STEM 11-1 and 28 samples in STEM 11-1P.
Researchers were employed during the A. Y. 2024–2025 to carry out this study at Cabanatuan City,
which is known as one of the main cities of the Rice Granary of the Philippines, the province of Nueva
Ecija. In order to collect information that would be somewhat helpful to them, the researchers mainly
focused and conducted their study at the Our Lady of Fatima Nueva Ecija Campus, located along the
Maharlika Highway in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija where they were tasked to collect and acquire data to
accomplish a meaningful study. Our Lady of Fatima University Cabanatuan Campus served as the fifth
campus of OLFU and was built in 2015 with their acquisition of Nueva Ecija Doctors’ College, Inc.
In order to achieve the research objectives of the study, the researcher used a numerical based
questions that mainly focuses with the purpose to collect useful information about the effects of social
media to the level of news awareness and literacy of students. The study aims to identify and measure the
efficiency and effect of social media towards the level of news awareness and literacy of STEM students.
The objectives of the study were to evaluate the reliability of social media, students’ level of wary of news,
identify the effects of prolonged use of social media to news awareness, and to give recommendations
towards reliable platforms used to acquire credible information.
In order to conduct this research study, researchers used the following materials and instrument:
This study has different stages and steps wherein each step is vital and should not be omitted. These
steps are divided into 4 stages; Pre-Data Collection, Formulation of Measurement Instrument, Data
Collection, and Post-Data Collection. These 4 main stages have their different research instruments
deployed to achieve the objectives of this study.
These two instruments are utilized to perform various steps in formulation of research instruments.
This stage includes pilot-testing validation wherein the use of Cronbach’s Alpha and Close-ended
questionnaire are vital to come up with the most valid and reliable instrument.
After collecting data from the sampled respondents, the instrument below will be utilized to ensure
concrete conclusion to the study and taking a step closer into achieving the objectives of this research.
● Descriptive statistics (Measures of central tendency, variance and frequency)
● Pearson R correlation statistics
The researchers took various steps to achieve and accomplish the research objectives included in
Chapter I:
1. The researchers brainstormed and laid out topics that are relevant and engaging to discover
knowledge through.
2. Researchers finalized and came up with a topic related to social media use and students’
awareness towards news and current events in the country due to the interest on evolving
technology and its concomitant vast information source.
3. Researchers searched and navigated through the corners of the internet to find information
that is relevant and incorporated in the study.
4. Researchers used their own existing knowledge to amalgamate and blend it into the study.
In the month of April of 2025, a data gathering took place with the use of close-ended questions
and online surveys for respondents to answer. This survey was conducted through the use of an online-
based medium, specifically online survey forms. The used survey forms are formatted into Likert Scale
form of questionnaire dispersed through private messages and grouped messages in order to collect data
efficiently and measure the intended variables. The researchers asked questions that are related to the study
and questions that the respondents will be comfortable in answering. Those respondents who declined
participation in answering questionnaires are not forced to answer.
The questionnaires used for data collection are sectioned into 5 parts; demographic profile,
frequency of social media usage, news and current events awareness, and combined social media usage and
awareness, and news literacy. Each of them has corresponding code (Frequency scale, and Agree-Disagree
scale). This serves as a systematic scaling and collection for measuring each necessary variable in the study.
In order to assess the data collected for this study, researchers used survey forms. Researchers
collected and compiled the data that is comparatively helpful for this study by employing the online survey
method. A descriptive analysis was used to transcribe the data gathered from individual surveys, and tables
and graphs were used to present and transcribe the data logically. To illustrate the objectives and achieve
the goals of this study, descriptive analysis is employed for the data gathered from the
informants/respondents. This research will also deploy the power of inferential statistics. Using inferential
statistical analysis like Pearson R Correlation will explore the relationship and identify the possible
correlation between the social media usage of students and their news and current events awareness.
Specifically, descriptive statistics is used to answer the research question -4 in order to describe the
frequency social media use and level of awareness among Grade 11 STEM Team A students. This kind of
statistical analysis illustrates frequency and the weighted mean.
In this statistical method, mean is used to compute the overall ratings of responses of each
respondent in all questions. The mean of responses of each respondent is tallied and the overall mean per
respondent is combined and tallied as mean in order to draw a one valid conclusion that covers all
respondents. Furthermore, frequency is also used in order to give a statistical breakdown of frequency of
answers in all questions. Each frequency of rating per question is combined and computed into mean in
order to draw the final frequency per scale in all questions.
Pearson R correlation is specifically deployed to answer the research question 5 and 6 to secure a
valid and concrete conclusion. To observe whether the statistical relationship within the correlation is
significant, a significance level of 94% and margin error of 6%. This significance level is concluded in
order to have equal respondents per strata [stated in 3.2]. The mean of responses of each respondent in all
questions in Part II & III of the measurement instrument is used in this statistical analysis in order to find
the correlation between the social media usage and news and current events awareness of students.
This research covers data which are collected from various sources and respondents that were
subjected in this study. The data collected in this study were primary data provided by the participants of
this study from Grade 11 STEM Team A. These data are processed and transcribed from questionnaire-
based surveys, specifically close-ended questionnaires that are used to collect data that will serve as primary
results and findings of the study. These are inclined with numerical statistics to represent each respondent
fairly. The data collected has a structured planning process in order to store it securely and accurately. The
plan to store the data is stated in the following parts.
3.6.1 Procedure
The researchers will use a methodical data collection process to guarantee that the data collected is
accurate and measurable. Google Forms will be used by the researchers to gather information for this
research. To confirm their identity as members of the study population, respondents will be using their
school email. However, they will remain anonymous for confidentiality objectives, and they will have the
choice to provide their name or not to ensure that their answers appear anonymously. The questionnaire
contains questions inquiring about the respondents’ socio-demographic profile; name (optional), age, and
sex, strand and section, social media use, and awareness and literacy of news and current events. All of the
responses from Google forms will be kept with solidity using a spreadsheet in Google Drive folder that has
password-protect to secure all of the information gathered. Access to this data will be limited only to
approved researchers. Maximum confidentiality will be safeguarded during the course of the study to
maintain data integrity and limit chances of errors. A full data dictionary will be attached to the spreadsheet,
giving clear descriptions of all data points gathered. The utilized drive will automatically be backed up to
the cloud storage platform and external USB drive to guard against data loss.
3.6.2 Duration
Data collection began on April 8, 2025, but the data collected will be used until April 29, 2025.
Information collected from participants during the study will be kept private, meaning only the researchers
will have access to it. The researchers will ensure that the information contributed by participants is securely
stored and kept private throughout the study and beyond.
Access to the secured spreadsheet containing the survey data will be limited to the research team
to ensure confidentiality. To keep the data organized and protected, all responses from the online surveys
will be saved in a secure storage folder. Regular backups will be performed to prevent data loss or accidental
deletion.
In compliance with Republic Act No. 10173, also known as the Data Privacy Act of 2012, the
personal information of all participants was handled with strict confidentiality and care. The researchers
applied appropriate ethical measures to ensure that all data remained protected and were not disclosed
publicly. Access to the data was restricted to authorized personnel only, and any identifying information to
any participant was anonymized or excluded to maintain privacy.
After completing the objectives of this research, each response will be disposed of in an ethical
manner, ensuring that during the disposal process there will be no leakage of data to unauthorized persons
and to people that do not belong to this study. The data collected from the respondents will be disposed
after the stated amount of time specifically after providing the hardbound copy and the research approval.
Respondents are highly assured that their response will be kept confidential from the start until the end of
this research.
The researchers who were tasked and employed to investigate the impact of social media use on
news and crisis awareness of students consist of 9 members from SHS department, STEM 12-5 of Our Lady
of Fatima University Cabanatuan Campus. Researchers tasked into this study are committed and required
to perform ethical, upright, and safety measures to achieve optimal and peak standards of honesty in
conducting this research. The researchers are committed to perform ethical and safety measures to achieve
and maintain the highest standard of honesty in conducting this research. The following ethical guidelines
were established for this research:
Researchers who were deployed to collect data from respondents who actively participated in this
study ensured that each participant had given their consent and entrenched the assurance of respondents’
willingness to participate and also the confidentiality of their answers. Those potential respondents who
refused to answer were not forced to participate in our study. Furthermore, topic and aim of the researchers
were laid out to explain to each respondent who was chosen to provide background knowledge about the
research conducted.
The researchers will prioritize the participants safety and take all necessary measures to reduce any
potential risks during the study. Any possible harm will be carefully weighed against the expected benefits,
which are anticipated to offer valuable contributions to university and society.
3.7.4 Confidentiality
In order to protect participants’ confidentiality, all respondents’ information that gathered will be
treated with utmost security. The access will be limited to the data only by authorized research team
members, and all identifying information will be deleted or obfuscated to provide complete anonymity.
4.0 Findings
The table shows an equal distribution of students in the grade 11 STEM Team A, with 50% (28 out
of 56 students) from section 11-1P and 50% (28 students) from section 11-1, indicating a balanced
population between the two sections. This will ensure an equal representation with accordance to the
differences in section.
The table illustrated the frequency of age per section and it shows that in STEM 11-1P and STEM
11-1, the respondents’ range of ages start from 16 to 18 years old. According to this table, the respondents
who belonged in the STEM 11-1P has a thirteen 16-years old (23.21%), fourteen 17-years old (25%), and
one 18-years old (1.7%) respondent. On the other hand, the table also illustrated the number of respondents
in STEM 11-1 with their respective ages, 14 respondents (25%) being 16-years old, 13 respondents
(23.21%) being 17-years old, and only one respondent (1.7%) with 18 years of age.
Age Frequency
16-years old 42.20%
17-years old 42.20%
18-years old 3.60%
Total 100%
The table shows that the students who participate are either 16, 17, or 18 years old, each making
up 48.2% of the total participants. A smaller proportion, just 3.6%, are 18 years old.
The pie chart indicates a notable gender disparity among the participants. Females make up the
majority at 69.6%, which is significantly higher than the 28.6% of male participants. The “Prefer not to
say” category is the smallest, representing only a small portion of the chart, 1.8%.
Table 2.0 Measuring Social Media Usage of Grade 11 STEM Team A Students
The figure shows that out of 56 students in Grade 11 STEM Team A students, the overall mean of
respondents’ answer in all questions to the frequency of social media usage is 3.47. Based on the
interpretation on range provided, this result is classified as the category of “Always”. This shows that the
majority of students in this population are highly active on social media, using it on a daily, almost constant
basis.
Frequency of Answers
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5
Always (4) 33 34 34 35 24
Often (3) 18 19 16 17 20
Sometimes (2) 5 3 6 4 10
Never (1) 0 0 0 0 2
Total 56 56 56 56 56
Table 2.1 Frequency of Answers of Respondents in all Questions
This table illustrates the frequency of the respondents in all questions; from the question number 1
to question number 5 in Part II of the research measuring instrument. In question number 1, there are 31
respondents who answered “Always”, 18 for “Often”, 5 for “Sometimes”, and there are none for “Never”.
For question number 2, there are 34 respondents who answered “Always”, 19 for “Often”, 3 for
“Sometimes”, and none again for “Never”. For question number 3, there are 34 respondents who answered
“Always”, 16 for “Often”, 3 for “Sometimes”, and none again for “Never”. For question number 4, there
are 35 respondents who answered “Always”, 17 for “Often”, 4 for “Sometimes”, and none again for
“Never”. For question number 5, there are 24 respondents who answered “Always”, 20 for “Often”, 10 for
“Sometimes”, and finally 2 for “Never”.
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q4
For instance, in Questions number 1 to 4, the percentage of the respondents’ answers ranges from
58. 93% to 62.5%, indicating that they always use social media. Although there is a noticeable dip in
Question 5 (42.86% for “Always”), this is offset by an increase in the “Often” category (35.71%) and a
slight rise in “Sometimes” (17.86%) and “Never” (3.57%).
The findings in this table shows that the majority of students who came from Grade 11 STEM
Team A have answered “Always” following with the initial interpretation from the overall weighted mean
of the responses in all respondents and questions. This frequency table supported the findings from Table
2.0
1-1.75 (Far Below Average), 1.76 - 2.5 (Below Average), 2.6-3.25 (Average), 3.26-4.00 (Above Average)
Table 3.0 Level of News and Current Events Awareness of Grade 11 STEM Team A students
The figure reveals that out of all total population (56 students) in Grade 11 STEM Team A Students,
the overall mean of respondents’ answer in all questions in level of news and current event awareness is
3.182. As said by the interpretation based on range this result falls under “Average”. Which means the
majority of students in the population have an average level of knowledge or awareness about news and
literacy.
Frequency
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5
Above Average (4) 22 16 14 24 18
Average (3) 26 32 30 26 30
Below Average (2) 8 7 12 6 8
Far below Average (1) 0 1 0 0 0
Total 56 56 56 56 56
Table 3.1 Percent of Students who answered Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly Disagree.
In questions (number 1 to 5), it shows that all of the highest percentage of answer is Average which
are in question number 1 is 46.42857%, question number 2 is 57.14286%, both question 3 and number 5
are 53.57143%, and lastly question 4 is 46.42857%.
Total 56 100%
Table 3.2 Average frequency of respondents with their corresponding answers per question
The findings in this table shows that the majority of students who came from Grade 11 STEM Team A
have answered “Average” following with the initial interpretation from the overall weighted mean of the
responses in all respondents and questions. This frequency table supported the findings from Table 3.0.
4.4 Pearson R Correlation Social Media Use and News and Current evens Awareness
Pearson’s r 0.690
df 54
t-value 0.259
p-value <.001
94% CI Upper 0.803
94% CI Lower 0.530
Table 4.0 Correlational of Social Media Usage and News and Current Events Awareness
The figure indicates a moderate correlation between social media usage and awareness of news and
current events, with a Pearson’s r value of 0.690. This suggests that as social media usage increases,
awareness of news and current events also tends to increase. The correlation is statistically significant with
a p-value of < .001, meaning the probability that this relationship of being insignificant is due to chance is
extremely low (less than 0.1%). Additionally, the confidence interval ranges from 0.530 to 0.803, further
supporting the conclusion that the correlation is both meaningful and reliable. In summary, these findings
imply that social media is likely playing an important role in how individuals stay informed about current
events
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5
To illustrate the relationship between the social media usage of Grade 11 STEM Team A students
and their level of awareness, a scatter plot diagram utilized. The scatter plot diagram shows a positive
correlation of the two variables concluding that as the social media usage increases, the level of the students’
awareness with accordance to news also increases.
4.5 Social Media Usage and News and Current Events Awareness of Students
Table 5.0 Combined Social Media Usage and News and Current Events Awareness
The figure shows that out of 56 students in Grade 11 STEM Team A students, the overall mean of
respondents’ answer in all questions to the combined social media usage and news and current events
awareness is 3.2625. Based on the interpretation on range provided, this result is defined as “Always”. This
shows that the majority of students in this population that social media are highly effective in gathering
news online
This table illustrates the in-depth frequencies of each scale in each question illustrating the number
of students who answered Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, and Strongly Disagree. Based on the table, the
majority of the students answered Agree and Strongly Agree.
Strongly
Agree 21.3 38.04%
Strongly
Disagree 0.1 0.18%
Total 56 100%
The figure shows that out of 56 students in Grade 11 STEM Team A students, the overall mean of
respondents’ answer in all questions to the combined social media usage and news and current events
awareness is 3.2625. Based on the interpretation on range provided, this result is defined as “Always”. This
shows that the majority of students in this population that social media are highly effective in gathering
news online.
1-1.75 (Strongly Disagree), 1.76 - 2.5 (Disagree), 2.6-3.25 (Agree), 3.26-4.00 (Strongly Agree)
Table 6.0 News and Current Events Literacy
The figure shows that out of 56 students in Grade 11 STEM Team A students, the overall mean of
respondents’ answers in all questions is about 3.332. Based on the interpretation on range provided, this
result is classified as the category of “Strongly Agree”. This shows that the majority of students in this
population are highly active about news and current events literacy.
Code Frequency
Agree (3) 28 26 27 21 28
Disagree (2) 8 3 4 6 3
Total 56 56 56 56 56
Agree 26 46%
Disagree 4.8 9%
Total 56 100%
Table 6.2 Overall Frequency and Percentage of Students’ Answer in all Questions
The table indicates that a majority of students selected “Agre” or “Strongly Agree” relating to their
current events and news literacy, which indicates a positive self-assessment of their awareness and
knowledge. On the other hand, few students picked “Disagree” and “Strongly Disagree”, which means that
the majority of students are confident in this aspect.
4.7 Pearson R Correlation Social Media Use and News and Current Events Awareness
Pearson R 0.56
df 54
p value < 0.001
t value 0.259
94% CL Upper 0.713
94% CL Lower 0.355
Table 7.0 Pearson R Correlation of Social Media Use and News Literacy
The table indicates a moderate correlation between social media usage and awareness of news and
current events, with a Pearson’s r value of 0.56. This suggests that as social media usage increases, the news
literacy of students also tends to increase. The correlation is statistically significant with a p-value of <
.001, meaning the probability that this relationship of being insignificant is due to chance is extremely low
(less than 0.1%). Additionally, the confidence interval ranges from 0.355 to 0.713, further supporting the
conclusion that the correlation is both meaningful and reliable. In summary, these findings imply that social
media is likely playing an important role in how individuals navigate news through the vast scope of social
media.
5.0 Discussion
On this section of the research each part of the findings will be discussed which are quantified to
draw the overall results in all respondents. Each paragraph is constructed in a comprehensive manner
following the contiguous sequence of the research questions. Each of the paragraphs will contain a dissected
content of the results and contains necessary supporting literature.
The findings from the first table, which measured the level of social media usage among students
in their daily lives, indicate a consistently high engagement with these platforms. The calculated overall
mean score of 3.457 falls within the “Always” category, suggesting that students are highly active on social
media. Specifically, students reported consistently using social media to follow local news, issues, and
events (mean = 3.5), regularly browsing through various platforms (mean = 3.557), and frequently checking
notifications (mean = 3.5). Additionally, a mean score of 3.554 indicates that students often rely on social
media for updated trends. Notably, while a slightly lower mean of 3.179 was observed for attempts to reduce
screen time, this still reflects a pattern of frequent, albeit unsuccessful, efforts to limit usage. These results
collectively highlight the pervasive role of social media in students’ daily routines. They engage with it
frequently for both staying informed and out of habit, even when they attempt to reduce their usage.
The figures corresponding to the awareness of Grade 11 STEM Team A students illustrated an
interpretation of “Average” which describes their awareness of news and current events to be average with
an overall mean in all questions and respondents of 3.182. Dissecting each question in this part of the
research shows a majority of responses to be average. In the first question, it appears to have a 3.25 average
being the maximum range for the interpretation of average. On the same note, question number 2 has a
weighted mean of 3.125 possessing a high score in the range of average. Furthermore, question number 3
posits the same interpretation from the other two questions with a weighted average of 3.036. However, the
fourth question is surprisingly contradicted to the previous questions being at 3.32 falling into place of
Above Average. Lastly, the fifth question has a 3.17 weighted mean appearing to the range of average
rating. In relation to these findings, a study concluded that college students are not news-less. During the
past week from five mediums of news, more than 2/3 of the participants within the study had acquired
news. These mediums included discussion with peers, social media platforms, newspaper sites, discussions
with instructors, and news feeds. (Head A., DeFrain E., Fister B., et a., 2019) In this study, the participants
illustrated high awareness of news because of different mediums being utilized in order to get informed of
the latest news and events during their diurnal routines.
Assessing the correlation within the weighted mean between the social media usage and news and
current events awareness per participant illustrated a moderate positive correlation with a Pearson R value
of 0.69. This value imposed that when the social media usage of the students increases, the level of
awareness related to news and current events increases concomitantly. With its p-value being <0.001, the
statistics can be confidently interpreted to be significant, this is because it posits a 99.99% confidence level
in one tailed test making the conclusions reliable and meaningful. Thus, with our Pearson R value and
<0.001 p-value, we must reject the null hypothesis stating that there is no significant relationship between
the two variables. To support this conclusion a study stated that 99.7% of survey respondents in the US had
immersed themselves in news for the past week. News and information acquired by the students were
delivered into their daily lives by most online and off-line formats namely Facebook post, casual
conversation, and online news feed from various apps. In addition, respondents had gotten news intel from
the pillars of social media daily, 50% found news from Facebook and YouTube several times per day.
(Head A., DeFrain E., Fister B., et a., 2019). These results were likely similar as the technological
improvements for both countries are constantly evolving day by day and the reliance of people in social
media are similar in terms of usage of Facebook and YouTube as a primary social media platform in
respective countries.
To further support the results from the Part III of the questionnaire, a set of back up questions was
included in the instrument utilized in this study. The back up questions are formulated to be a fusion of the
social media usage and the news and current events awareness of the Grade 11 STEM Students Team A.
This part aims to support and prove that they use social media for acquiring news and information regarding
society. With a value of overall mean in all respondents and questions of 3.2625, the weighted mean of the
responses will dip at the minimum limit of the interpretation of strongly agree. Thus, their responses
illustrate that social media somewhat plays a significant role in raising the awareness of the Grade 11 STEM
Students Team A at Our Lady of Fatima University in terms of news and current event awareness, proving
the Pearson R correlation.
In the last figure that explores students’ self-perceived news literacy, the findings indicate that
students perceive themselves as possessing a high level of news literacy, as evidenced by an overall mean
score of 3.332, indicating confidence in their ability to analyze news content encountered on social media
platforms. This indicates a positive perception of their own skills in navigating digital news environments.
In terms of trust, students reported an average score of 3.107, which falls under the category of “Agree,”
showing that students consider social media platforms to be reliable sources for news and article
dissemination, despite the widespread presence of misinformation online. More notably, a mean score of
3.375 shows that students “Strongly Agree” they engage in critical analysis of news before disseminating
it, highlighting a level of responsibility and caution in how they handle information. The same score of
3.375 also reflects that students “Strongly Agree” they take proactive steps to verify the credibility of
sources before accepting information as valid. Furthermore, an even higher mean score of 3.411 suggests
that students “Strongly Agree” they actively cross-reference the news they encounter online with other
sources to confirm its accuracy and reliability. Lastly, the mean score of 3.393 implies that students
“Strongly Agree” they are capable of effectively differentiating between fake news and factual information,
attributing this skill to their heightened awareness and critical thinking abilities. Taken together, the average
of mean scores per item totaling 3.332 fall under the category of “Strongly Agree,” demonstrating that
students believe they are highly competent in acquiring, evaluating, and managing online news content.
The consistency of high mean scores across all items reinforces the conclusion that students demonstrate a
strong sense of confidence and self-efficacy in their capacity to acquire, assess, and manage news in the
digital age.
With the emergence of social media among students, news literacy became an issue around the
globe and misinformation has been rapidly growing through the vast world of internet. To this day, the
misinformation targeted teenagers and students. According to the findings of this study, the social media
usage of Grade 11 STEM Students Team A has a moderate correlation (r = 0.56) to their news literacy.
With its p value being <0.001, the relationship of the variables, social media usage and news literacy of
students, are certainly significant the p-value is drastically lower than the margin of error which is plugged
in with the value of 6% or 0.06. Thus, we must reject the null hypothesis in this sequence as the variables
has a significant moderate positive correlation. To further support this context, existing research has
concluded that there is a consistent relationship between a higher media literacy and more responsible
information. In addition, it was also stated in this study that students mainly use social media as a
mainstream medium for information and news than any other news platforms and they do criticize and
analyze each source of information whether they are accurate or no. (Syakir A., Latif A., Latiff A., et al.,
2024)
6.0 Conclusion
Based on the findings and interpretation from the data collected within the Grade 11 STEM Team
A students, this study concludes that social media plays a significant role in establishing the news and
current events awareness of the Grade 11 STEM Team A. at Our Lady of Fatima University. The in-depth
conclusion with regards to this study are stated below.
1. Based on the first part of the findings, researchers discovered that the students use social media
indicated as “Always”. Their usage of social media is designed for news and information seeking basing
on the question’s context.
2. Ater assessing the level of news and current events awareness, the research findings determined
that the Grade 11 STEM Team A students show a high and positive level of awareness regarding news and
current events. This shows that they are actively informed with the world around them such as current
defense. It is clear that these students are well-equipped to engage in informed discussions and make
thoughtful decisions based on current events.
3. Students hold a strong belief in their news literacy skills, particularly in analyzing, verifying, and
managing information on social media. Their consistent high mean scores reflect a sense of responsibility
and critical engagement with digital news content. Overall, students demonstrate confidence and self-
efficacy in navigating the challenges of the digital news environment.
4. Researchers’ study analyzed each finding from data collected and found a significant
relationship with social media usage and the news and current events awareness of students. The students
are highly active on social media using it to access news and current events. Moreover, the findings suggest
a positive relationship between the frequency of social media use and the level of news awareness. Students
who spend more time on social media tend to have higher awareness of current issues, highlighting the
impact of digital platforms in delivering real-time information. In addition, the scatter plot diagram supports
the correlation between the chosen variables.
5. Researchers have found that the students’ social media usage has a moderate positive correlation
with the level of their news literacy in social media. This has come to conclusions that as the students spends
an increased amount of time to social media, the more they become cautious and careful in browsing
information on social media having them to possess an increased level of news literacy.
7.0 Recommendation
Based on the findings and conclusions of this study, the researchers recommend the following:
• Students should continue using social media to stay informed but must be encouraged to verify the
accuracy of the information before sharing it.
• Future researchers should evaluate the respondents’ news literacy using tools like surveys, quizzes,
or performance-based tasks to accurately measure their ability to assess news content.
• Students should engage in activities such as identifying fake news, comparing sources, and spotting
media bias to strengthen their critical thinking skills.
• Self-assessment tools can also be used to compare students’ perceived news literacy with their
actual performance.
• Respondents are encouraged to participate in programs or workshops that promote media literacy
and responsible news consumption.
• Future researchers should explore more effective methods for assessing news literacy, combining
both qualitative and quantitative approaches to gain deeper insight into students’ media habits.
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Appendices
APPENDIX A
Letters and Certification
Dr. Corazon A. Esluzar
Senior High School Principal
Campus Research Coordinator
In partial fulfillment of the subject Practical Research 1. We, the researchers from STEM 12-5,
would like to conduct a study entitled “Students’ News Literacy: The Relationship of Social Media Use
and News and Current Events Awareness of Grade 11 STEM Team A at Our Lady of Fatima
University’’, this study aims to highlight the relationship of social media use to news and current events
awareness of Grade 11 STEM students in Our of Fatima University.
Dr. Corazon A, Ezluzar, we are hoping for your positive response about the research title and
objectives that we concluded. Your approval to conduct this study will be greatly appreciated. Thank you
very much!
Respectfully yours,
Noted by:
ED LOUIE GARCIA
Research Adviser
APPENDIX B
Researchers are obliged to keep the data and responses of the respondents to be confidential
that comes into their possession, provided that such a duty of confidentiality shall remain even after
their term, employment, or contract has ended. The processing of personal data shall be allowed
subject to adherence to the principles of transparency, authenticity, legitimacy on purpose, and
proportionality.
With that, we are kindly and respectfully requested to please give us 10 to 1 minutes of
your time and help with this. Rest assured that information that will be gathered will be kept private
and used only for research purposes. Thank you!
Sincerely,
RAMOS, MIKE ARENCE DC.
ACERON, JANELLE V.
BAJADA, LORRAINE C.
IGNACIO, MA. GWIN ANNE C.
MAGLALANG, PRINCESS
MALGAPO, JAYVELLE SG.
UBALDO, RADCLIFF HARRY P.
VERDILLO, ALDRIN D.
Noted by:
Ed Louie Garcia
Research Adviser
APPENDIX C
Informed Consent Form
January 31, 2025
Friday
Students at Our Lady of Fatima University-Nueva Ecija Campus are needed for the study
“Students’ News Literacy: Impact of Social Media Use to News and National Crisis Awareness of
Grade 11 STEM Team A students at Our Lady of Fatima University” (S.Y. 2024-2025).
Participation in this study is entirely voluntary and optional; no one will be forced into giving and
providing answers to the survey questions. The respondents are allowed to freely choose out of
providing information for the researchers. Responses from the survey takers will be kept
confidential and only used for research.
I have read and understood the study’s information and its objectives. I am aware that I can
ask questions, and although this study may not benefit me, I can withdraw at any time without
reason or incurring any costs. In accordance with the Data Privacy Act (DPA) of 2012 and its
Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) effective September 8, 2016, I agree to take part in this
study. I voluntarily give consent to use my provided information for research purposes and this
purpose only. I understand that my responses will be kept confidential, and I allow research team
members to access my anonymized data. I also understand that my name will not be associated
with the research materials or identified in the research results.
Participant’s Signature
APPENDIX D
RESEARCH INSTRUMENT
Students’ News Literacy: The Relationship of Social Media Usage to News and Current Events
Awareness of Grade 11 STEM Team a at Our Lady of Fatima University
Greetings, Fatimanians! We are the Researchers of Group 1 from STEM 12-5, and we are humbly
asking for your time for you to participate in our study for our Pilot-Testing Reliability Test for our research
project. Our research is entitled “Students’ News Literacy: The Relationship of Social Media Usage to News
and Current Events Awareness among Grade 11 STEM Team A students at Our Lady of Fatima University”
that aims to identify and explore the impact of social media use to the news awareness of students. Rest
assured that your responses and personal data will be kept confidential and safe with our hands. Your data
will be protected by the Republic Act of 10173 wherein it states that personal information of an individual
must be protected at all cost. Your consideration with regard to answering this 29-item questionnaire will
be very much appreciated. Thank you!
Using the table below answer the following questions by checking the appropriate and correct
answer based on your experiences. Choose and check the corresponding choices, Always, Sometimes,
Often, Never.
● Always – 4
● Often – 3
● Sometimes – 2
● Never – 1
Item Statements 4 3 2 1
Answer the following statements with transparency and accuracy towards your experiences on
using social media. Choose and check your answers between Above Average, Average, Below Average,
Far Below Average
● Above Average – 4
● Average – 3
● Below Average – 2
● Far Below Average – 1
4 3 2 1
Item Statements
5. How much are you aware of the news, issues, and trends
across the globe?
Part IV. Students’ Social Media Usage and News Awareness and Literacy
Answer the following statements with transparency and accuracy towards y our experiences on
using social media. Choose and check your answers between Strongly Agree, Agree, Strongly Disagree
and Disagree.
● Strongly Agree – 4
● Agree – 3
● Disagree – 2
● Strongly Disagree – 1
Item Statements 4 3 2 1
Answer the following statements with transparency and accuracy towards your experiences on
using social media. Choose and check your answers between Strongly Agree, Agree, Strongly Disagree
and Disagree.
● Strongly Agree – 4
● Agree – 3
● Disagree – 2
● Strongly Disagree - 1
Item Statements 4 3 2 1
APPENDIX E
VALIDATION SHEET
APPENDIX F
TABULATED RESULTS
Mean per
Question # Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Question
Mean per Question 3.5 3.554 3.5 3.554 3.179 3.457
Interpretation Per
Question Always Always Always Always Often ALWAYS
Question number Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5
Mean per Question 3.25 3.125 3.035714 3.321429 3.178571
Above
Interpretation Per Question Average Average Average Average Average
Code Frequency
Above Average (4) 22 16 14 24 18
Average (3) 26 32 30 26 30
Below Average (2) 8 7 12 6 8
Far below Average (1) 0 1 0 0 0
Total 56 56 56 56 56
Code Percentages (%)
Above Average (4) 39.28571 28.57143 25 42.85714 32.14286
Average (3) 46.42857 57.14286 53.57143 46.42857 53.57143
Below Average (2) 14.28571 12.5 21.42857 10.71429 14.28571
Far below Average (1) 0 1.785714 0 0 0
Total 100 100 100 100 100
Average Percentage
18.8 34%
28.8 51%
8.2 15%
0.2 0%
56
APPENDIX G
Curriculum Vitae
Sex: Male
Religion: Christian
Educational Background
2023-2025
2019-2023
2013-2019
Curriculum Vitae
Sex: Female
Religion: Catholic
Educational Background
2023-2025
2019-2023
2013-2019
Curriculum Vitae
Sex: Female
Religion: Catholic
Educational Background
2023-2025
2019-2023
2013-2019
Curriculum Vitae
Sex: Female
Religion: Catholic
Educational Background
2023-2025
2019-2023
2013-2019
Curriculum Vitae
Sex: Female
Religion: Catholic
Educational Background
2023-2025
2019-2023
2013-2019
Curriculum Vitae
Sex: Male
Educational Background
2023-2025
2019-2021
2021-2023
2013-2019
Curriculum Vitae
Sex: Male
Religion: Catholic
Educational Background
2023-2025
2019-2023
2013-2019
Curriculum Vitae
Sex: Male
Religion: Catholic
Educational Background
2023-2025
2019-2023s
2013-2019