USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND ITS EFFECTS IN THE ACADEMIC

PERFORMANCE OF GRADE 10 SPA STUDENTS OF DIPLAHAN

NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

PEARL MAE M. AYOMA

GRADE 10

DIPLAHAN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

SPECIAL PROGRAM OF ARTS

DIPLAHAN, ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY

2018
 I. INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study

In today’s generation, gadgets become kids’ constant companion. There are lots of
versions and variations of these gadgets which are now available in the market. One of
the features of a gadget which make it more appealing to the public is its capacity to
stay connected in the Internet. The target market of these gadgets is mostly students
since this technology for youngsters serve as their playmates too. Internet, indeed, has
been part of a child’s life in today’s generation. In the 2012 survey conducted by
Cartoon Network, the Philippines made it on top among the kids that use technology or
gadgets most in Asia-Pacific. Internet offers countless applications, such as gamings,
search engines and the phenomenal Social Media which anyone can easily access in
the Internet for free. In a conservative country like the Philippines, there are still many
assumptions from parents that Social Media has negative effects on student’s academic
performance. On the other hand, there are parents who allow their children to be
exposed to Social Media because they believed it will help their children be more alert,
smart and excel in school. To date, schools and institutions are experiencing many
technological advancements and changes in techniques in improving their teaching
methods to meet the growing demands of their students. There are schools which take
advantage of the use of Social Media as a teaching aid.

Social networking among secondary school students has become more and more
popular, over the years, because it is a way to make connections between friends within
and outside the school. Due to this popularity, people begin to ask questions whether
the performance of students are being affected by how much time students spent on
various sites of social networking (Stollak, Vandenberg, Burklund, and Weiss, 2011).
Social networking became popular fromthe years 2005 to 2011, after Facebook and
other social networking sites were created. The most successful and largest social
networking site is the Facebook which comprises more than 500 million active members
in July, 2010. Its members are multiplying greatly with each day passing. The growth
rate was 153% during the last year. About 190 million users visit twitter per month 65
million tweets everyday (Ahmed and Qazi, 2011).

According to Fodeman and Monroe (2009), the usage of Facebook has raised the level
of anxiety among students such that they are apprehensive about being without their
cell phones for a few hours. There seems to be a significant relationship between the
time spent by students on SNSs and their level of academic performance. Academic
success is paramount issues to any student, with the pressure to belong to social
networks. Are they really meeting up with the pressure to succeed academically?
(Ogedebe, Emmanuel & Musa, 2012).
Since their introduction, SNSs have attracted a huge followership among teenagers and
also university students (Lenhart & Madden, 2007; Salaway & Caruso, 2008). As such,
it is not surprising to find SNSs making its way into the educational environments with
many claiming that these social applications have even more potential to further
improve learning and sharing of information among learners and teachers (Ferdig,
2007; Maloney, 2007; Pence, 2007; Simoes & Gouveia, 2008). Site-specific culture can
both positive and negatively affect the building of social capital and found that Facebook
usage is not positively associated with lower grades of the students rather found
Facebook users scoring higher grades. Paseket al. (2006). No association was found
between GPAs of student users and Facebook usage in a study conducted by Kolek
and Saunders (2008). SNSs promote interactivity among students and teachers. In a
research Lovitts and Nelson (2000) found that strong integration of students into their
professional and social life is sturdily correlated to the successful completion of their
degree. This study aims at exploring the influence of social networking usage on
academic performance of secondary school students using some selected variables
from literature thus; time spent on SNSs, students’ participation in class, number of
friends that students have on SNSs, posts on SNSs, academic performance of
students, and demographic characteristics.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims at exploring the influence of social networking usage on academic
performance of Grade 10 SPA students of Diplahan National High School using some
selected variables from literature thus; time spent on SNSs, students’ participation in
class, number of friends that students have on SNSs, posts on SNSs, academic
performance of students, and demographic characteristics.

The main objective of the study is to investigate the effects of Social Media on the
Academic Performance by the Grade 10 SPA students who used Social Media in
Diplahan National High School. Specifically, the researcher aimed to answer the
following questions:

1. What is the profile of the Grade 10 SPA students in terms of:

1.1 Gender
1.2 Discipline?

2. What is the Academic Performance in terms of average in the 2nd Quarter of the
Grade 10 SPA studenys who use Social Media?

3. What are the effects of Social Media on the School Work of Grade 10 SPA students
of Diplahan National High School?
4. Is there significant relationship between the use of Social Media and the Academic
Performance of Grade 10 SPA students of Diplahan National High School?

Significance of the study

As this study was an attempt to address specific issues related to Social Media in
relation to Academic Performance of the youth, the significance of the study was
therefore premised on the following: The study is expected to be a contribution to the
field of research and education. Specifically, the outcome of this research is intended to
be of help to Diplahan National High School officials as to what possible preventive
measures, modifications or changes may be made in the curriculum or school policies.

Analysis and interpretation of the study may be used for the improvement of the school
policies, instructional lessons, staff development, programs, supervisory practices and
decision making toward a common purpose. The result of the study could develop
concern of parents’ roles and responsibilities in providing and guiding the students to
give their quality time and learn the values of self-realization. As for students, the study
can serve as a guide to learn the basic lifelong experiences in worthy and responsible
use of Social Media.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

The researcher limited the study on the effects and implications of Social Media to the
respondents’ Academic Performance. The respondents of the study were taken from
Grade 10 SPA Students who used Social in Diplahan National High School.