LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIALIZATION IN SOCIAL MEDIA OF GRADE

12 STEM STUDENTS

A Research Paper Presented to the Faculty of

AGUSAN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Senior High School
Butuan City, Philippines

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Subject

Practical Research 2 (Quantitative Research)

Jona Amper
Nichol Arcelo
Chillsay Kim Asilo
Aeisha Constante
Mariel Florida
Obeñita M Joyce Imperial
Chyn Connie Rin
Lawrence Uy

January 2024
 Chapter I

THE PROBLEM
Introduction

Filipinos are increasingly using social media for communication, socialization, and

communication, especially among students. However, excessive use can negatively impact

mental health, focus, and social comparison. Social media enhances social participation by

facilitating information sharing, accessing resources, and providing amusement. It also helps

establish relationships, virtual communities, and improve learning. Understanding the

implications of excessive social media activity is crucial for a deeper understanding of students'

usage and its impact on their lives.

Young people, particularly university students, are increasingly involved in social media,

a concern especially in industrialized countries like the US and Europe. Although the rise in

social media usage and its impact across African nations, including Botswana, is not widely

documented, this does not mean it is not a cause for concern. The study of social media is new

and is in tandem with the current trend of internet and social media use. The ongoing rise of

cyberspace has brought about irreversible changes in how students connect and socialize. Parents

of college students are concerned about their children's social media usage, as many spend

numerous hours on platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and YouTube. (Diraditsite, F., &

Samakabadi, G. G., 2018)

Social media usage can negatively impact children by distracting them, disrupting their

sleep, and exposing them to bullying, rumor spreading, and peer pressure. Excessive social

media use can lead to cognitive limitations, loss of attention, and physical and mental health

issues. Personal comparisons, cyberbullying, and lack of sleep can also contribute. Teenagers
may become addicted to their devices, struggling to balance their mental and physical health.

According to Chukwuere, J. E. (2021) Social media has significantly impacted social

relationships, especially among adolescents and students, altering communication and

interaction. However, it also exacerbates cyber risks like cyberbullying. Experts warn that

sharing intimate information on social media can lead to bullying, harassment, or blackmail,

highlighting the need for careful consideration of privacy issues.

For the Philippines, internet opportunities and Filipino investment in adopting ICT as a

way of life. To stay up with the present educational environment, educators need invest more in

their teaching skills. Albrecht (2006) finds excellent student satisfaction with blended learning,

while others have indicated teacher satisfaction. We must protect educational principles gained

through time while also considering the importance of incorporating technology into the system.

Today's outcome is for private institutions to optimize their resources and fulfill students'

learning demands. The perceived amount of technology use in conducting classroom discussions

at a private school in Agusan del Norte has not been measured or studied in this regard. (Fiel, J.

R., 2020)

Social media can impact student participation and socializing, so it's crucial for students

to be cautious about their use and maintain a balance between online and offline activities.

Educators can encourage beneficial social media use by incorporating it into academic activities

and fostering responsible online communication. To improve socializing and mental health,

students should limit their social media use and engage in extracurricular activities like sports,

clubs, and volunteer work. While social media can be beneficial, it's essential to strike a balance

between online and offline relationships.

Theoretical Framework
 According to social media engagement theory, likes, comments, shares, and other types

of interaction that allow users to express their responses and views about the information they

see are examples of this. The concept that users experience a sense of social presence or

"connectedness" to the material and other users on the platform is a crucial component of social

media engagement theory. This may build a sense of community and belonging among users, as

well as confidence and legitimacy in the information being shared. (TheoryHub, 2020)

This theory relates to our study because of how it explains why social media is so

engaging and what gets us engaged to it. It discusses the important aspects of social media and

the social media engagement theory, such as social influence, the social media platform, the type

of content being shared, and the users own personal characteristics and motivations. This theory

also contains different analysis towards social media, involving things such as social interactions

and the different underlying social interactivity, technical features of the social media platforms

and the features shaping the user experience, and lastly, the user engagement and social media

usage of the user divided into two components which is, individual involvement and personal

meaning.

Conceptual Framework

LEVEL OF LEVEL OF
ENGAGEMENT IN ENGAGEMENT IN
SOCIALIZATION SOCIAL MEDIA

Figure 1: Conceptual Framework Of The Study

 These are the variables mentioned in the research paper that needs to be investigated. By

collecting the data of student’s profiles, administering surveys, the required data would be

acquired to be able to analyse the level of engagement and socialization. The problems involved

with these variables will be analysed.

Statement of the Problem

The purpose of this research study entitled “Level of Engagement and Socialization in

Social Media of Grade 12 STEM Students” is to figure out what affects the students’ level of

engagement and socialization, and the different problems related to social media.

Specifically, the study will answer the following problems:

1.) What is their level of socialization in social media?

2.) What is their level of engagement in social media?

3.) Is there a significant relationship in the level of engagement and socialization in social

media?

It is to determine the participation and socialization of students in social media to have

deeper knowledge of how they utilize social media. The findings of this study will serve as an

insight into the behavior identifying the limitations of their interaction online and their behavior.

The researchers aim to establish awareness on the different causes, effects of the participation

and socialization of students in social media and the methods and techniques, needed to find out

the significance of students behavior towards social media.

Hypothesis

H0: There is no significant relationship between the level of engagement and socialization in

social media.
Scope and Delimitation

The primary objective of this research project is to evaluate the level of engagement in

socialization and social media of Grade 12 students enrolled in the Science, Technology,

Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) strand with regard to online social media platforms, the

research will be specifically confined to Grade 12 STEM students at Agusan National High

School. This restriction will offer a thorough grasp of the internet presence and habits of this

particular educational establishment. This research study covers only the public school Senior

High School students, Grade 12 STEM Students in Agusan National High School, located on T.

Sanchez Street, Butuan City, Mindanao, Philippines. The data will be collected via survey and

conducted only in the school.

Significance of the Study

The results of this study will significantly contribute much knowledge and learning that

will give substantial benefits to the following:

ANHS Administrators. This study helps schools decide if they should teach students

about social media engagement and the effects of socialization as part of the education system,

further developing the knowledge of these students about their levels of engagement.

Guidance Counselors. This study helps counselors better support students in the ways

that social media affects them. They can teach healthy online socialization, helping students

make smart and responsible choices, which ultimately improves students' overall well-being.
 Teachers. It gives teachers insights to teach students about socialization and how to be

responsible with their online presence. Be able to have an idea about how their students interact

with social media and how it can help their students with healthy engagement

Parents. Parents can learn about their kids' online socialization habits and help them

make good choices when in social media.

The Students. In particular, the Senior High School STEM students will be able to

realize their behaviours that affect how they act in the real world because of social media and

will be able to regulate how to socialize and interact with social media and engage in it

cautiously.

The Researchers. Help them realize the significance of social media in school and be

aware of the way we engage and socialize can affect how we are as a person. The researchers

currently conducting this study stand to gain a deeper understanding of Grade 12 STEM students'

online socialization behaviors and social media engagement. This experience enriches our

research skills, enables effective teamwork, contributes to knowledge in the field, and fosters

personal growth and confidence.

Future Researchers. Enhance the present study to widen the scope and limitations and at

the same time serve as a reference in their study. The result of this study served as a basis for

future studies and could be used as a reference for the study.

Definition of Terms

The following terms used in the study are conceptually and operationally defined.

Engagement. Social media engagement measures how people interact with accounts and

content, including Likes, Favorites, Comments, DMs, and Replies across all platforms.
 Socialization. Socialization involves adjusting behavior to cultural norms, influenced by

social media content, and interacting with others. It's a subconscious learning process influenced

by family, friends, and cultural context.

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

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

The Office of Communications and Marketing manages the main Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,

LinkedIn and YouTube accounts.

Online. If you are online, your computer is connected to the internet. Compare offline. It

means your presence is visible and connected to the internet.

Internet. A global computer network providing a variety of information and

communication facilities, consisting of interconnected networks using standardized

communication protocols.

Chapter II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter systematically presents the relevant local and international literature and

studies pertinent to the current quantitative research, enhancing its validity and reliability. This

will be organized thematically to provide a structured and comprehensive overview of the

existing knowledge in the field.

Social Interactions in Social Media

 Social interactions are a key component of our everyday communication and interactions,

and social media is a powerful force that can shape and sway these interactions. From the

perspective of artificial intelligence and language models, social interactions have many

dimensions, such as sentiment analysis, language patterns, and user interactions.

In a study by Luca Luceri (2019) it focuses on identifying the social influence of users

within online social networks. It uses a combination of collaborative filtering, social network

analysis, and natural language processing to identify the most influential users and the networks

of influence they form within the social network. The study uses a large-scale Facebook dataset

to evaluate the proposed approach and shows that it performs well, both in identifying the most

influential users and modeling the network of influence. The research looked at the usage of

several deep learning architectures and discovered encouraging outcomes. It further emphasized

the link between social impact and user privacy, demonstrating that SIDL can categorize around

70% of user behaviors with only 50% of the available information. Future research will

investigate these directions, as well as the homophily impact and alternate mesolevel structure

identification methodologies.

Social media platforms continue to have an influence on people's social lives and

connections. This study investigated the influence of social media platforms on students' social

interactions and activities in the university setting, as well as on society in general. The findings

emphasize both the good and negative effects of social media platforms on students' social

interaction. These effects, however, may be handled and steered in order for kids to socialize

successfully and meaningfully in this digital era. In the future, social media academics should

investigate the platforms' influence on students' academic performance and advancement.

Researchers might also look at the impact of social contact on proper learning growth.

(Chukwuere, J. E., 2021).

In another study by Lampropoulos (2022) the purpose of this research was to investigate

the effect of personality factors in social media use and engagement. It undertakes a survey of

the literature on personality theory and trait taxonomies, with an emphasis on the Big Five

Personality Traits and the Five Factor Model (FFM). The study demonstrates a strong

relationship between social media usage and personality factors, with certain features having a

greater influence than others. Openness and extraversion are the most powerful positive

predictors of social media usage, but conscientiousness, agreeableness, and neuroticism are also

important, albeit to a lesser extent. The article finds that personality factors have a considerable

impact on social media use and engagement, underlining the necessity of understanding the

psychological processes that underpin these behaviors.

Social media has had a huge impact on our everyday lives, providing new avenues for

communication and engagement. However, it also brings with it new issues such as increasing

anonymity, divisiveness, and a move toward short-term, transactional connections. While

technology allows for more socializing, connecting, and interacting, it may also generate tension,

worry, and separation. The goal is to balance these advantages and use social media in a

constructive and productive manner.

User Engagement and Social Media Usage for Students

User engagement refers to the interaction between a user and a product or service,

including actions like clicking links or taking surveys. Social media usage for students involves

creating and managing accounts, sharing content, messaging, and participating in online
activities. While social media can be a useful tool for communication, staying updated on events,

and connecting with peers, it can also lead to unhealthy or counterproductive habits.

In a study by Victor Barger et. al. (2016) is a study that examines the consumer

engagement and usage patterns in social media. The study's framework is based on how the

paper reviews the marketing literature on social media, paying particular attention to consumer

engagement, which investigates the key factors that influence individuals' willingness to adopt a

new technology. The study reviews a number of qualitative and quantitative studies in this area

and identifies several factors that contribute to consumer engagement with and usage of social

media. These factors include social connections, information seeking, entertainment, self-

presentation, and social influence.

According to Farid, et. al. (2022) the study explores the impact of social media on general

anxiety and emotional intelligence. It found that excessive use of social media can diffuse

general anxiety disorder positively, while a weak association exists between obsessive use and

emotional intelligence. However, social media engagement moderately lightens personality

traits. The study suggests that obsessive behavior towards social media can predict general

anxiety disorder more than emotional intelligence, but proper management can benefit emotional

intelligence.

Evidence on how user engagement of 24 13-14-year-olds found that various types of

social media use contribute to digital stress in early adolescence. The stressors included passive

social media use, time-wasting, digital guilt, exposure to harmful content, private social media

communication, expectations of availability and unsolicited contact, perfection expectations, fear

of negative evaluation, and privacy risks. The study suggests that strengthening social and
emotional resources offline and encouraging effective privacy settings could improve resilience

against digital stress sources. (Winstone, et. al. 2023)

In an article by Felix, K., et. al. (2018) the article explores the impact of online social

networking relationships on knowledge sharing and engagement among students. It uses the

social capital theory and partial least square structural equation modeling to analyze responses

from 586 higher education students. The findings contradict previous claims that social

networking sites are effective learning tools. There is no relationship between knowledge sharing

and engagement, unlike previous studies. However, if the study is limited to specific

academically inclined social networking sites like Academia.edu, ResearchGate, or Mendeley,

different findings may be observed.

User engagement is crucial in today's digital world, as it drives loyalty, spends time on

platforms, and advocates for products. Engaged users are the lifeblood of a product, driving

success and keeping the platform afloat. However, social media usage can be both beneficial and

detrimental. On one hand, it encourages community, helps stay connected and informed, and

allows users to share experiences and opinions.

Academic Uses of Social Media

Social media is a crucial tool for promoting and supporting academic endeavors. It

facilitates communication and collaboration among peers, educators, and research collaborators,

sharing educational resources, collecting data through surveys, promoting events, and

maintaining online communities. It also provides social services like career advice and tutorial

resources to enhance the academic experience. As an adaptable medium, social media is a

valuable tool for enhancing the academic environment.

 Technology has greatly influenced learning by bringing new forms, materials, and

delivery methods. Social media, a popular mode of communication, has altered online

information access and distribution. It may, however, be a source of distraction, diverting

students' focus away from learning and academic accomplishment. The study indicates to better

understand contemporary trends in social media use, the phenomena of distractions, and the

factors that influence students' academic use of social media. ATLAS-Ti-7 and MS Excel were

used for interviews and analysis. Individual psychological features, societal influences,

information quality, and system usefulness were shown to be the most important elements. The

poll also emphasized the significance of social media for academic objectives, as well as

students' perceptions of distraction. (Murad, A. et. al., 2017)

In a study by Elda Tartari (2015) the study mentions social media, which includes social

networking sites (SNSs), virtual game sites, video sites, project sites, and blogs, has a

tremendous influence on the lives of students. However, there has been little study on the

educational applications of these Web 2.0 technologies. This research looks into people's

opinions regarding social media in the classroom and discovers that they may be beneficial

instructional tools. Students that utilize social networking sites to enhance their education like

spending time on these sites, and activities, videos, and group sharing are beneficial for academic

objectives. The report finishes with recommendations for enhancing academic purposes and

underlines the need of educators considering how their existing teaching standards might be

improved or changed as a result of the availability of the internet. Several studies show that

social media can be used effectively to share information, increase students' interest in learning

vocabulary, be used for academic purposes and supplement face-to-face learning, improve

learning and literacy practice, develop critical thinking, and much more.
 In another study, findings found that the majority of respondents claimed that they

utilized social media for academic reasons, with WhatsApp and Zoom being the most popular, as

reported by certain respondents. WhatsApp was also the most popular social media platform,

followed by Google+, YouTube, and Facebook. Pinterest and Instagram were the two least

utilized social media platforms. Smartphones and computers were the two most popular ways to

access social media, and nearly all respondents utilized social media for academic reasons from

home. Respondents utilized social media mostly for academic goals such as learning, personal

research/development, personal improvement, and assignments. (Jacob K. et. al., 2022)

Students’ Academic Productivity and Behavior

Students' use of social media can have an influence on their academic production and

conduct. Some people find Facebook distracting, while others utilize it to interact, get

information, and share accomplishments. Active social media users may find it difficult to

prioritize work and may be more vulnerable to disinformation and harassment. It can, however,

give benefits such as enhanced access to resources, strengthened connections with peers and

instructors, and better engagement with academic subject.

In study by Yu, et. al. (2022) A study using a quasi-experimental research method found

that mobile learning technologies significantly improved student engagement and learning

outcomes compared to social media tools. The study involved 101 participants divided into three

groups, each receiving English teaching assisted by mobile learning technology, a social media

tool, and a traditional multimedia projecting system for one semester. Traditional teaching tools

did not improve engagements and learning outcomes as much as Rain Classroom and WeChat.

According to Alalwan, et. al. (2022) This study investigates the factors contributing to

students' involvement in learning through constructivism and the technology acceptance model
(TAM). It aims to create a model of real use of social media for engagement by conducting an

empirical examination of students' adoption of social media for education. A survey was

distributed to 410 university students, and results were analyzed using a quantitative research

approach and partial least squares structural equation modelling. The results suggest that

determining discriminant validity is a widely accepted prerequisite for analyzing latent factor

connections. The study found that real use of social media for interaction and TAM model

acceptance were positively associated with students' pleasure with learning.

Students are especially vulnerable to social media and cellphones, both of which have

been related to poor academic performance. Although studies have found a detrimental

relationship between social media usage and academic performance, these research frequently

focus on smartphones and social media addiction. A novel method for tracking users' activities

and interactions combines cellphones with time diaries. This approach is used in the SmartUnitn

project, which analyzes students' time management and academic achievement. Researchers can

assess negative and positive associations by monitoring logs of social media applications on

students' smartphones and comparing them to their grades. The findings emphasize the

detrimental impact of social media usage, identifying diverse influence patterns, and

emphasizing the necessity for smartphone usage restriction in academic contexts. (Giunchiglia,

F., et. al., 2018)

Students' academic productivity and social media activity might differ greatly. Some

people use technology to stay connected and access information, while others struggle with

distractions and prioritizing academic responsibilities. Students' productivity and conduct are

also influenced by how they utilize social media. Passive activities like skimming through feeds
and viewing information may have minimal effect on scholastic achievement. As a result, using

social media is critical for kids' academic achievement.

Chapter III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the research design, research locale, research participants, research

instruments, and data gathering procedures, statistical treatment, and the ethical considerations.

Research Design

This research aims to investigate the level of engagement and socialization in social

media of Grade 12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students. Thus,

it falls under descriptive correlation research design. Descriptive-correlational research seeks to

describe the link between two or more variables without avoiding a cause-and-effect

relationship. To assess whether or whether there is a link between at least two variables, data

must be collected and analyzed. The purpose of this non-experimental study approach is to

assess how strongly two or more variables are connected or interrelated. Descriptive

correlational research is a type of research design that tries to explain the relationship between

two or more variables without making any claims about cause and effect. It includes collecting
and analyzing data on at least two variables to see if there is a link between them. The

researcher’s will use the descriptive correlation research design to assess the level of engagement

and socialization in online social media platforms among Grade 12 STEM students, aiming to

compare the results with the data from the STEM strand in Agusan National High School Senior

High School. This study will utilize the total population of the STEM strand, offering valuable

insights into the factors influencing online engagement and socialization in social media

platforms. within the context of Agusan National High School.

Research Locale

Figure 2. Location of the site

The study will be conducted on the campus of Agusan National High School Senior High

School, Butuan City. Agusan National High School stands as one of Butuan City's oldest and

most populous educational institutions, with its roots tracing back to its establishment in the year

1918. The school caters to a significant number of students. It offers three main educational
tracks in Senior High School, namely Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS), Accountancy,

Business, and Management (ABM), and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

(STEM). The respondents will be asked to answer the questionnaires face-to-face in their

respective classrooms. The researchers chose the location because it will provide the needed

information the researchers seek about the level of engagement and socialization in STEM

students. This study will be conducted in the first semester of the academic year 2023-2024.…

Research Participants

The participants of this study will be the Grade 11 STEM students of Agusan National

High School. In choosing participants for this research, the researcher will be using the stratified

sampling technique. Stratified sampling is a form of sampling technique in which the entire

population is divided into smaller groups or strata. These subgroups may be created depending

on factors like gender, age, or cultural background. (Virtuoso, 2022)

Research Instruments

The study used a printed questionnaire about the level of engagement and socialization in

social media platforms to determine the students' level of interaction in online platforms, the

study employed printed survey questions. In order to assess their engagement in online

platforms, students must also fill out the survey questionnaire with their first grade general

average. The questionnaire's upper section asks for the participant's name (optional), grade and

section. This survey was designed to gather all the information required for this investigation.
This questionnaire is based on other questionnaires by Chukwuere, J. E. (2021), Dwamena, J. Y.,

et. al. (2016) and Osharive, P. (2015).

Data Gathering Procedures

The researcher’s will undergo three phases of data gathering procedures namely,

preliminaries, actual data collection, and data management.

Preliminaries. The principal of Agusan National High School must grant permission for

the researchers to conduct the study on school property. Once approved, they will ask for a letter

of recommendation to confirm the validity of the research and the qualifications of the

researchers. The researchers will then ask the subject teacher of the Grade 12 STEM classes for

permission to carry out the study in the classroom. A consent letter asking for permission to

conduct the interview will be sent to the chosen participants. Permission from research

participants will be acknowledged, and they will receive enough information about the study to

allow them to take part.

Data Collection. The researcher's questionnaire will be evaluated for content validity by

the subject's instructor prior to distribution. Participants' answers will be given numerical values

for analysis. The survey form consists of closed-ended questions presented in a consistent format

and order for each respondent. Respondents will receive assurances from the researchers both

during and after the interview regarding the confidentiality of their data.

Data Management. To ensure consistent objectivity throughout the investigation,

gathered data will be methodically arranged and tallied following the findings of thorough

statistical analysis. To improve accuracy, a specialist will be consulted to help with the selection

of suitable statistical instruments and to make the process of interpreting the collected data
easier. Finally, using the dataset they have collected for this investigation, the researchers will

draw meaningful conclusions and create suggestions.

Statistical Treatment

To facilitate the statistical treatment of the data, some statistical tool will be used by the

researchers.

Frequency. The frequency of a data value is the number of times it occurs. Turney

(2023) states that a value's frequency is the number of times it appears in a dataset. A variable's

frequency pattern is called its frequency distribution. It is the number of times each possible

variable value appears in a dataset.

Percentage. A percentage is expressed as a hundredth of a number. It aids in

computation and comparison when used in data analysis. It is utilized in data analysis because it

facilitates the collection of statistical data and information on discrete categories (Percentage,

2022).

Mean. Mean is the average of the given numbers and is calculated by dividing the sum of

given numbers by the total of numbers. According to Taylor (2023), the concept of mean is

crucial to both mathematics and statistics. In a set of numbers, the mean is the average or most

frequent value. It is a statistical measure of a probability distribution's central tendency along the

median and mode.

Pearson's Correlation Coefficient. The correlation coefficient, as defined by Fernando

(2023), is a statistical indicator of the degree of a linear relationship between two variables. It is

utilized in finance and science to evaluate the degree of association between two variables,

factors, or data sets.

 Survey Questionnaire

Name (Optional): __________________________________

Grade & Section:

[SA- Strongly Agree, A- Agree, D- Disagree, SD- Strongly Disagree]

S/ ITEMS SA A D SD
N
1 – WHAT IS THEIR LEVEL OF SOCIALZATION IN SOCIAL MEDIA?
1 Addiction to online social networks is a problematic issue that
affects my academic life.
2 Online social networks distract me from my studies.
3 Hours spent online can never be compared to the number of hours
I spend reading.
4 There is no improvement in my grades since I became engaged into
these social networking sites.
5 I usually have unlimited access to Facebook and this has affected
my academic performance negatively.
6 I engage in academic discussions on twitter and this has improved
my academic performance.
8 I Solely rely on information gotten from Wikipedia to do my
assignments without consulting other sources.
9 The usage of Wikipedia for research has helped improve my grades.
10 I use materials gotten from blogging sites to complement what I
have been taught in class.
11 I will not perform well in my academics even if I stop using social
media.
2 – WHAT IS THEIR LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT IN SOCIAL MEDIA?
1 My usage of social media improves my social interaction
2 The use of social media improves my communication
and sharing of information with friends and peers
3 The use of social media promotes physical distance among friends
4 The use of social media encourages students to spend hours (time)
online
5 Usage of social media promotes data privacy issues and exposure
of personal information.
6 The use of social media is a useful tool in meeting friends
7 Social media promotes cyberbullying and infringement of privacy
8 I believe that social media usage enhances your social life and
interaction
9 Indeed, social media is terrible for social interaction
10 Social media platforms are not favorable for interacting with
friends always
11 In all, social media is harmful to social interaction
12 In all, social media is negatively influencing students’ social
interaction with others
13 The use of social media limits time with family, friends and loved
ones