College of Liberal Arts and Communication

Communication and Journalism Department

THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA USE ON ONLINE COMMUNICATION SKILLS OF DE LA

SALLE UNIVERSITY-DASMARIÑAS COMMUNICATION STUDENTS

A Research Draft presented to

De La Salle University-Dasmariñas

In partial fulfillment of the requirement in

Thesis

By

Bautista, John Brendan I.

Bolor, Maxine Penelope M.

Serandon, Chrissa Jewel M.

 INTRODUCTION

The internet has become a massive driving force that connects people from different

backgrounds across the world. It essentially allows people to communicate and find ways of

interaction based on their chosen landscape. These landscapes are ultimately defined by

social media networks which are online platforms used mainly for the purpose of

communication and interaction between its users. The massive integration of social media and

online platforms use has led to Information and communication technology becoming more

prevalent as online skills slowly become more valued over the course of the internet’s

emergence, particularly online communication skills. Online communication skills are directly

correlated to one’s ability to traverse the social media space and simulate communication

situations similar to real-life verbal communication but on a much larger scale considering the

number of online users at any given time as well as the traffic one post receives.

Social media is a collection of online communication channels dedicated to community-

based input, interaction, content sharing, and collaboration. Some of the most popular social

media platforms in the Philippines are Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktok. People can use these

websites to share memories, reconnect with friends and plan events or communicate almost

instantly with others around the world.

The social media space is a massively interconnected network catering to billions of

users worldwide. It connects people of all backgrounds from different ethnicities, countries,

religions, and organizations along with the easy access of phones and the internet becoming

more and more accessible to most economic backgrounds (Kemp 2020). Digital devices have

supposedly simplified our lives in the twenty-first century, allowing us to interact effectively via

various social media platforms.

 Socio-cultural Tradition: The social media space is filled with information from several

sources and people of different backgrounds. It is a space wherein discourse upon several

topics are put into display which ultimately leads to the emergence of several beliefs regarding

different topics. The interaction and communication in the space not only develops one’s

understanding of a certain aspect of a topic but also improves on the communication skills,

coupled with the abundance of information surrounding the social media space this in turn

could affect the way people communicate both on a macro and micro level depending on the

understanding and in line with the identities shaped through the various interactions across the

social media space. As the socio-cultural tradition suggests, which is how people perceive

meaning and develop through experiencing communication with communities, group, and

society as a whole Muninger, M.-I (2019).

Bhamare (2020) states that since the advent of social media, people have had more

choices to fulfill their regular information and communication goals. As our capacity for global

communication expands, so does the importance of social media to our day-to-day lives. It

facilitates meaningful interactions between individuals, which is crucial for boosting people's

sense of social purpose and intrinsic motivation. The interest of this generation in instant

connectivity has resulted in an openness incorporating balanced social media communication

goals from face-to-face and virtual interactions.

A Pulse Asia survey found that Facebook is the most popular social media site in the

Philippines. About 2,400 people were interviewed in-person for this survey. The results

revealed that almost two-thirds of Filipino adults (63%) use the Internet at least once daily.

Only 22% of internet users engage online more than once per month; 13% of respondents

claimed they access the social media site between two to six times per week; 3% of
respondents go there only once a week. Facebook, YouTube and Tiktok are the most widely

used social media sites, and most respondents admitted to making regular visits.

The most prevalent form of communication is social networking. Social media platforms

have become inextricably intertwined with students' social lives. It provides several

advantages, such as allowing students to express themselves freely, providing educational

experiences, and the opportunity to engage with others in virtual and in-person meetings. It

was found to improve students' mental health and well-being as a coping mechanism during

this time of separation. Facebook, YouTube, Tiktok and Instagram, and other such sites have

made it easier and more comfortable for people from all aspects of life to keep in constant

interactions with one another virtually, regardless of physical distance.

In addition, communication skills are generic online skills that are honed via daily use

and social connection in an immersive virtual world with others. Communication is the process

of disseminating information from one source to another; how social networking affects the

development of effective social skills, face-to-face communication, and interpersonal

connections among communication students, possibly including the exchange of ideas and

opinions. To develop social competence, one must acquire the ability to interact with others in

a variety of social settings. This equates 'communicatively competent' with 'socially competent,'

as one must learn how to interact effectively with others in a variety of social situations in order

to become socially competent.

The improvement of the skill corresponds with consistent usage and interaction using

discourse. The way one improves their communication skills may be pivotal when it comes to

creating a cultural circle with which one may be involved (Somayeh, K. 2022). Along with the

increase in social media use comes various skills that may or may not be improved, heavily
dependent on the way the platforms are used. Social media has made it easy to transfer

content that helps with improving students’ particular skill sets like communication using ICT or

information communication technology using the various online platforms wherein one can

share content pertaining to communication development (Ansari, J. 2020).

Furthermore, despite the many positives that social media use has been able to bring, it

still harbors negative effects, which may be seen as apparent with online communication skills.

In particular, these could range to a myriad of things which include adapting internet culture or

slang when communicating. These may also include the use of acronyms relevant only within

the social media space like LOL, ASAP, G2G, and many more, the excessive use often leads

to the lack of use of one’s native language this is also in line with the fact that English is the

most prevalent language across all common social media platforms. Excessive social media

use may also lead to a further lack of communication skills for some people as real-life

interactions and communication require non-verbal communication which in the case of online

communications only involves verbal communication. Online communication skills are not

often transferable to real-life communication considering the fact that non-verbal

communication is almost non-existent when it comes to communicating online. (Akram, W

2017).

Communication is one of the most significantly affected acts, as the internet enables

individuals hundreds of kilometers apart to communicate with just a few clicks, and this has led

to a rise in the usage of social media spaces as a result of the pandemic. Students'

dependence on social media reflects the pervasiveness of these sites in modern life. A

concrete answer as to whether students' use of social media detracts from or adds to their
schoolwork and overall performance is unclear. Despite significant constraints, social media is

arguably the most significant shift in modern years.

In light of the prevalence of social media use among DLSU-D communication students,

the purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which increased usage affected

students' capacity for effective online communication. And how social networking impacts the

development of effective social skills, face-to-face communication, and interpersonal

connections among DLSU-D communication students in the communication sector that may or

may not benefit from online communication, and they may or may not be aware of the positive

and negative effects of social media on their interpersonal relationships. The researchers wish

to examine how social media use affects students' online communication skills. However, the

emergence of numerous social networking sites also comes with some negative

repercussions, one of which is that they may cause students to become obsessed and

addicted to the point where they may negatively impact students. For instance, the addiction

may threaten the communication abilities of students.

Additionally, researchers should be familiar with their preferred social media platforms.

As a result, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of social media use on DLSU-D

communication students' online communication skills.

 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study aims to determine the Impact of Social Media use on the Online

Communication Skills of De La Salle University-Dasmariñas Communication Students.

Particularly, it seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What are the social media platforms communication students use?

2. How long does a student use social media in a day? In a week?

3. What are the reasons for students’ use of social media?

4. What effect does social networking site addiction have on the communication skills of

DLSU-D communication students?

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Symbolic Interactionism,

Symbolic Interactionism formulated by (Carter and Fuller, 2015), is the theoretical

foundation of this study. Following the lead of Herbert Blumer, Manford Kuhn, and Sheldon

Stryker, symbolic interactionism has evolved theoretically and empirically along three key lines

of inquiry. Symbolic interactionism emphasizes the importance of communication and social

interaction in constructing meaning. This theory focuses on how people assign meanings to

things based on their interpretations of their interactions with others.

The sociological theory of Symbolic Interactionism emphasizes how societies emerge

and persist as a result of the interactions of individual members. The ability to communicate
with others and interpret their meaning through language and indications is essential to

grasping how societies function, say Carter and Fuller (2015).

Figure 1. Theoretical Framework

The figure above illustrates the influence of Symbolic Interactionism Theory on the

Impact of Social Media use on the online Communication skills of DLSU-D Communication

Students. This theory demonstrates how social media use impacts the online communication

skills and behavior of communication students.

The communication students of De La Salle University-Dasmariñas utilized the positive

and negative benefits of social media platforms that have been regarding the distribution of

knowledge and information amongst a vast group of people which has indeed increased the

communication skills and learning skills of students and learners.

 The backbone of this study is guided by Carter and Fuller’s theory of Symbolic

Interactionism. This concept demonstrates how society is built and preserved through the

reenactment of various acts. Symbolic Interactionism demonstrates how communication

students within the community comprehend their numerous various social domains through

their communication behaviors. Symbolic Interactionism further examines objectively how each

individual is perceived to be socially formed with a subjective interpretation which allows the

student to calculate the impacts of their actions.

Interaction within the internet is often attributed with the use of social networking

spaces. These sites frequently serve as the hub for which communication is done forming

interaction between people online with it being a constant occurrence causing a repetition in

the usage of communication skills and depending on the rate at which it is used one may

develop interpersonal skills applicable on real world interactions such as listening and verbal

communication, as emphasized by symbolic interactionism on how each person contributes to

the development of communication behaviors through repeated and consistent use of the skills

or platform. Students that engage in the social media space tend to develop various behaviors

and abilities through interaction often resulting in a significant development in certain

communication aspects as the theory suggests. The focus of the study will be on the concept

of how social media use affects online communication and the skills developed through its use,

as well as its basis and consequences on communication performance. Individuals are

influenced by society, groups, and their own values and beliefs. The theory also focuses on the

impact of certain factors which in the case of social media are algorithms, groups, and

communities on the formation of social interactions. This further explains how each factor plays
into the formation of a person’s communication skills and performance through interaction with

others in the social media space.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The diagram below shows the overall process in conducting the entire study.

Specifically, the conceptual framework is a guide for the researchers to meet the expected

result that would be undergoing in a sequential process.

Figure 2. Conceptual Framework

 The figure above illustrates the process on how the researchers will come up with

reliable and accurate results of the study. First, the researchers selected intentionally their

specific respondents that surely can respond to the objective of the study.

With Symbolic Interactionism as the basis theory of the study, the researchers intend on

using concepts pertaining to frequent interaction in the social media space and its possible

effects on online communication skills. The dependent variable in this study is "online

communication skills developed." The independent variable is "frequent use of social media."

The moderator variable allows for the examination of any potential differences in the effect of

social media use on communication skills based on how the social media is being used (e.g.,

entertainment vs educational use), the mediator variable allows for examination of the specific

social media platform influence on the relationship. The control variable is "time spent" on

social media. The study examines the relationship between frequent use of social media and

the development of online communication skills, taking into account how the specific social

media is being used, and the amount of time spent on it.

The impact of social media usage will be used as a demographic to determine how greatly

it can affect a student’s communication. The researchers will select Bachelor of Arts in

Communication students of De La Salle University-Dasmariñas for the input as respondents to

the structured survey and the questionnaires followed by the output being the possible impacts

of frequent social media use on communication skills and academic performance of students.

SCOPE AND LIMITATION

Scope

The objective of this study is to examine the effect of social media usage on the online

communication abilities of students in the College of Liberal Arts and Communication at De La

Salle University-Dasmarias. This would involve examining the sorts of social media platforms

that students utilize, their frequency of use, the ways they communicate via social media, and

how they use social media as a whole. The study could also investigate how social media

usage affects certain online communication abilities, such as digital literacy, critical thinking,

interpersonal communication, and the capacity to interact successfully in digital or authentic

situations.

Limitations

The limitations of this study include the small sample size, as it will only include

students from the College of Liberal Arts and Communication at De La Salle University-

Dasmarias. The study would also be limited by the self-reported nature of the data, as students

may not accurately report their social media use and online communication skills. In addition,

the investigation would be limited by the current state of knowledge, and recent events may

already have influenced the results.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the research method and techniques, population and sample of

the study, the locale of the study, instrument of the study, data gathering procedure, and
statistical treatment that are used for the researchers to critically analyse the impact of social

media use on online communication skills.

Research Method and Techniques

Research Design is an essential component of the research. The objective and

summary of this study emphasize quantitative research techniques. This study aims to support

quantitative research methods in order to comprehend the influence of social media usage on

the online communication skills of De La Salle Dasmariñas-Cavite communication students.

The researchers utilized the Descriptive Research Design to perform the study entitled "The

Impact of Social Media Use on the Online Communication Skills of De La Salle University-

Dasmariñas.” 

Descriptive Research Design is the basis that researchers will utilize to ultimately

address problems. It allows researchers to gain a better understanding of a problem or

circumstance. According to Calderon (2006), descriptive research is the process of

systematically gathering, analyzing, classifying, and tabulating information about existing

conditions, practices, processes, trends, and cause-and-effect relationships, and then drawing

appropriate and precise conclusions from a specific data set, with or without the use of

statistical methods. In addition, this method identifies the current factual circumstances of the

group under investigation, producing qualitative or quantitative, or both, descriptions of the

group's general characteristics.

A descriptive Research Design is one of the most applicable approaches for identifying

the study's concern. It will aid the researchers in achieving their primary objective, which is to
describe the impact of social media use on students' online communication skills, which will be

analyzed statistically.

Population and the Sample of the Study

The present study selected the De La Salle Dasmariñas-Cavite College of Liberal Arts

and Communication students. In line with this, the researcher will use the Simple Random

Sampling technique method. Simple random sampling is a sampling method in which each

member of the population has an equal and independent chance of being selected as part of

the sample. Simple random sampling is a widely used sampling method because it allows for

the selection of a representative sample of the population. It is often used when the population

is large and diverse, as it allows for a more representative sample to be obtained without the

need to survey every member of the population. (Creswell, 2012) explains that a slight

variation of the simple random sampling procedure is to use systematic sampling.

In this study, the researchers will randomly select 5 students of different block sections

from the students of the College of Liberal Arts and Communication department to answer the

survey questionnaire the figure will be represented by general population of the College of

Liberal arts and communication department which consists of 1446 currently enrolled. In order

to determine the effect of social media use on online communication skills and to explore the

study's purpose, the researchers will administer a survey to all of the respondents.

Locale of the Study

 This study will be conducted at De La Salle University - Dasmarinas. It is located in

DBB-B, 4115 West Ave, Dasmarinas City, Cavite. The location is chosen by the researchers

for the reason this location could be the easiest way to gather data since it could be attainable

or convenient to conduct the said study.

Instrument of the Study

The quantitative data in this research will be gathered using a set of questionnaires in

order to obtain information regarding the samples’ demographic data, their level of usage

towards social networking sites as well as their level of communication skills. The researchers

will use a questionnaire for this study. Students from the De La Salle Dasmariñas-Cavite

College of Liberal Arts and Communication were selected to respond to a questionnaire, which

consists of a series of close-ended questions arranged in a proper order. The questionnaire is

self-administered, meaning the respondents will be the ones to answer the questionnaire. The

study will utilize a 5-point likert scale which will serve as the statistical analysis for the interval

data.

Data Gathering Procedure

The following section introduces the intended steps and procedures that the

researchers will be following for the data gathering of the study. The researchers will retrieve

data consisting of the population of the College of Liberal Arts and Communication department

and randomly select 5 students of different block sections from the students of the College of

Liberal arts and Communication department. These randomly selected students will serve as

the respondents for the research study. A questionnaire survey based on the research topic
and statement of the problem will be administered to the randomly selected

respondents/students. The results will then be tallied in order to create a conclusion regarding

the effects of social media use on the communication skills and development of the students of

De La Salle Dasmarinas, Cavite College of Liberal Arts and Communication department.

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