Chapter II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES
LOCAL LITERATURE
The adoption of technology in education has been greatly rushed
by COVID-19 pandemic (Navarro et al., 2021). The online learning
platforms have become a necessity for institutions which results in
transition to Learning Management Systems (LMS) that is remaining
critical for both higher education and Senior High Schools (SHS) in the
Philippines. They argue that systems such as task technology fit and
the extended technology acceptance model significantly impact on
effectiveness of LMS. These models emphasize how well the system
fits users’ requirements and overall satisfaction with it. Thus,
successful integration of LMS supports academic processes but them
furthering student engagement through online interaction with peers.
The shift towards non-physical channels has allowed learners to
preserve or create social relations, perform group projects together
and discuss outside the traditional class setting. Although learning
takes place through LMS but also enhances their connectivity among
themselves showing that technology can bring education and social life
together even during tough times.
According to Go et al. (2020), during the peak of the COVID-19
pandemic, social media became more than just a way for
entertainment or connection. It became a lifeline for many vulnerable
groups in the Philippines. For Senior High School (SHS) students,
especially those in rural or poor areas, platforms like Facebook and
Messenger helped them keep learning, stay in touch with teachers, and
connect with friends even though they were physically apart.
According to Reyes (2020), social media became very helpful for
students who couldn’t get the usual learning materials. It acted like an
online classroom where teachers could share assignments, explain
lessons, and give real-time feedback. This helped students, especially
those with weak internet connections, cope with the challenges
brought by the pandemic. Social media also helped people struggling
with poverty or isolation by providing access to government services,
health info, and mental health support during lockdowns. The DepEd In
the Philippines used social media to keep students updated on distance
learning. They used platforms like Facebook and YouTube to broadcast
lessons, helping students who didn’t have strong internet or access to
online learning tools. This allowed learning to continue and also
encouraged students to support each other through online study
groups. On the other hand the study pointed out that relying more on
social media made social inequalities worse. Wealthier students had
better gadgets and faster internet, while those from poorer
backgrounds found it hard to keep up with online learning and stay
connected with their peers. This digital divide became a major issue,
affecting not only education but also how students socialized. The
pandemic proved how important digital technology is for education and
socializing, especially for senior high school students in the Philippines.
Social media became a lifeline for many, helping them stay connected
and get essential services. But it also showed the big gap in access to
technology, and this inequality can impact students’ ability to learn
and interact. Moving forward, addressing this digital divide is essential
so that all students can benefit equally from digital tools and social
media.
FOREIGN LITERATURE
There is a general understanding of the communication practices
of Senior High School or SHS students and where the digital device
stands in this particularly emphasizes the voice of smartphone and the
tablets. These gadgets provide an opportunity for an instant and direct
access to other social beings, and thus helps the students to feel the
presence of their friends and families no matter where they are. These
enhanced direct and real-time contacts have greatly enhanced, social
relations among the students through the use of the digital
communication gadgets. They are not only uses social media networks
to advertise their everyday lives, but also to collaborate on the tasks
set by teachers and other educational tasks, and take part in the
discussions that go beyond the school room (Magaldi et al., 2020). The
constant availability fosters learning processes and relationship
development, because the possibilities of interaction for students
comprise not only group curriculum-based work, but also other kind of
interactions starting with brief smile and continuing with deep live
conversations.
This digital technology in the lives of adolescents contributes
much to their welfare. High usage of digital devices has been linked
with both desirable and undesirable impacts. Firstly, the impact of
digital technology on them has been positive. This is because it has
opened their avenues to many benefits. First, they have better
opportunities to communicate. Young people shall use digital media to
connect with their peers, socialize, and access information in support
of learning and personal development. Such connectivity leads a
community and sense of belonging- very fundamental in emotional
support as well as social growth. However, findings also point to some
essentials. Over-reliance on the technology has its negative effects,
including an increase in feelings of isolation and anxiety accompanied
by depression. Such negative impacts of too much time spent on
screen-or rather, sitting through plenty of time on social media-can be
related to reductions in mental health outcomes. Some stressors that
adolescents experience in the face of social comparison, cyberbullying,
and the struggle to maintain an ideal online identity can distract them
from other achievements or desired outcomes more broadly in overall
well-being and even in their ability to have meaningful participation in
face-to-face interactions. One lesson, therefore, that has to be drawn
for the reviewer is balanced digital use. Some effective strategies
include the limitation of screen time and encouraging a variety of
activities off the screen, teaching literacy and skills that will better
equip young people to navigate online environments. The findings
suggest paying equal attention to the two-fold nature of the impacts of
the digital technology, or in other words, good understanding of its
well-possessed benefits and harms of digital technology that the best
appropriate measures to improve the better utilization of digital
technology to affect adolescent well-being. (T Dienlin., 2020 ).
In many ways, thinking, social skills, and emotions could be the
avenue to manifest the good effects from using digital technology for
teenagers. They give the user chances to improve his skills, learn new
things, and express himself. Teenagers can get better at problem
solving, communications, and creativity by using online forums,
teamwork tools, and educational content. Besides, social networking
and other online communications tools help youngsters develop as well
as maintain important relationships, developing a strong feeling of
community and belonging. Digital tools help not only in developing
social and thinking skills but also in managing emotions. Being in
possession of mental health resources, peer support groups, and
mindfulness apps, the relationship is enhanced for young people’s
emotional health. Such tools provide support in difficult moments and
also empower people to tackle their feelings in a good and useful
manner. ( Haddock, 2022 ).
(M Chen, 2022) have demonstrated how, on the one hand, social
media exerts a higher influence on students' affective variables when
thinking about their feelings, attitudes, and emotional states. On the
other hand, research has shown students have different effects of
social media use in either improving or deteriorating emotional states
and some interpersonal communications. As examples, positive
interaction on social media in the context of peer support or positive
articulations of conversation may boost their students' self-esteem and
increase their connectiveness to their peers. Negative exposure and
bullying may cause a sense of greater anxiety, depression, and loss of
belonging. Such findings underscore the multifaceted nature of the role
of social media in this regard, where it can be both a utility that helps
manage social relationships and to provide emotional support, but a
source of risks to be managed. It is an increasingly important
requirement to appreciate this kind of dynamics when developing
policies maximizing the realization of the benefits of social media while
minimizing potential harms.
LOCAL STUDIES
According to recent data, the Philippines has a population of
118.2 million people in 2024. Out of these, 86.98 million are internet
users, which is a 2.1% increase from last year. On average, Filipinos
now spend 8 hours and 52 minutes online daily, though this is 21
minutes less than before. They spend 5 hours and 20 minutes on
mobile devices and 3 hours and 32 minutes on computers and tablets.
Social media use is growing, with 86.75 million users, up 8% from the
previous year. However, the time spent on social media has decreased
slightly to 3 hours and 34 minutes a day. Facebook remains the most
popular platform, with 94.6 percent of users logging in each month.
TikTok is used by 80 percent of people, and Instagram by 72.5%. Most
people use social media to stay connected with friends and family
(67.7%), while others use it to pass time (43.4%), discover new content
(42.3%), or stay informed (41.6%). This shows that social media is
important for maintaining relationships and finding entertainment,
which can affect how SHS students interact and socialize.
Digital technology and social media have significantly changed
the way young Filipinos orchestrate their intimate relationships, with an
emphasis on direct and instant communication. Digital platforms
available anytime create faster exchanges of messages, photographs,
and emotions, which has become a hallmark of modern relationships
for the Filipino youth. Social media also equips couples with the ability
to maintain intense relationships even in disjunctive space, which is
often deepened by continued communication. However, the same
immediacy sometimes creates problems or conflicts because the
nuances of a face-to-face encounter are missing from digital
communication. Therefore, proper management of the platform also
becomes a key activity in fostering positive relationship dynamics.
Though the role of digital communication saves the closeness involved,
it simultaneously demands intentional efforts toward ensuring that the
quality of interaction remains positive and meaningful. ( CM Habito,
2022 ).
Social media is a very important tool for Grade 11 students to
socialize. Because many students use social media, they can find their
voice in speaking, sharing experiences, and connecting with other
people who are outside the classroom. This shares ideas and helps in
understanding social rules. In the sites of Facebook, Instagram, and
Twitter, students make new friends, cultivate current friendships, and
expand their social networks. Heavy use of social media keeps abreast
of the trends, changes in cultural, and what’s going on in friends’ lives-
a myriad of influences that shape a student’s social identity. However,
too much reliance has also been known to cause problems, such as
fewer skills in face-to-face interaction and possible exposure to all
kinds of wrong behavior online. Social media must be used in an
appropriate way. This way helps it enhance interaction among
students, not making it harder. ( LT Ojales, 2021).
Hence, when there is an increase in the use of social media
among students, new opportunities for idea and emotion-sharing are
devised with trends of global communication and reliance on such tools
and sources for educational purposes. However, social media itself
may not adequately fulfill some of the people’s emotional needs, and
the benefits heralded by such activities appear to be short-term rather
than long-term and enduring. In recent times, the impact of social
media on students’ emotional wellbeing has been assessed; this
encompasses stress, anxiety, and depression. This review synthesizes
findings of key research based on the positive and negative effects of
intensive social media use on affective states in students. Such
knowledge derived from this review can offer insights for educators on
the potential psychological effects of excessive social media use. It is,
therefore, important to understand these effects to develop suitable
professional development of teachers that tackles the emotional
challenges led by social media. ( Xiao, 2022)
FOREIGN STUDIES
Smartphone and social media platforms have therefore played an
important role in altering communication behavior of students in SHS.
New lesson – social networking has become the means that enhances
and deepens, interaction with peers. As the study carried out by
Habibah and Hidayati (2023) points out schools not only use Instagram
and Facebook for advertising their institutions, but also for engaging
the current students and making them feel that they are part of a large
family. It enables the schools to convey information to the prospects
and also foster online communities whereby the students pride in the
school they are attending apart from the physical classroom. Through
event sharing, successes, and activities, schools stand to foster an
asynchronous form of contact which complements the formation of
cohesion beneficial to student’s school pride and unity.
Hasibuan (2023) also enlightens that, the communication
behaviors of students are more and more influenced by technology or
multimedia context. Social media also makes it possible for students to
be in touch with each other on a regular basis erasing all forms of
physical distance. They can discuss something with one and other,
work on something together or even be updated on some events
happening in school more conveniently. However, this heavy reliance
on digital communication also has our challenges as we shall see
below. Although it can foster the relationships between the students, it
may sometimes hinder the quality of interactions in the real life
thereby making it difficult for students to actually develop close
relationships with each other. Furthermore, the misunderstandings or
conflicts can occur because of the impossibility to discuss the issue
face to face as it was done in the results section. Further, such sites
enable the students to have independent control of their
communication, that is, how they wish to present themselves and or
how they wish to engage others. This may help build their confidence
in some situations but it may result into problems like impersonation or
absence of real relationships. Nevertheless, the students in SHS rely
heavily on the social media and digital devices for communication with
their peers, friends and families regardless of the drawbacks that has
the perfect chances of improving socialization among students with
their peer, friends and families and at the same time poses some
serious challenges that should be effectively tackled to foster good
communication.
The Introduction of the components of Integrating digital devices
(IKT) system definitely brings changes in learning processes and
interpersonal relationships of the students. From barimas study, I get
to the conclusion that ensuring teachers are well-prepared for teaching
or provided with right training as well as being provided for right tools
ensures that subjects such as social studies are taught in the right
manner. Likewise, in the case where the teachers have been trained
well on effective application of such tools, they improve on the
teaching methods, making it easier to teach the learners.Some of the
advantages that comes with the use of technology in the classroom
include; Firstly, it can increase effectiveness of lessons by providing
constant feedback, creating interest towards certain topics and thus
increase the effectiveness of learning. Digital tools also enhance
students’ different modes of communication and cooperation among
them. For instance, the student can collaborate with other students on
assignments, consult on different projects and can even get peer
critiques which enable the student to learn social competence and
improve his or her teamwork skills. In addition, teaching with
technology has the potential of catering to most of the diversified
needs of the learners. Technology provides various aids and teaching
methods that can suit-learning style or learning rate and make it easier
for the learner to understand as well as make them be more
encouraged. All in all, the significant focus should be made on the
training of teachers and acquisition of necessary digital tools. This way,
we enhance the scholar achievements as well as students’ social
relations making learning process efficient and friendly (Bariham,
2022).
The amount of time that adolescents spend interacting with
different digital devices is very vital to the kind of social relations that
they develop have. Ángel’s data show that Spanish adolescents with
high levels of media access have their interpersonal relationships
converge in multifaceted ways. Smartphones or social tool networks
provide useful technology instruments to support personal
communication, to share data or to encourage people to coordinate
activities. They help adolescents to sustain friendships, synchronize
with peer and get engaged in group conversation, which is helpful in
terms of social contact. Nevertheless, the usage of digital media has
several problems as well since it is used very widely. While other
people can take care of a number of issues through digital
communication, the two of you are prevented from touching the very
essence of the interpersonal communication process – body language.
It al culminates in misunderstanding and therefore the quality of
interpersonal relationships turn out to be substandard. Children who
use more screens may not get interactions with others in the face to
face way that can nurture the important facets such as empathy, non
verbal communication and deep relationships. Excessive use of
technology diminishes physical interaction with others; however,
people need face-to-face communication to establish healthy
relationships. Adolescents should be observed as they interact with
individuals directly and minimize on-screen interaction, this science
helps the latter build appropriate social skills besides managing
relationships (Ángel et al., 2022).
Some problems of social competencies in adolescence appear in
the context of using digital devices, which was identified in the recent
studies. It is a critical period in development of the social self-identity,
but excessive use of technology harms communication skills. The
research on the Arab digital generation finds out that even though
technology is very relevant in every aspect of their lives, it is crucial to
leverage this interaction in a manner that produces positive social
interactions, and increased engagement with communities (Alaleeli &
Alnajjar, 2020). According to the studies, youngsters who use the
digital gadgets most of the time can have problems with proper
interpersonal skills. For example, they may have difficulties with the
oral presentation, their emotional inaptitude and inability to establish
real life interpersonal relations. The study therefore brings out the
importance of ensuring that such social relations are balanced in a way
that technology enhances the actual social experiences. It is suggested
that the students should be encouraged to engage in such tasks as
community service and group projects for the purpose of providing a
practical real life experience of the usage of the digital skills. Some of
the offline activities include: When technology is infused to these
offline activities, the student’s social skills are enhanced, and the
feeling of togetherness is fostered. Altogether, it is crucial to look into
these issues and find ways as to how technology can be effectively
employed in order to foster social development as well as promote
high levels of engagement in social and community affairs.
