Chapter III
STUDY FRAMEWORK
The technology is creating an environment that is
answer rich, but we're question poor.
-Baroness Greenfield
Theoretical Framework
Almost every day, a new gadget or media device is introduced to the world. Specifically, these gadgets are mostly used by students to aid them in their scholastic purposes or just mere leisure usage at home.
In the knowledge-gap hypothesis which was first proposed by Tichenor, Donohue, and Olien in an article entitled “Mass Media Flow and Differential Growth In Knowledge” published in 1970 (as cited by Quijano, 2000) , it has been stated that as more media information become imbued into a communal scheme, parts of the population with higher socio-economic status tend to acquire this information at a faster rate that those at the lower status. Quijano (2000) added that, far along, this hypothesis was widened and polished by other researchers as they argued that “gaps” are not only limited to knowledge but also with attitudes and behavior. McLeod, Bybee and Durall (as cited by Quijano, 2000) added that these gaps are also limited between those of high and low political interests and those between the old and young.
Based from the recency effect theory of Miller and Campbell (1959), our mind retains information that is recently gathered from certain events and observations in our surroundings. He also stated that given a list of things to memorize on a certain amount of time, we will have a propensity to recall easily the things that are located on the last part of the list as compared to those in the middle. This implies that the closer the information to the time of recall, the greater its chances of being recalled in a certain lapse of time.
A theory developed by Ball-Rokeach and De Fleur(as cited by Quijano, 2000) called dependency theory which stated that people have various reliance on media and these dependencies may differ from individual to individual. The dependency theory stresses the three-way relationship between the media, audience, and the society. These three units operate to increase or decrease the amount of media dependency. Furthermore, the authors added that disorder, conflict and change produces an amount of uncertainty among the public which in turn, results to greater dependency on media information. Quijano (2000) added that “as societies grow more complex, and as media technology grows more complex, the media take on more and more unique functions. Ball-Rokeach and De Fleur(as cited by Quijano, 2000) added that giving more societal functions to these media will cause greater dependency on media in that certain society.
According to Severin and Tankard (as cited by Quijano, 2000), the greater the media dependency, the greater the possibility for the audience’s feelings, behaviors and mostly the audience’s intellects to be changed.
These changes on students can also be due to other factors that are stated in the student retention theory by the Curtin University’s Student Transition and Retention Team. They pointed out in their theory that that there are about ten variables that comprises the student’s ability to retain information, these included: individual attributes, student finances, developing relationships with prospective students, addressing the impact of pre-university education, goal commitment, institutional commitment, quality of teaching and learning, peer-group interaction, faculty interaction, and the graduate’s relationship with the University.
Figure 1 on the next page shows the flow and relationship of the given theories and hypotheses.
Conceptual Framework
We are undeniably in the era of great innovations, where everything we do becomes easy; everything we want becomes real; everything we need becomes ours in a bit.
Based on dependency theory on which it was stated that individuals have varying dependencies upon these media devices, with these media devices that we have now it is equally possible that people depend on them in any place they go, either at home where they do most of their personal needs or in school/office where they do their tasks. These media devices offers everyone a lot of information, and as based on the recency effect theory, these acquired information from media devices will remain in our brain for a few minutes only, unless if it is rehearsed or is remarkably striking. Thus, it is inferred that there is a time-related variable between information and our mind. It is also addressed in the knowledge-gap hypothesis that it is not only knowledge that is affected, but also the individual’s behavior and attitude.
As these recent information fades away with time, it cannot be denied that the human brain considers tons of things during the processing of information which might lead to faster or slower loss of information. Examples of the previously stated situation are the source of information, the individual’s environment, and also the type of information, which can be seen in the student retention theory.
Figure 2 on the next page illustrates the aforementioned flow of the fundamental concepts of the study, as based on the proponents’ understandings in the course of the research.
Operational Framework
Almost all electric sockets in the AS Lobby of UP Cebu is occupied by laptop chargers of different students from different courses but mostly dominated by Computer Science students.
Almost everyone in the computer science program has a computer or uses the computer as required by their course or by their own will, these hours spent in using the computer can theoretically affect their minds specifically their retention or their ability to recall a previously given information.
Other factors shall also be regarded, specifically the teacher and the way he/she interacts with the students, the environment and how it affects the students, and finally, the topic if it interests the student.
The abovementioned flow of the basic operations of study is effectively shown in Figure 3 on the next page, as the researchers have logically formulated and revealed.
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