Chapter 1

The Problem and the Setting

Introduction

Try to imagine a world without the things capable of achieving a beautiful tomorrow. Do you think the world today is really possible if humanity’s curiosity is lost? The things we see now are the dreams of the past but the reality is no longer impossible nowadays.

Let’s have a recap of the things that happened in the past which can be seen through the expeditions of different astronomers and scientists during the enlightenment period which landed in 18th century, the discovery of ancient organisms like cells and marine species, the invention of steam engine that led to railroad transportation, the rise of electromagnetism by Hans
Christian Oersted’s Discovery, and the time when the United States of America of Allied power won against Japan of Axis power during World War II due to Einstein’s Discovery of atomic bomb which landed the city of Nagasaki and Hiroshima in Japan. The presence of technology is really advantageous but the continues dependence of people on this should be prohibited.

Dependence on technology is not only prohibited in bigger sectors of society but also in smaller units. The smaller units refer to the youth today whose potentials are the products of globalization. We believe that youth can save the wrong steps of ancient civilizations including today’s generation separated from the future, but their addictions in multimedia devices can break the old tradition.

Based from the National Survey of United States of America in the year 2012, the total youth population has dependence in playing computer online games like DOTA Garena,
Minecraft, Crossfire International, Special Force, Grand Chase, and CABAL online which were included in the Top Ten Most Played Games of 2012. On the other hand, China that has the most number of internet users all over Asia has also made their National Survey in which the total percentage of the youth computer literacy has reached to 96.4%. According to the latest record of
World Research Organization, the total number of youth who uses multimedia devices like cellphone, MP5, MP3, MP4, GAMEBOY, PSP, Xbox Controller, and computers has reached to a total percentage of 91.5% compared to the last survey report which is 84.8 %. If we talk about global benchmarking, the spread of digital technology is very evident, that’s why cyber is the trademark of this generation.

Let’s take a look at the smaller units of society. What about the digital natives of the country called the pearl of the East? Are they similar? Are there any comparison? Maybe yes but how come? According to the National Survey of Philippine Computer Research Agency, the total percentage of youth who visits social networking sites within the boundaries of the country has reached to 83.7% while those who were addicted in playing computer games either lan or online has reached to 86.5%. Even though the hazards of technology has been proven by different surveys of various government agencies either local or worldwide, the presence of cyber devices is really essential for our daily living but only in terms of the way we utilize them. Addiction to multimedia devices is not a responsibility, it’s a vice.

The United States of America has discovered a remedy against computer and multimedia addiction in which they called it Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Internet Addiction (CBT-IA). CBT-IA is a comprehensive three phase approach that includes behavior modification to control compulsive Internet use, cognitive restructuring to identify, challenge, and modify cognitive distortions that lead to addictive use, and harm reduction techniques to address and treat co- morbid issues associated with the disorder. This alternative will kill youth’s dependence in technological devices especially computers designed for gaming. Here in the Philippines, there are no other alternatives except the laws implemented by the government with the promulgation of the Republic Act No. 7391 or the Computer Regulation Act of 2007.

The inappropriate excess use of multimedia devices in European countries such as
Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, England, Ukraine, and Italy is strictly prohibited among the youth.
Prohibition with the accordance of their presidents has been taken upon the agreement of their respective government officials to ensure that the possible effects of continuous dependence in using multimedia devices in such a way they are entertained will crash their psychological and behavioral patterns. In Japan, prohibition of such issues is not being emphasized by their government because they believe that it’s a barrier for achieving their nation’s high computer literacy. Inappropriate excess use of technological devices should be the focus of government agencies all over the world. This is because the bigger units of society can also affect even the small areas in the community. In school for example, how do technological mediums affect the psychological and behavioural patterns of students? How can continuous addiction affects the self-concept of students? Are there any responsible agencies of the school who can abolish this issue? Let’s find out as we proceed to the main focus of these research.

Statement of the Problem

To sustain the academic excellence of students all over the Philippines is the primary goal of the Department of Education. It is the primary concern of the department as a response of today’s cyber addiction issue. The concerned department is responsible for the distribution of technological goods and services to different schools in the country primarily public schools. But this will lead to youth dependence on multimedia devices and later addiction. Addiction of students to multimedia devices especially computers destroys their future. This is the main objective of this research, to prove that enhancing student’s literacy through the use of technological devices which is incapable of destroying a student’s intellect is an effective alternative against multimedia addiction. This will be taken in action through promulgating the reader’s month every quarter of the year with the help of all domestic teachers in accordance to the Department of Education.

If we are going to detect those micro units in the Philippine society, are they also similar?
Remember that these mini units occupy the first step for a change. Let’s take a look at the current condition of the fourth year students in Daraga National High School in Albay. According to the last survey of the concerned agencies in school, the total estimated percentage of fourth year students who were really addicted in using multimedia devices especially playing computer games has reached to 18.3%. This implies that the condition of the fourth year students is no longer in trouble. But remember that addiction is like a disease that can spread all over a certain area. Daraga National High School as a whole should find an effective alternative in fighting multimedia abuse especially for the graduating students. As said earlier, the focus of these research is to prove that enhancing student’s ability to read comprehensively through the use of harmless technological devices is an effective remedy against cyber abuse of students in Daraga
National High School. This researched emphasizes fourth year students of Daraga National High
School.

In relation with the focus of the study stated from the previous paragraphs, the researcher will prove the said hypothesis, An effective remedy in fighting multimedia abuse among students in the Philippines either bigger or smaller sectors is to raise the student’s literacy in terms of technological mediums. Hence, the researcher should take the considerations of answers to the following queries. 1.How does technological abuse among fourth year students in Daraga National High
School affects the three essential element of life, the mind, heart, and hand? 2. How can dependence on multimedia devices affects the future of fourth year students of Daraga National High School? 3.What is the need of finding an immediate but effective treatment against cyber addiction among the fourth year students of Daraga National High School as the researcher’s primary concern?

Scope and Delimitation

This research emphasizes fourth year students of Daraga National High School primarily those who were really addicted to multimedia devices. They were chosen as the main characters of this study in preparation for their tertiary level. In fact, they are the last batch of the Regular
Basic Education Curriculum so the researcher should handle them tightly. Hence, as they go up to a higher education, they learn how to use what they have learned about the proper use of technological devices through the help of learner’s literacy. This vital point will remain forever to a graduating student’s mind as he or she grows old.

The Daraga National High School is the chosen place for taking this research plan in action because it’s where the researcher studies. This is because to achieve his co-students’ future is one of the researcher’s goal.

This research will be taken in action from the start of March until the end of April to test whether the said hypothesis is objective. The preparations will also take lot of time but the essence is not yet gone.

This study will be promulgated with the coordination of the school’s principal, the Department of Education officials and fellow teachers. This will be done through having the reader’s month every quarter of the school year. This will not only enhance the fourth year student’s ability to fight for multimedia abuse through the power of literacy but also the remaining levels of school.

Significance of the Study

The significance of this study is to abolish multimedia addiction among the students in their respective schools. But the primary concern of this study are the fourth year students of
Daraga National High School.

The purpose of this research is to show and prove that encouraging fourth students of
Daraga National High School in reading comprehensively will enhance their literacy ability leaving too much dependence on multimedia devices. Instead of playing computer games and visiting social networking sites, the students can learn lot of things through reading in school and even in homes. Unlike other countries, this alternative source is more efficient compared to other remedies. Even though this researched is very difficult because the stated inference should be proven through experimentations, it’s utility is limitless.

Therefore, mixing all the objectives above forms the summary of all tensions of this study which is the proper use of technology in gaining the students literacy neglecting cyber abuse primarily those in the fourth year level in the selected school which is the
Daraga National High School.

Definition of Terms

The following terms in understanding this research plan should be taken into considerations. Cyber Addiction/Abuse. Is defined as any online-related, compulsive behavior which interferes with normal living and causes severe stress on family, friends, loved ones, and one’s work environment. Internet addiction has been called Internet dependency and Internet compulsivity.

Cyber Dependence. Refers to the state in which a person is dependent upon using a technological device neglecting other more sensible and advantageous resources.

Multimedia Devices. Devices that are made during the presence of digital technology which are used as mediums for mass media including networking and communications.

Digital Technology. Refers to the current technology designed for an immediate response to the scarcity that make our work easier and faster. It is the product of science.

Digital Natives. Babies who were born during the period of digital technology. Opposite of digital immigrants.

Cyber Age. The epoch in which the presence of technological devices is no longer
Impossible. The age of cybernetics in which the explosion of digital technology has reached the maximum level.

DOTA. A very popular online adventure game primarily called as the Defense of the
Ancients that has the most number of game users all over the world starting from the year of
2012 according to the World Research Organization.

Survey. A detailed study as by gathering of informations performed by a specific agency in a particular nation or state. This is taken once a year in majority.

World Research Organization. A worldwide agency responsible for doing different research related to computers and other multimedia devices.

NOTES

http://park.org/Philippines/education/issue.htm http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/technological.html http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_technology.html http://netaddiction.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/CBT-IA.Outcomes.pdf http://netaddiction.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/King-issues-for-DSM-V-video-game-addiction.pdf

Concept Map

Copyright and Patent
Copyright and Patent
School
School
Information overload
Information overload
Cyber Sex
Cyber Sex

Topic: Cyber Addiction
Subtopic: Cyber Addiction within the fourth year students of Daraga National High School.
Queries:
1.How does technological abuse among fourth year students in Daraga National High
School affects the three essential elements of life, the mind, heart, and hand?
2. How can dependence on multimedia devices affects the future of fourth year students of Daraga National High School?
3.What is the need of finding an immediate but effective treatment against cyber addiction among the fourth year students of Daraga National High School as the researcher’s primary concern?