Screen Time and Writing: Investigating the Connection

This study intended to determine the existence of a relationship between screen time on the internet and basic writing skills proficiency of Grade 10 students at Lilo-an National High School for School Year 2023-2024. Moreover, a teaching writing module was designed based on the results of the study. The study was solely conducted and limited to the Grade 10 students of Lilo-an National High School, and students from other grade levels and from neighboring secondary and integrated schools in the District of Malinao were not within the scope of this study. This study used a descriptive-correlational method of research to gather and analyze data on the internet screen time exposure of the students and their proficiency in basic writing. Furthermore, this study made use of researcher- constructed questionnaire on the students’ extent of internet screen time exposure and designed writing activities intended to measure students’ level of proficiency in basic writing. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency count and percentage, mean, and standard deviation; nonparametric inferential tests such as Mann-Whitney U Test, Kruskal Wallis Test, and Spearman Rho Correlation were used to test the relationship of the variables with the aid of different statistical software applications. Results revealed that the screen time on the internet spent on the internet for academic, socialization, and entertainment activities was sometimes between two and 5 hours. Educational activities online can be integrated into the amount of time spent by the students. The level of writing proficiency of the respondents in terms of imitative and intensive writing was approaching proficiency, while proficient in responsive and extensive writing. The respondents had a higher proficiency level in complex writing, while they had a lower proficiency in foundational writing. Students need to master the foundational skills in order to authentically construct writings in the more complex type. Thus, there was no significant relationship between screen time on the internet and basic writing skills proficiency of the students. Therefore, we can conclude that students’ screen time on the internet does not affect their basic writing skills proficiency in terms of imitative, intensive, responsive and extensive writing.