FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT 1

DISCONNECTION TO RECONNECTION:
An Empirical Study on the Influence of CMC in the Interpersonal Communication
Skills of Students of Online Classes

ARTETA, Maia Nicole M.

LAPADA, Abigael
LOPEZ, Brendan Khaea A.
LUCERO, Frances Anne T.
TADURAN, Pierre Justine

ELS0106 – Computer Mediated Communication

February 4, 2023
I. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
- Computer mediated communication is a term to include all related
communication that uses digital devices like computers. The following are
listed, including video calls, text messages, and online forums (Cleveland,
2020).
- Students from all over the world experienced the pandemic with many of
their resident countries resorting to online classes. During a series of
lockdowns in the Philippines, the batch of 3rd year students from Far Eastern
University (FEU) had to experience the brunt of online classes for two years.
- The reason for this focus is because their predecessors were able to
experience face-to-face classes before the lockdown. Meanwhile, the batch
after them only had to face one year of online class. The researchers
believe that the 3rd year FEU students may have been more exposed to
CMC.

II. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

- This study will aim to point out the role of CMC in the decline and
development of FEU’s 3rd Year Undergraduate Students’ interpersonal skills
over the course of the 2-year online learning set-up and its result as
demonstrated in the current face-to-face learning set-up.

III. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the role of CMC in the decline of people’s interpersonal
communication skills over the course of the 2 year-online class during the
worldwide pandemic?
2. What is the role of CMC in the development of people’s interpersonal
communication skills over the course of the 2 year-online class during the
worldwide pandemic?
3. What is the result of CMC in the interpersonal communication skills of FEU’s
3rd Year Undergraduate Students post-online set-up?

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IV. HYPOTHESIS / THESIS STATEMENT
- Hypothesis
o Computer-mediated communication over the online learning set-up
resulted to a decline in the interpersonal communication skills of
FEU’s 3rd Year Undergraduate Students, as manifested in their
behavior of developed social anxiety and other socialization
impairments in the face-to-face learning set-up.
- Thesis Statement
o In the events of the pandemic in the years 2020 to 2022, a new
normal has emerged, forcing governments to implement health and
safety protocols which included the shutting down of on-site or face-
to-face classes. During the switch to online classes and after the
eventual and gradual return of face-to-face classes, individuals and
communities alike operating within this new normal experienced a
decline or degradation of social skills and interaction caused by a
variety of factors which essentially includes the medium/s of
communication and pandemic-borne culture.

V. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

- The study will be of succor to various personas in the institution, particularly
to the following:
o Students – understand that their struggles are valid and to [figure out]
new ways in coping with the new set-up
o Professors – design new approaches to student-centered-learning
that is considerate to the new set-up
o Future researchers – expand the literature for CMC-related research
on pandemic online classes.

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VI. METHODOLOGY
- Research Design
o The chosen approach for this method is qualitative research since
this paper will discuss the phenomena of CMC as observed in both
the decline and development of interpersonal skills during the two-
year online learning setup and its manifested results in today's face-
to-face classes. Data gathering will come from transcribed lines
uttered by both parties involved in an interview and a survey to
pinpoint aspects such as demographic information. The following
would enable the researchers to determine the experiences and
current perspectives of the people affected by the pandemic by listing
the results, whether in a person's decline or progress.
- Sample Population
o This study would employ 3rd year FEU undergraduate students as
their sample population. The reason for this is because the said
population have experienced the two-year online learning set-up of
which CMC has been such a critical [part]. Aside from this, the said
population is also undergoing the first year of face-to-face learning
set-up since 2020, which the study projects is where the
manifestation of the change to their interpersonal communication
skills can be well perceived.

VII. CRITICAL QUESTIONS

1. What do you think is the significance of such study in the enrichment of the
general understanding of CMC?
2. How do you think would CMC fare after a study such as this has been
conducted in the future? What difference would it be if the said study would
not be carried out?

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VIII. REFERENCES
Cleveland, C. (2020, July 30). Computer-Mediated Communication: What It Is
& How to Use It Successfully. https://harbert.auburn.edu/blogs/school-
of- accountancy/computer-mediated-communication.html

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 ——▾ DON’T PRINT BEYOND THIS POINT ▾ ——

PPT OUTLINE
I. TITLE
- DISCONNECTION TO RECONNECTION: An Empirical Study on the
Influence of CMC in the Interpersonal Communication Skills of Students of
Online Classes
II. Background
- Computer mediated communication is a term to include all related
communication that uses digital devices like computers. The following are
listed, including video calls, text messages, and online forums (Cleveland,
2020).
- During a series of lockdowns in the Philippines, the batch of 3 rd year
students from Far Eastern University (FEU) had to experience the brunt of
online classes for two years.
III. Statement of the Problem
- This study will aim to point out the role of CMC in the decline and
development of FEU’s 3rd Year Undergraduate Student’s interpersonal skills
over the course of the 2-year online learning set-up and its result as
demonstrated in the current face-to-face learning set-up.
IV. Research Questions
1. What is the role of CMC in the decline of people’s interpersonal
communication skills over the course of the 2 year-online class during the
worldwide pandemic?
2. What is the role of CMC in the development of people’s interpersonal
communication skills over the course of the 2 year-online class during the
worldwide pandemic?
3. What is the result of CMC in the interpersonal communication skills of FEU’s
3rd Year Undergraduate Students post-online set-up?
V. Thesis Statement

6
 o In the events of the pandemic in the years 2020 to 2022, a new
normal has emerged, forcing governments to implement health and
safety protocols which included the shutting down of on-site or face-
to-face classes. During the switch to online classes and after the
eventual and gradual return of face-to-face classes, both individuals
and communities operating within this new normal experienced a
decline or degradation of social skills and interaction caused by a
variety of factors which essentially includes the medium/s of
communication and pandemic-borne culture.
VI. Significance of the Study
- The study will be of succor to various personas in the institution, particularly
to the following:
o Students – understand that their struggles are valid and to [figure out]
new ways in coping with the new set-up
o Professors – design new approaches to student-centered-learning
that is considerate to the new set-up
o Future researchers – expand the literature for CMC-related research
on pandemic online classes.
VII. Research Design
- The chosen approach for this method is qualitative research since this
paper will discuss the phenomena of CMC as observed in both the decline
and development of interpersonal skills during the two-year online learning
setup and its manifested results in today's face-to-face classes. Data
gathering will come from transcribed lines uttered by both parties involved
in an interview and a survey to pinpoint aspects such as demographic
information. The following would enable the researchers to determine the
experiences and current perspectives of the people affected by the
pandemic by listing the results, whether in a person's decline or progress.
VIII. Sample Population
- This study would employ 3rd year FEU undergraduate students as their
sample population. The reason for this is because the said population have

7
 experienced the two-year online learning set-up of which CMC has been
such a critical [part]. Aside from this, the said population is also undergoing
the first year of face-to-face learning set-up since 2020, which the study
projects is where the manifestation of the change to their interpersonal
communication skills can be well perceived.
IX. Critical Questions
1. What do you think is the significance of such study in the enrichment of the
general understanding of CMC?
2. How do you think would CMC fare after a study such as this has been
conducted in the future? What difference would it be if the said study would
not be carried out?