Psychology

The modern condition has increasingly penetrated all aspect of Philippine life. Cell phone is one of the craze. These high-tech gadgets are meant to make it convenient for called to contact their parties. But like mostly things in our planet, convenience and privilege have their counterparts in responsibility and consideration. Its must be remembered that cell phones like service phone lines announce incoming calls through beeps. People spent a lot of their time texting their friends, asking for some assignments, and others. But the use of cell phones had a bad effect in their way of learning because aside from having some calls, they were able to have some shortcut on the words in order to deliver their message in one single sent without thinking of the effect in their learning skills (Cooper, 1990).

Text messaging is very in-demand to all the people in the world, because it cost less than having a call, they can even have some chat through their cell phones where they prefer rather than going to the computer centers paying most than having some text. With so many adults buying and using mobile phones these days, its no wonder that mobile companies are looking to expand even further. The Philippines is claimed by many texting capital of the world with 7.2 million cell phone subscribers and an average of 65.4 million messages per day (httpwww.up.edu.ph.). Yes, you guessed it, its time for children and seniors to get mobile phones especially designed for them.

Researchers have just begun noting how people use modern technologies in strategic ways. Some women may use it as their shield to inquisitive men, some just to become in to their peers. But the worst is that some lustful individual use these devices to arrange unconventional sexual liaisons. Filipinos have the tendency to welcome and embrace new technology and try to disregard its effect. (Pertierra et.al, 2004). The researchers believe most of our children are more sophisticated with electronic gadgets, cell phones included, than their parents. Giving a high tech cell phone to a child is the same as giving a gun to him. Heshe will eventually abuse it, out of curiosity.

It is also noted that researchers predicted that by the end of this year, nearly 50 of our children worldwide ages 10-19 will own cell phone from only 32 last year (httphomepage.mac.comjaychristoiblog).

The researchers were caught by curiosity why most children were hooked with these gadgets and how frequent are these being used, thus the research.

Conceptual framework

The researchers used the following framework as basis for this study.

There is little evidence, however, that effort to correct reading and spelling problems among cell phone users thru remedial reading program or thru special education placement had been very successful.  Instead, there is evidence to suggest that children who encountered difficulty in learning to read fall further and further behind their achieving peers.  Traditional approaches to dealing with reading problems, such as tracking and grade retention do not help indeed, they often appeared to be detrimental to eventual student achievements (Shepard and Smith, 1999 McGill-Franzen and Allington, 2003).

An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure (old adage).  It must be noted that instead of correcting or curing problems brought by cell phone use, it is better for men to prevent the abuse of it.  However, prevention can not be made unless one knows why an in individual is indulged with these high-tech devices.  Thats why the research is to explore on the factors that motivate someone to use cell phone and how often are these being used.
INPUT            PROCESS  OUTPUT

Figure 1. Research Paradigm
Figure shows the flow of the research, the relationship between the input, the process and the outputs.  The inputs are the personal accounts of the respondents the process includes the design, the methods or way of investigation and interpretation to arrive at those expected outputs, which is the main target of the study.

Statement of the Problem

This research is done to find out the status of cell phone utilization among the  fourth year students of Francisco Q. Duque Medical Foundation Special Science High School (FQDMFSSHS) A.Y. 2006-2007.

Specifically, the study seeks to answer the following questions
1. Motivational factors that encourages students to use cell phone in terms of
Personal reasons
Social reasons
1.2.1. Peers
1.2.2. Family
1.2.3. Community
Institutional reasons
2. How frequent is cell phone used among students
3. Is there a significant difference between male and female students in terms of cell phone utilization

Hypothesis of the Study
Ho There is no significant difference between male and female students in
terms of cell phone utilization.
Ha There is a significant difference between male and female students in
terms of cell phone utilization.

Significance of the Study
This study focused and aimed to appraise status of cell phone utilization among the  fourth year students of Francisco Q. Duque Medical Foundation Special Science High School (FQDMFSSHS) A.Y. 2006-2007.
This is especially for the following

Parents
This study can help parents or guardians of the students to have insights why their children are very much sophisticated with cell phones and can be informed also of some facts related to this study to help them develop their children in better ways.

Teacher
This is also for them to gain insight why most students show eagerness to these electronic devices and also to be aware of the findings of some studies related to these about the effects of cell phone to the performance of students.  Knowledge of these can help teachers to initiate action that can help students attain academic success.

Students
This study is also addressed to them so that they will become conscious of the factors that attracts them to embrace these new technical gadgets and to become aware also whether they are wise users or not.

Researchers
This study is all for future researcher on topics related to this that it may serve as or guide, if not, as a basis for future investigation.

Scope and Delimitation
This study is limited only to the investigation of motivational factors that encourages children to use cell phone and how frequent are these being utilized.

Effects of cell phone on health, social and cultural aspects of users are included in the review of related literature as basis why the researchers want to study the factors that contribute to a wide spread utilization of cell phone. The respondents of the study are the fourth year students of FQDMFSSHS.  The researchers conducted this study from June to October 2006.

Definition of terms
For better understanding of this research, the following terms are defined operationally.

Cell phones. Refers to the wireless telecommunication device common nowadays.

Children. Persons ages 10-19 who are hooked with cell phone use.

Community. Term applied to all persons to whom one deals with.              

Craze. Term used to described situations in which a group of individuals react coherently to something.

Family. Refers to ones parents, siblings and other relatives.

Institutional reasons. Factors associated to Education or academics that encourage the user to utilize cell phone.

Motivational factors. Refers to the reasons that encourages individual to use cell phone.

Network. An interconnected system of things or people.

Peers. Refers to friends or mates.
Personal reasons. Individuals reasons of using cell phone.

Social reasons. Factors associated to the individuals environments that
intensifies their interest to use d cell phone.

Status. Position, rank or standing of cell phone use in terms of frequency of
utilization.

Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents several studies concerning the effect of s of cell phone to the scholastic performance of elementary and secondary students. However, such reviewed studies are related to the present study in the sense that the present aims to appraise or find out why there is a high demands of cell phone these days that can be used further investigation for the prevention of the  effects o f cell phone to the users, this study therefore are discussed briefly in this chapter.

It seems the chirp of mobile phones is set to drown out the whirl of yo-yos and scraping of knees in the schoolyards of the 21st century.

Some observers in the telecommunications industry suggest that as many as 300,000 children in the UK now own a cell phone up from a mere 3,000 just two years ago (Panopio, 1994).

The BBC flagship childrens news programmed newsround said late last year that mobile phones were the most requested Christmas gift by young people aged 10 to 15.

The gadgets had reputedly displaced traditional toys and even computer games in a survey.
It was even feared the usual Christmas lament about the absence of batteries in new presents would be replaced by wails over the lack of signal as mobile networks collapsed under the youthful onslaught. It is not only the person phoning or being phoned whose education is being disturbed- it is the progress of entire class.

Charles Whitney a European education expert likened children mobile phones to a dangerous extension of the umbilical cord.

Indeed many parents claim to purchase handsets expressly to keep tabs on their offspring should an emergency arise. (Collingwood, 1992)

Most researchers focus on the effects of cell phone to the health of a user especially on the carcinogenicity or cancer causing potential of cell phones.

Three recently published large case control studies were done, these are

The study of brain cancer at Stockholm and Uppsala regions at Sweden of 233 patients with 469 controls, the American health foundation of New York with 469 patient (1998) and the US National Cancer Institute at Phoenix Boston studying 782 patients (1998)

The three studies come up with these common findings
It was found out for unclear reason that persons who use cell phone have lower tendency of having brain cancer.

No study showed Dose-response relations, a tendency for a risk of brain cancer to increase with increasing cell phone use.

No relationship on the side of the brain affected to where the cell phone is used (http www. Cancer.org  doctroot  Ped  content.com)

Aside from health, effects of cell phone to other aspects were also studied. On the study of Beth, cell phone can affect the spelling and grammar of a child.  At their early age using cell phone can affect the childs knowledge regarding the good spelling of the word. Other words were misspelled for the reason that they think they are using cell phone. In the school they got a low grade especially in the spelling subject (Delhi, 1995).

Researchers in the Philippines also claim that Filipino values are easily changed by this sophisticated gadget such as ways of alleviating boredom, organizing meetings, dealing and winning friends including the new form of courtship. There are claims also that cell phone became the catalyst to the occurrence of the Edsa II. (httpwww.Finlandembassy .ph)

According to Fe Hidalgo, DepEd Secretary, academic competency of Filipinos especially in English has declined this past 12 years the use of taglish has contributed much which is also worsen by the use of cell phone.(httpwww.manila times.net)

These studies mentioned brought insight and interest to the researchers to study not the effects of cell phone to the user but the reasons or factors that drive an individual to use such and most of all, the status of cell phone utilization among children.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the procedure utilized in the collection of data, the method employed in the presentation and interpretation to answer the problems presented in Chapter I.

Research Design
This study utilized the descriptive survey as methodology. Descriptive because it seeks to investigate prevailing conditions about the satus of cell phone use or utilization among the respondents and the factors or reasons that push them to use such electronic devise (Adanza, 2002).

Another method used is the documentary method, which consists of putting together in a logical way the evidences gathered from the responses to survey questionnaires.. From the evidences gathered conclusion with respect to past events, human experiences, characteristics and thoughts are drawn (Adanza, 2002).

Sources of Data
This study was conducted to the fourth year students of FQD Medical Foundation Special Science High School with a total of 75 student respondents. The researchers have chosen the respondents for the reason that they (researcher) believe that the respondents are not that rich nor poor enough expected therefore to be at the middle and therefore can be a good sample.   Fourth year because, from the study of Barbour (2005) children ages 10-19 are most sophisticated with cell phones thus, 14.5 or 15 rears olds are at the middle most part of this age range and thus fourth years.

Instrumentation and Data Collection
A set of questionnaire using the Likert scale, an instrument composed of statements that permit responses of varying level or series of gradation (Garcia, 2003) was formulated as the principal data-gathering tool. Permission from the principal thru writing was first secured. The institutions likewise issued a letter of permission. The researchers for confidentiality and security purposes did floating and retrieving of questionnaire personally.

For objective no. 1, the following scale was used
Weight of responseClass limitsDescriptionSymbol54.515.00Highly motivationalHM43.514.50MotivationalM32.513.50Moderately motivationalMM21.512.50Fairly motivationalFM11.001.50Not motivationalNM
For objective no.2 the following scale was employed
Weight of responseClass limitsDescriptionSymbol54.515.00Highly Utilized
HU43.514.50Utilized
U32.513.50Moderately Utilized
MU21.512.50Fairly Utilized
FU11.001.50Not Utilized
NU

Highly Utilized - always, every time and consistent or cant breath without
Utilized - often but not consistent nor time to time
Moderately Utilized - sometimes often sometimes seldom
Fairly Utilized - seldomonly for chosen times
Not Utilized - never or not at all

Tools for Data Analysis
The researchers utilized the following tools for analysis of the data gathered
For objective nos.1 2, computation of the average weighted mean was done to find how influential do the enumerated motivational factors were and how frequent do students use cell phone.  The formula used was

EMBED PBrush
where
AWG  Average Weighted Mean
(fx  - is the sum of the products of the frequency and weight of the
response.
n - is the total number of members in a group.

For objective no.3 the t-test was utilized to finf out the significant difference between male and female students in terms of cell phone utilization.
The formula used was                                          

Where              
 X1  mean of sample one
X2  mean of sample two
n1   number of subjects in sample 1
n2   number of subjects in sample 2
s12  variance of sample 1
s22  variance of sample 2

Chapter IV

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter contains and unfolds the result of the study through presentation in a tabular form and also includes the discussion, analysis and interpretation of the findings.

TABLE 1
FREQUENCY AND PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS ACCORDING TO GENDER

GENDERFREQUENCYPERCENTAGEMALE3145.59FEMALE3754.41TOTAL68100
The study has a total respondent population of 68 fourth year students of FQDMFSSHS.  There are 31 males (45.59) and 37 females (54.41).

TABLE 2
FREQUENCY AND PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS ACCORDING TO OWNING OF CELL PHONE

GENDERFREQUENCYPERCENTAGEWith CPWithout CPWith CPWithout CPMALE26583.8716.13FEMALE34391.898.1TOTAL60888.2411.76

The table shows that 26 out of 31 respondents (83.87) male respondents have cell phones and 5 out of 31 (16.13) do not have.  It also shows that 34 out of 37 female respondents have cell phones (91.89) and the remaining 3 (8.1) do not have their own. This shows also that 8 among the whole population of respondents (11.76) do not own a cell phone.

TABLE 3
MEAN VALUES AND DESCRIPTIVE INTERPRETATION FOR THE MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS ENCOURAGING THE RESPONDENTS TO USE CELL PHONE IN TERMS OF PERSONAL REASONS

Motivational factors54321XDescriptive
InterpretationFull of fun152521613.69Motivational
Aid in winning many friends102421853.38Moderately MotivationalEnhances intellectual capacity520241453.09Moderately MotivationalUse for protection717271163.12Moderately MotivationalOVER-ALL AVERAGE3.32Moderately Motivational

Cell phone being a source of fun is rated as motivational (3.69).  Its being aid for winning friend (3.38), enhancement of intellectual capacity (3.09) and for protection (3.12) are viewed as moderately motivational.

The overall average for personal reason is 3.32, that is moderately motivational.

TABLE 4
MEAN VALUES AND DESCRIPTIVE INTERPRETATION FOR THE MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS ENCOURAGING THE RESPONDENTS TO USE CELL PHONE IN TERMS OF SOCIAL REASONS

Motivational factors54321XDescriptive
InterpretationPEERSMost All friends use cell phone26269614.13Motivational
Aid to keep communication with friends or love ones44184114.51Highly
MotivationalIt can strengthen friendshiprelationship252513414.01MotivationalTOTAL
4.22MotivationalFAMILYEncouragement of parents to cope with new trends3132616102.75Moderately
MotivationalAid to keep in touch with my them29314314.24MotivationalHelps one to feel like nearer to ones family31259304.24MotivationalTOTAL3.74Motivational
COMMUNITYUse cell phone due to modern trends612288102.94Moderately
MotivationalMost people around use cell phone201320843.57MotivationalImportant responsibility in the community (leader)1015221243.24Moderately
MotivationalTOTAL3.25Moderately MotivationalOVER-ALL AVERAGE3.74Motivational

It is very striking to know that cell phone as an aid to communicate with friends and love ones is rated as highly motivational factor (4.51).  It shows also that because of peers or friends have cell phones, the respondents are also encourage to use such (4.13) and that cell phone can strengthen friendship (4.01) are interpreted as motivational factors.  As a total, peer factor is motivational (4.22) element that urges the respondents to use cell phone.

To family factor, the table unfolds that cell phone as an aid to keep in touch with ones family and as aid that make someone feel nearer to the family are rated similarly (4.24) or motivational factors.  Family factor as a component of social reasons is viewed as motivational factor (3.74).

For community factor, the table presents that by total, it is rated as moderately motivational (3.25).

For an over-all rating of social reason, it is said to be motivational factor (3.74) that encourages them (respondents) to utilize cell phone.

TABLE 5
MEAN VALUES AND DESCRIPTIVE INTERPRETATION FOR THE MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS ENCOURAGING THE RESPONDENTS TO USE CELL PHONE IN TERMS OF INSTITUTIONAL REASONS

Motivational factors54321XDescriptive
InterpretationUse cell phone to contact teachers 1221201053.37Moderately MotivationalUse to communicate with classmates282610404.15MotivationalUse to contact other school personnel1119211073.25Moderately MotivationalUse for academic subject such as calculation etc.4141422142.59Moderately MotivationalOVER-ALL AVERAGE3.34Moderately

Motivational
The table vividly shows that cell phone as used to communicate with classmates is rated highest under this category (4.15) or motivational.  The other components as moderately motivational use to contact the teachers (3.37), use to contact other school personnel (3.25) and use for academic purposes (2.59).  As a total, institutional reason is moderately motivational factor (3.34).

TABLE 6
SUMMARY OF MEAN VALUES AND DESCRIPTIVE INTERPRETATION FOR THE MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS ENCOURAGING THE RESPONDENTS TO USE CELL PHONE

Motivational factorsXDescriptive
InterpretationAid to keep communication with friends or love ones4.51HMAid to keep in touch with my them4.24MHelps one to feel like nearer to ones family4.24MUse to communicate with classmates4.15MMost All friends use cell phone4.13MIt can strengthen friendshiprelationship4.01MFull of fun3.69MMost people around use cell phone3.57MAid in winning many friends3.38MUse cell phone to contact teachers3.37MUse to contact other school personnel3.25MImportant responsibility in the community (leader3.24MUse for protection3.12MEnhances intellectual capacity3.09MMUse cell phone due to modern trends2.94MMEncouragement of parents to cope with new trends2.75MMUse for academic subject such as calculation etc.2.59MM

It can be seen from the above table that cell phone as aid to communication with friends and love ones has the highest and greatest force that pushes the respondents to use cell phone rated as Highly Motivational (4.51).  On the other hand, cell phone used for academic purposes (cell phone) has the lowest impact that drives the respondents to use cell phone, Moderately Motivational (2.59).

TABLE 7
MEAN VALUES AND DESCRIPTIVE INTERPRETATION FOR THE
CELL PHONE APPLICATIONS UTILIZED BY THE RESPONDENTS

Motivational factors54321XDescriptive
InterpretationMaking a call
21982622.9Moderately
UtilizedText messaging
23317514.04UtilizedCell phone games519231463.04Moderately
UtilizedCell phone calculators18203262.49Fairly
UtilizedOther special applications142419373.52Utilized

It is very clear in the table that the student respondents rated text messaging as the most frequent cell phone application they are using rated as utilized (4.04).  It is followed by utilization of other special applications (mp3, video, cam, etc) as utilized (3.52).  Using cell phone for call and gaming as moderately utilized, 3.04 and 2.9 respectively.  Use of cell phone calculator is the least utilized (2.49).

TABLE 8
SUMMARY OF MEAN VALUES AND DESCRIPTIVE INTERPRETATION FOR THE CELL PHONE  UTILIZATION AMONG MALE AND FEMALE RESPONDENTS

Motivational factorsMALEFEMALEMaking a call
2.7MU3.05MUText messaging
4U4.08UCell phone games3.1MU3MUCell phone calculators2.4FU2.57MUOther special applications3.47MU3.57UTOTAL3.13MU3.25MU no significant difference

It can be seen from the table that both the two genders showed TEXTING as the most frequent application they are utilizing.  It can be seen also that both of them rated cell phone as moderately utilized gadget.

With the use of t-test, it was found out that there is no significant difference between the male and female respondents in terms of cell phone utilization.

Chapter V

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation

Summary of Findings

The research has found out that personal reason is rated as motivational factor (3.32).  Also revealed that peer factor is the main element of social reason that aroused the respondents to use cell phone graded as motivational (4.22) and as overall social reason as motivational (3.74).  Institutional reason on the other hand got the lowest rate as moderately motivational factor (3.34).

The study also revealed that cell phone is moderately utilized by the student respondents (3.2) which includes text messaging as the major application they (respondents) are utilizing rated as utilized (4.04).

And lastly, the study showed with the aid of ttest, that there is no significant difference between male and female respondents in terms of cell phone utilization.

Conclusion
Based from the analyzed data presented in chapter IV, the researchers have drawn some conclusions which includes, social reason specifically, peer factor as the main or major motivational factor that drive or encourage the respondents to utilize cell phone.  They also concluded that cell phone is moderately utilized by the respondents with text messaging as the major application used.  It is also concluded that there is no significant difference between the genders in utilizing cell phone.

Recommendation

On the bases of the conclusions, the following recommendations are made
Having been found that social reason especially peer factor is the main motivational element, the researchers encourage future researchers to at least identify some topics that are mostly talked or discussed by parties with the use of cell phone.

Since the study showed that cell phone is moderately utilized by the respondents, the researchers wish that future researchers will focus on whether there are still bad effects of cell phone in regards to this frequency of cell phone use.

Having been revealed from the study that text messaging is the main cell phone application utilized, and based on the study of Beth (see RRL) that text messaging affects spelling and grammar of the students, the researchers recommend that student must lessen the utilization of text messaging application.