Chapter I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

We are living in the 21st Century where the internet has been hailed as one of the greatest

inventions of the modern age; a magical gateway to information, communication, and resources,

unlike anything we could previously have dreamed of. Many have claimed that it is the greatest

single technological advance for education, as it opens up opportunities for studying, discovering

and learning that were hitherto unimaginable.

Google provides students with the enormous advantage of a world of information at their

fingertips. The simple act of tapping a search term into a keyboard can deliver a Google-selected

list of hundreds of relevant articles in under a second a far cry from the hour's students would

spend leafing through library books and journals in days gone by. The sheer volume of research

materials online can make it ‘too easy’ for students to find the information they need, allowing

them to compile an entire roster of facts by copying and pasting without actually having to

understand or analyze the information they are sifting through at all. While a student twenty

years ago would have had to read and digest a huge amount of information in order to put

together a report on tree frogs, for example, using different sources for different parts of the

project, a modern student would be able to discover everything they needed to know from a

single internet site, picking up little knowledge in the process.

Background of the Study

The average number of Google searches per day has grown from 9,800 in 1998 to over 4.7

trillion today.1 This may not be surprising since we've all come to appreciate the thrill of instant

information. But while it's certainly convenient to have the sum of all knowledge at our

fingertips, studies show that the "Google effect" is changing the way we think.

Every day search engines like Google gives thousands of solutions and facilitate lives. The

research, conducted by psychologists of Columbia and Harvard Universities, is the first of its

kind to examine the effect of search engines on the human memory.

According to a co-author of the study, Betsy Sparrow, search engines change the people’s way of

memorizing and remembering things.

In a 2011 experiment published in Science Magazine, college students remembered less

information when they knew they could easily access it later on the computer.2 With 49% of

Americans now toting around Google on their smartphones, researchers concluded that the effect

is the same. We're relying on Google to store knowledge long-term, instead of our own brains.3

Neuroimaging of frequent Internet users shows twice as much activity in the short term memory

as sporadic users during online tasks.4 Basically, our brain is learning to disregard information

found online, and this connection becomes stronger every time we experience it. So the more we

use Google, the less likely we are to retain what we see.

The researchers claim that the Internet has now become a dominant form of transactive memory.

Previously this role belonged to the books. Today the Internet shows an even more powerful

presence in our lives.

The survey was based on four different experiments that examined:

• how the volunteers based on the search engines when memorizing something;

• how they remembered different information depending on whether they had access to it later;

• whether they remembered better the information itself or where it can be found on their

computer.

The results say the researchers, indicate a significant change in the way the memory operates.

As shown, most participants demonstrated a tendency to forget the things they were sure to find

on the Internet and to remember those they couldn’t find online.

Also it was revealed that people remembered better where they could find something on the

Internet rather than the information itself.

Theoretical Framework

Anne SteinHoff (2016) stated that access to information has changed tremendously over the past

decade. While it was impossible to come up with answers to questions without consulting a book

or scribbling down own thoughts in the past, search engines such as Google are the preferred go-

to places in the era of smartphones. Like no other generation, today’s teenagers and students

appreciate the convenience of knowledge at their fingertips asking Google to provide

information on any kind of question.

Terry Heick(2019) stated that it’s always revealing to watch learner's research. When trying to

understand complex questions often as part of multi-step projects, they often simply “Google it.”

Why do people migrate? Google it. Where does inspiration come from? Google it. How do

different cultures view humanity differently? Google it. Literally Google it. Type those questions
word-for-word into the Google search box and hope for answers. Educators cringe, but to the

students it makes sense. And if the people think about it, this is actually helpful–a rare

opportunity for transparency into the mind of a student. When students formative years are spent

working on their fingers through apps and iPads, smartphones and YouTube, the digital world

and its habits can bend and shape not just how they access information, but how they

conceptualize it entirely. They see information differently–something that’s always accessible.

And they see knowledge as searchable, even though that’s not how it works.

Conceptual Framework

The major concept of this study is focused on The Effects of Using Too Much Google to Senior

High School Students.

Figure 1; shows the

CAUSE EFFECTS

Google creates the illusion of

accessibility

Google naturally suggests “answers”

Too Much Use of Google
as stopping points

Google obscures the interdependence

of information
Statement of the Problem

Generally, this study aims to determine the effects of using too much google to Senior

High School Students.

Specifically, it aims to answer the following:

1. How many students are relying too much on Google?

2. What are the effects of using too much google in SHS students?

Objectives of the Study

Specifically, this endeavor attempts to:

1. To know how many students are relying too much on Google.

2. Determine the effects of using too much google in SHS students.

Significance of the Study

Students. This study will help the students to be aware of the effects of Google has on

their study.

Parents. Who are directly concerned with the education of their children

considering school performance in a different discipline.

Future Researcher. The result of this study can serve as a basis for further study

on the effects of Google.

Scope and Limitation

This study is limited only to ACLC Senior High School Students during the Academic

Year 2019-2020.

The study focuses on the effects of using too much Google to Senior High School

Students only. The information needed will be gathered using the checklist-style research-made

questionnaire. All information and conclusions drawn from this study were obtained only to this

particular group of students.

Definition of Terms

Google – According to Merriam-Webster the term Google that means “ to obtain

information about (someone or something) on World Wide Web and also you can find a variety

of pictures, websites, maps or even answers. Google is also called a ‘ web crawler ’ that looks a

billion websites on the World Wide Web and examines its content to find keywords.” The term

Google means “ search engine”.

Effects – According to Merriam- Webster the term Effect means “power to bring about a

result” and “ a change which is a result or consequence of an action or other cause “.

Internet - According to Merriam- Webster the term Internet means that “ an electronic

communications network that connects computer networks and organizational computer

facilities around the world ”. This is also a global computer network providing a variety of

information and communication facilities, consisting of interconnected networks using

standardized communication protocols.

Technology -