THE EFFECTS OF USING WEB TOOLS ON STUDENT

PERFORMANCE IN ENGLISH

Sherwin Alejandro
awin_sher@yahoo.com,

Abstract
This study examined the effects of using web tools on student’s performance in English. Today’s
students have access to global, interactive, and multimedia-rich electronic resources. They use a
computer and mobile devices to access the Internet to solve information challenges. The study
conducted in Cagayan State University, College of Hospitality Industry Management Tuguegarao,
Philippines. The respondents were the forty-five (45) HIM students with thirty-one (31) girls and
fourteen (14) boys. The study made use of descriptive research design. It described the extent of the
use of Web Tools among students. The degree of relationship between students’ extent of use of Web
Tools of the Hospitality Management students in English. Based on the data presented, it found out
that the students’ who always use Web Tools got higher scores in Grammar Composition I. The
students’ performance in Grammar Composition I and their extent of use of Web Tools is moderately
high. Web tools are extremely useful and have great potential in teaching and learning in the English
classroom. The study was an eye-opener for the teacher who will be exploring the use of Web tools.

INTRODUCTION

The development of computer technology and the Internet have made teaching and learning
easier and faster and have given rise to the entire educational system. Today most students have access
to global, interactive, and multimedia-rich electronic resources. They use computers and mobile
devices to access the Internet to solve information challenges and construct compelling products
through text and a variety of digital media for a worldwide audience. The new era of teaching and
learning methods was been characterized in a computer-supported in learning. Today’s generation is
the “Net Generation” (Mcneely,2005). Many students arrive at school as comfortable computer users
having been online at sites such as http://www.sesamestreet.com and http://www.noggin.com. These
sites offer engaging digital media and educational games that are attractive to youngsters. In contrast
to the way students are learning today in the information, traditionally, students were treated as
consumers of information coming mainly from textbooks. In most subjects were taught to read
information written in static textbooks and materials handed to them by teachers. They used to take
notes on copybooks and teachers always checked the neatness of their work. Even though today’s
schools have become more technologically sophisticated, they remain one step behind students
(Loinski,2007).
As a reform initiative in educational technology, the Internet Society for Technology in
Education (ISTE) established the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T)
that are now adopted by many countries (ISTE,2007a). NETS –T set standards for teachers to be
proficient in using technology in teaching. Teachers are expected to plan strategies to enhance
teaching and learning in a technology-enhanced environment. (ISTE,2003).
The current, Net generation, college students rarely have the opportunity to experience the
latest interactive web technologies in a teaching and learning context since these technologies are new
to current teachers who rely on traditional methods of teaching and interaction with students
(Oblinger& Oblinger,2005; Warlick,2005a; Richardson,2006; Losinski,2007).
 Computer-assisted collaborative learning points out by most researchers that the technology-
mediated environment itself plays an important role in the success of learning, that certain tools and
interfaces afford unique opportunities for collaborative learning and allow teachers to implement
appropriate methods (Dwyer & Suthers,2005-2006; Hmelo-Silver, 2003-2004; Hmelo-Silver,
Chernobilsky Hagarajan, 2009; Kozma,1994; Roschelle,1996; Sutherset,2008). Collaborative learning
has been introduced as part of the pedagogical method in learners because increasingly today’s
learners and tomorrow’s professionals are called upon to work together in geographically separated
settings to solve problems. (Dede,2005).
There have been numerous tools and services built in recent years to provide collaboration and
sharing information in different categories having Web capability. Some of these include Social
Bookmarking (YouTube), Blogs (Wordpress.com), Wikis (Wikipedia, Wikispaces), RSS (Google),
Social Networking (Facebook), and other related tools. Web technologies provide opportunities for
collaborative environments. The proliferation of innovative
Web technologies, like blogging, podcasting, tagging, social networking, and bookmarking
provide opportunities for more effective collaborative environments for teachers and learners.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to determine the effect of using web tools on student performance in teaching
and learning English. Specifically, this study seeks to answer the following questions: what extent do
Hospitality Industry Management students use the following Web tools as supplementary materials in
their English subject: Facebook; Wikipedia; YouTube; and Google; what is the English performance
of students; and is there a relationship between the extent of use of Web tools and English
performance of students?

RESEARCH DESIGN & METHODS

The study was used the descriptive design. This describes the effects of web tools in the
performance of the Hospitality Industry Management students in English. The study conducted at the
College of Hospitality Industry Management, Cagayan State University in the First Semester of the
academic year 2019-2020. Since the researcher is interested to know the effects of web tools in the
performance of the above-mentioned students because they will be working in the global field soon,
which requires the use of English. The respondents of the study was the Hospitality Industry
Management students in Cagayan State University that currently enrolled in Grammar Composition I
during the First Semester of 2019-2020 academic year.
The investigation will be classified as a descriptive that aims to explain the effects of web tools
on students’ performance in English. The data will be examined closely on the various areas ranging
from answering questionnaires and test questions using a table of specification. Data will be collected
in the form of drafting test questions and open-ended paper-based student questionnaire after the
implementation phase.
The data was examined closely on the various areas ranging from answering questionnaires
and test questions using a table of specification. The instrument in the study was the examination of
Grammar and Composition I. This examination served as the assessment instrument to monitor
student’s performance in English. The assessment instrument was developed with the help of the
teacher in the class. The examination covered the topics on Subject–Verb Agreement, Adjectives,
Uses of Adverbs, Kinds of Adverbs, and Tenses of verbs.
The examination is composed of 50 items. Based on the Table of Specification there were Six (6)
Learning objectives and twenty-two lessons. Based on the number of lessons, the number of items in
the test placement was calculated. The Examination was composed of thirty (30) easy questions,
fifteen (15) average questions, and five (5) difficult questions. For the level of educational objectives,
there were eighteen (18) knowledge items, five (5) comprehension, eighteen (18) application items,
two (2) analysis items, three (3) evaluation items, and four (4) synthesis items. The examination was
based on the Table of Specification presented below:

Table 1: Table of Specification

Level of Educational
Test Placement Objectives
No. No.
Learning Objectives of of
Less Ite Easy Ave. Diff.
on ms (60% (30 (10 K C App. Ana. E S
) %) %)

Select a word or phrase

to complete
the given 8 9 1-5 6-7 8-9 1-4 5-6 7-9
sentence

Identify the 10- 16- 10-

use of adjectives 3 9 15 17 18 12 13 14-18

Choose the correct order

of 19- 21-
5 5 20 23 19-20 21 22 23
adjectives
Identify the
adverb in the given 24- 29- 24-
2 10 28 32 33 27 28-29 30-33
sentence
Choose the correct form
of the 34- 40- 34-
word using adjectives 3 8 39 41 36 37-38 39 40 41
and adverbs
Complete the sentence
using the 42- 48- 42- 49-
perfect tenses of the 1 9 47 49 50 45 46-47 48 50
verbs
Total 22 50 30 15 5 18 5 18 2 3 4

The data were collected using a teacher made examination and questionnaire. The lessons covered
were Subject- Verb Agreement, Adjectives, Adverbs and uses, Kinds of adverbs, and the tenses of
verbs. These lessons were taught in class through the use of web tools as supplementary materials in
English class. The teacher made use of YouTube, by downloading videos on teaching adjectives, in
using Facebook, the teacher posted grammar worksheets in the group account of the English Class, in
Google, the students made a research on the uses of adverbs and in Wikipedia, the students made a
research on the subject-verb agreement.
After all the lessons were discussed, the examination was administered in the Hospitality Industry
Management Students class. After the students answered the examination, the researcher collected and
checked the Examination papers in Grammar Composition I, and the questionnaire was likewise used
to gather the extent of use of web tools by specifying the features and uses of web tools to determine
the performance of the students in the English Class.
Mean and the standard deviation was used to measure the extent of the use of web tools of the
respondents and their performance in English. The following arbitrary scale was used.

Likert
Scale Descriptive Value
1-1.79 Never
1.8-2.59 Seldom
2.6-3.39 Sometimes
3.4-4.19 Often
4.2-5.0 Always

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

Extent of Use of Web tools

Table 2 shows the extent of the use of Web Tools as Supplementary Materials in Grammar
Composition I. The table shows that the students seldom ( x= 1.9) use Google for creating and sharing
documents in a word processor. For YouTube, the mean is 2.3, this implies that seldom do the
students use video technology, content accessibility, uploading and sharing videos, and recording
videos and audios. This can be attributed to the students sometimes (x = 2.6) use newsfeed, blogging,
messaging voice calls, and video calling as supplementary materials in English. The mean extent of
use in Wikipedia is 2.1. The respondents sometimes use outlines, timelines, feature content, portals,
and glossaries.

Table 2: Extent of Use of Web tools as Supplementary Materials in Grammar and Composition I

Weighte
d Descriptive
Value
Web Tools Mean
(DV)

Google
 Create documents in word processor, spreadsheet and presentation. 2.1 Seldom
 Share documents in word processor, spreadsheet and presentation 2 Seldom
Collaborate documents in word processor, spreadsheet and
 presentation 1.6 Seldom
1.9 Seldom - V3
YouTube
 Video technology (uploading, videos, playback) 2.3 Seldom
 Content accessibility 1.9 Seldom
 Upload video and share to classmates 2.4 Seldom
 Record videos and audios 2.4 Seldom
2.3 Seldom V8
Facebook
News Feed - which appears on every user's homepage and highlights
 information including profile
2.4 Seldom
changes, upcoming events, and birthdays of the user's friends
 Blogging Feature - a blogging feature that allowed tags and
 embeddable images 2.3 Seldom
Facebook Message - people will be able to have an @facebook.com
 email addresses, send private
2.8 Sometimes
message and can attach files
Voice Calls and Video Calling - users have had the ability to make
 live voice calls via Facebook Chat,
allowing users to chat with others from all over the world and video
calling services using Skype as its 2.9 Sometimes
technology partner.
Facebook subscribe - users to follow public updates, and these are
 the people most often broadcasting
Seldom
their ideas 2.4
Sometimes
2.6 V14
Wikipedia

Wikipedia Alphabetical indexes - are the exceptions to the topical

 section rule. Indexes of articles, by
2.6 Sometimes
subject, alphabetized.
Outlines - are subject overviews in structured lists that show how
 topics are related to each other. 2.2 Seldom

 Timelines - list articles chronologically. 1.8 Seldom

Featured content - is the best Wikipedia has to offer, via vigorous
 peer review. 2.0 Seldom
 Wikipedia books - are collections of Wikipedia articles that can be
 viewed, downloaded, or printed into
Seldom
a book. They provide a roadmap for a course of study 2.5
Portals - A portal introduces the reader to a subject by presenting
 images, categories and excerpts of key
2.0 Seldom
articles. Portals also guide editing by providing to-do lists.
 Glossaries - Glossaries are lists of terms with definitions. 1.8 Seldom
2.1 Seldom V22

The Descriptive Statistics on the Extent of use of Web Tools

Table 3 provides the summary of the extent of use of web tools. All the Web Tools
studied were “seldom” used by the students. This implies that the Over- all weighted
mean is 2.21 and the standard deviation is .655.

Table 2.1: Summary of the Extent of use of Web Tools

Weighted Standard Descriptive
Web Tools Mea n Deviation Value
Google 1.9 .632 Seldom
You tube 2.25 .640 Seldom
Facebook 2.56 .786 Seldom
Wikipedia 2.13 .561 Seldom
Over all Weighted
Mean 2.21 .655 Seldom

Performance of Students in Grammar Composition I

Table 3 shows the descriptive statistics of the performance of students in Grammar
Composition I. The mean score is 22.889 and scores of the students deviate from the mean
at an average standard deviation of 6.257 where the highest score of students is 25 and the
lowest score is 11.

Table 3: Descriptive Statistics Showing Performance (Scores) of Students in Grammar

Composition I
Descriptive Variable
Statistics (Scores)
Mean 22.889
Standard
Deviation 6.257
Minimum 11
Maximum 25

Relationship between Students’ Performance in Grammar Composition I and

their extent of use of Web Tools
Table 4 shows the correlation of students’ performance in Grammar Composition I
and their extent of use of web tools. There is a significant relationship between students’
 extent of use of Google, Wikipedia, Facebook and YouTube and their performance (scores)
in Grammar Composition I. This further implies that students’ who use web tools are more
likely to get high scores in Grammar Composition

Table 4: Relationship between Students’ Performance in Grammar Composition I and

their extent of use of Web Tools
Variables Correlated with
Performance r value P
Extent of Use of:
Google .528 .000
YouTube .732 .000
Facebook .728 .000
Web Tools .707 .000

The use of Web Tools as supplementary material in English subject

The students have found blogs, Facebook, Wikipedia, and YouTube useful in their learning. The
tools encouraged the expression of ideas, group work, sharing of knowledge. It was explained
that this project was an eye-opener and gave them an edge for up-to-date learning tools. Web
tools also attracted the attention of “at-risk” learners and facilitated differentiated instruction by
granting students control of their blogs and wikis. Teachers’ comments and feedback from peers
allowed each student to establish a personalized learning environment that reflects the
personality and academic ability. Web tools have also increased the level of motivation of all
students toward English.

The Performance of the students using Web Tools

The use of Web tools allowed students to achieve exceptional levels of engagement. There was a
huge learning curve accompanying the implementation of these tools. It accomplished multiple
goals including improved general literacy, organizational skills, and research skills. Through the
use of technology in teaching and learning the students started to write their journals on their
blogs, listen and watch to class you Youtube, and collaborate on group projects using wikis. The
use of Web tools exposed the students to the vast array of information technology tools available
to allow them to compete with youth on a global level.

Observable Outcomes of Student Use of Web Tools

Web tools created a virtual space that lessened the gap between home and school. They also
allowed for differentiated instruction by providing each student with a personalized learning
environment. It was noticed that students in general, and shy students in specific, became more
comfortable in sharing their opinions and responding to each other’s comments.

CONCLUSION
Student Survey: Student Information and Computer Use of the 45 Hospitality Industry
Management Students, 31 were females and 14 males. Forty-four or 97.78% were comfortable
using the computer. Five or 10.87% of students use the computer daily basis while 7 use it a few
times a week. Eighty-nine percent of students reported having good to excellent computer skills.
Fifteen students reported fair skills and received help from their teacher and peers when each of
the Web tools was introduced. These students managed to complete all activities.

Insights about Integrating Web Tools in Teaching English: The teacher finds that Web tools
are extremely useful and have great potential in teaching and learning in the English classroom.
Teachers need to experiment more with Web tools over time to reveal many of their potential
applications. The investigation was an eye-opener for the teacher who will be exploring more
uses of Web tools in her classes. The teacher has noticed that students seemed naturally engaged
when working with Web tools. They are a generation of online learners. All students need to
experiment with these tools and have a chance to learn about new technologies used in teaching
and learning. The teacher also found that Web tools were useful for sharing ideas and connecting
to the world. It was interesting for her to learn how to use blogs, wikis, Facebook, and Youtube
in her classroom. Her participation was a professional development opportunity through which
she learned about new tools for teaching. The teacher is interested in exploring more about Web
applications that promote better student learning.

Preference for Using Web tools in Future English Classes: The teacher said that she will use
blogs and wikis in her future English classes. The teacher explained that she will maintain his
blog and post weekly prompts that allow students to respond using their blogs. He will also keep
on requiring students to comment on each other’s blog posts. She explained that wikis can help
in dividing students into small groups and assigning to each group a topic related to the book
being read in class. Students then must brainstorm and collaborate in creating their reflections on
their wiki space. The teacher enjoyed Facebook and made good use of it and will be using it in
future classes. She explained that she needs to improve her understanding of the use of Facebook
for learning. She will maintain her site for archiving poetry, recitals, short stories, and
interviews. She will require students to listen and watch Youtube and respond to them. The
teacher confirmed that she will be using blogs, wikis, YouTube, and Facebook in her future
classes because she has realized and is convinced now that the learning that has been taking
place using Web tools is far more effective than what can be offered by a teacher in a classroom
only.

Though the respondents are already in College where it is presumed that the use of Web tools is
already known. Today’s students live in a media-rich environment. They are engaged in
electronic communications using a variety of technologies such as email, instant messaging,
chatting, personal blogs, and short text messages. Today’s students expect learning to take place
using modern digital communication tools. The recent development of Web tools including
blogs, Wikipedia, Facebook, and YouTube have created a new generation of websites that are
centered around user participation. Web tools allowed users around the globe to contribute to the
creation of online content. Using these tools in teaching has become a major challenge for
educators. This study examined how Web tools, including blogs, Wikipedia, YouTube, and
Facebook can affect teaching practices of teachers to improve the collaboration of today’s
students in the English language classroom. The data collected from Hospitality Industry
Management English classes with a total of 45 students for answering the research questions.

The analysis of the findings highlighted several recommendations for educators to improve the
implementation of Web tools in the English classroom. (1) That the administration should give
opportunities to the teachers to upgrade their knowledge through seminars and workshops to
learn and be exposed to the use of Web Tools as supplementary material in teaching English; (2)
That teachers should never assume that their students are already well versed with the use of
Web Tools but instead, continue to explore and discover the use of Web Tools in teaching
English for effective learning style for the students. It is also recommended that teachers
establish links with other teachers to share experiences and set best practices; (3) That teachers
should personally assess the strengths and weaknesses of their students at the start of every
semester so they will know how to respond to the personal needs of their students in learning and
using Web Tools; (4) Students who faced technical difficulties were helped by their classmates
and managed to complete all activities on time. Customized training for specific students with
difficulties in using technology could remedy this issue. It is recommended that introductory
tutorials be offered to such students before the implementation of Web tools in the classroom.

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