EFFECTIVENESS OF DIGITAL TEXTBOOKS TOWARDS THE MOTIVATION IN

LEARNING OF THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OF HERCOR COLLEGE

Chapter 1

Introduction

Background of the Study

Today's students live in a digital age. They have never known a world without the Internet and instant
digital access to anyone, anywhere. The majority of children use technological devices for social and
recreational purposes on a daily basis. This constant use has altered the way children think, learn, and
receive information. Text enhancements such as interactive glossaries and background information,
as well as illustrations to accompany the text, are included in digital textbooks. Students can move
around the page and click on links to access additional information, such as text, data, graphics, or
videos, using hypermedia. Digital textbooks make it simple to access embedded speech and assist
struggling readers with a digitized reading of text that highlights each word as it is read. The
combination of visual, tactile, and auditory options give students the opportunity to learn in the same
way they live their daily lives outside of school.

Technology is becoming part of people's daily lives; from home appliances, office equipment,
personal gadgets and educational devices. It is a great help for everyone because it makes things
easier and makes the process faster. Just like in education wherein computers and laptops really
help a lot in research and learning of students. In the present time, technology is rapidly entering
schools as one of the tools used in the learning process.

In the previous years, reading newspapers, magazines, journals, course materials and books are
rampant. But then again, technology interferes which contribute to the development of such
materials. With the rapid advancement of technology today, there have been numerous
developments that completely changed the lives of many. One of these developments is the
digitization of book which is now called as an electronic-book. An electronic book is a text- and
image-based publication in digital form produced on, published by, and readable on computers or
other digital devices. Digital books are popular these days because of their accessibility with just
the use of internet. (Gardiner and Musto, 2010)

Philippine publishers are now offering e-books for academic purposes. The use of technology in
the field of teaching and learning offers opportunities for collaborative engagement, access to
information, and interaction with content; creating an engaging, motivating learning environment;
and enabling efficient teaching and effective learning practices.

Today, schools are trying to present themselves and adapt to technological changes on the one hand,
and on the other hand to preparing and attracting the digital generations.
As a result, teachers have an increased responsibility for the teaching–learning process and school
provision for this “digital age generation” can be an important contribution to improving the
quality of education.

Statement of the problem and hypothesis

This study aims to determine the Motivation in learning and effectiveness of Digital textbooks in
High School Students of Hercor College, Specifically, the study sought to answer the following
questions

1. What is the level of motivation in of the high school students?

2. What is the level of effectiveness of the effectiveness of digital textbooks towards the
motivation in learning of the high school students?
3. Is there a significant difference between the effectiveness of the digital textbooks and the
motivation in learning of the high school students?
4. Is there a significant relationship between the effectiveness of digital textbooks and the
motivation in learning of the high school students?

From the following statements of this study, the researcher formulated the following
hypothesis:

1. It states that motivation can be addressed at three different levels: inclusion, entertainment and
edification.
2. The level of effectiveness of the effectiveness of digital textbooks towards the motivation in
learning, it increase student engagement, helps students build essential 21st-century skills.
3. There is no significant difference between the effectiveness of the digital textbooks and the
motivation in learning of the high school students.
4. There is a significant relationship between the effectiveness of digital textbooks and the
motivation in learning of the high school students.

Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework of the study as shown in the figure 1 below. As seen in the figure,
it shows the dependent variable “Effectiveness of Digital Textbook”, and the independent
variable “The motivation in Learning of High School Students”.

Dependent Variable Independent Variable

Effectiveness of Digital The Motivation in Learning of

Textbook High School Students

Figure 1: A schematic diagram showing the relationship between the Effectiveness of Digital
Textbooks towards the Motivation in Learning of High School Students.

Theoretical Framework

Concerning the digital textbook, no precise definition is agreed upon, the digital textbook is a

complement or substitute for a physical paper textbook. It is not only handwritten texts, images,

illustrations... but also multi-modal resources: videos, audios (podcasts), educational software,

exercises, games, hyperlinks, QR codes, images animated by augmented reality, learning

platforms (spaces for teacher–student interaction).

The motivation to learn can be defined as a student’s tendency to find academic activities

important and worthwhile, and thus try to get the most learning benefits from the activities

(Brophy, 1983). The purpose of motivational theory is to explain student behaviors and to

influence future behavior. A student’s motivation is based largely on expectancy beliefs and task

values of the content according to the expectancy-value model of motivation (Eccles et al., 1983).

Motivation depends on three variables: value, confidence, and emotions (Pintrich & Degroot,

1990).

The first variable, the value variable, speculates the engagement a student has in a task depends

on the value a student places on the task. Both the nature of the task and the interest of the student

in the task determine how motivated he/she will be to complete the work. If a student finds an

activity or assignment to be boring or too difficult, the student will be less likely to engage in the

activity. However, if the activity is interactive, at his/her interest level, and developmentally
appropriate, the child is more likely to value the activity and thus be willing to engage in the

activity, as with a digital textbook.

The second variable relates to how confident a student is in his/her ability and skill level to

complete a task inviting the student to ask the question, “Can I complete this task?” A student who

feels he/she is capable of successfully completing a task is more willing and motivated to

complete the task. Building a positive classroom atmosphere, and ensuring the student has

adequate background knowledge along with the skills he/she needs to complete the task, are key

to keeping the student confident in his/her ability to learn new information.

The final component, the emotional variable, relates to the student’s emotional reaction to a task

(Pintrich & Degroot, 1990). How a student feels about a task is an important issue. If a student

views an activity as beyond his/her current ability level, he/she is likely to feel anxious about it. If

it is something the student finds fun and interesting, he/she is more likely to be motivated to learn

about it.

Value, confidence, and emotions influence students’ motivation to learn. Improved motivation

increases the likelihood students will put in the time and effort necessary to achieve the intended

learning objectives. Students’ value technology and most students are confident in their ability to

navigate any device put in front of them. Students get excited to use new technological devices

and thus are more emotionally involved when using them. Motivation is an important part of the

learning process. Teachers should consider motivation when planning successful lessons. Since

children regard computers as a natural part of their life, educators can take advantage of this tool to

promote learning and motivation (Korat, Shamir, & Arbiv, 2011).

Significance of the Study

This study aims to find out the effect of digital textbooks towards the motivation in learning of
high school students of Hercor College. This determines the level of effectiveness of the digital
textbooks towards the students motivation in learning.

The result of this study is greatly beneficial to the students, teachers, parents and future
researchers.

Students. This study can provide knowledge in using digital textbooks. Also, students will
motivated to used digital textbooks to have access regarding their lessons.

Teachers. The study may help teacher to convey learning through using digital textbooks in their
classroom.

Parents. The study can provide knowledge about the parents in terms of using digital textbooks
to have an easy access in their lessons. In this way, it can encourage and motivate their children
to use digital textbooks as a tool to access their lessons online.

Future researchers. This study will serve as sort of reference to future researchers that could
help them to conduct the same case of study but different variable and respondents. The result of
the study could provide meaningful data useful for other researchers enthusiasts. The study can
serve as a reference for future studies and take into any revisions.

Definition of Terms

For better understanding, the following key terms in the study were conceptually and
operationally defined.

Effectiveness. Effectiveness is the capability of producing a desired result or the ability to

produce desired output. When something is deemed effective, it means it has an intended or
expected outcome, or produces a deep, vivid impression.

Digital Textbooks. A digital textbook is a digital book or e-book intended to serve as the text
for a class. Digital textbooks may also be known as e-textbooks or e-texts. Digital textbooks are
a major component of technology-based education reform. They may serve as the texts for a
traditional face-to-face class, an online course or degree, or massive open online courses
(MOOCs). As with physical textbooks, digital textbooks can be either rented for a term or
purchased for lifetime access. While accessible, digital textbooks can be downloaded, printed, or
accessed online via a compatible device. To access content online, users must often use a 3rd
party hosting provider or "digital bookshelf" through which digital textbooks can be served.
E-books. e-book, in full electronic book, digital file containing a body of text and images
suitable for distributing electronically and displaying on-screen in a manner similar to a printed
book. E-books can be created by converting a printer’s source files to formats optimized for easy
downloading and on-screen reading, or they can be drawn from a database or a set of text files
that were not created solely for print.

Motivation to Learn. According to Jere Brophy (1987), motivation to learn is a competence

acquired "through general experience but stimulated most directly through modeling,
communication of expectations, and direct instruction or socialization by significant others
(especially parents and teachers)."

Delimitation of the Study

This study was conducted to determine the level of effectiveness and the motivation in learning
of the high school students of Hercor College.

In addition, the study had twenty-five (25) respondents from each year level. This study was
conducted in the first semester of the S.Y. 2021-2022.

Chapter II
 Review of Related Literature

Digital textbooks are a new technology available to students across the country.

Many studies have been undertaken to understand how digital textbooks are used in the

classroom (Connell, Bayliss & Farmer, 2012; Greenhow, Robelia & Hughes, 2009;

Grensing-Pophal, 2010; Grimshaw, Dungworth, McKnight, & Morris, 2007; Martinez-

Estrada & Conaway, 2012; McFadden, 2012; Moody, Justice & Cabell, 2010; Nelson,

Arthur, Jensen & Van Horn, 2011; Sun & Flores, 2012; Weisberg, 2011; Zucker & Hug,

2008), but few researchers have investigated how using digital textbooks influence students’

learning experiences and motivation to learn. The purpose of this literature review is to

compile the results of previous studies with digital textbooks to highlight the effectiveness

of digital textbook on student learning and motivation to learn.

Digital textbooks have been helpful in monitoring students’ learning outcomes (Sun

& Flores, 2012). Students in a post-secondary statistics class were randomly assigned either

an e- textbook or a regular statistics textbook and then assessed on their involvement in the

course. Digital textbooks influence the learning experiences of high school students

differently depending on how students are involved in using e-textbooks during the

instruction. For students who used e- textbooks in class, the use of e-textbooks improved

their learning and involvement in class. For those who did not use e-textbooks in class, their

learning depended on how helpful e-textbooks were perceived to be. Using e-textbooks in

class provided students the opportunity to engage with the text and the interactive format

improved learning outcomes.

Using digital textbooks, students are able to interact with peers and their teachers by sharing

notes and insights (Atkinson & Swaggerty, 2011; McFadden, 2012). Videos, simulations,

experiments and other embedded enhancements make digital textbooks more appealing to

students (Grensing-Pophal, 2010; Weisberg, 2011). High School students and schools with

budget concerns have found that purchasing digital textbooks is a cheaper way to access

curriculum materials (Carney, 2011; Grensing-Pophal, 2010; Laskowski, 2007; Weisberg,

2011). With a shift towards greener living, digital textbooks have been hailed as green

technology for classrooms (Gurnsey, 2011; Hill, 2010). The convenience, efficiency, ability

to have more than one book on your device and the online accessibility have all been found

as added benefits in the shift to digital textbooks (Jamali, Nicholas, & Rowlands, 2009;

Weisberg, 2011).

Since a digital text is made available in digital devices that continuously evolve, the

definition of texts also evolve. Therefore, there is no single definition that researchers

consensuallt agree with (Nelson, 2008; Liaw & Huang, 2014). Some researchers (Nelson,

2008; Liaw & Huang, 2014) defined a digital text as the digital version of of printed texts

read on a digital device (e.g., smartphone, computer, tablet or device specifically designed for

reading e-texts. Other researchers (e.g. Baki, 2010) described it as a text designed to be read

over technology devices, which unlike printed texts, offers some extra features that allow

readers to interact with the text by using sound, visual, and links. Still others (e.g. Vassiliou

& Rowley, 2008) view it as a digital format created with an abundance of new features such

as search and cross reference functions, multimedia features and hypertext links. Despite all

the differences in the definitions, they agree that a digital text involves technological tools to

view and read books.

As the technology and enhancements continue to evolve in the digital textbook world each

year, student attitudes and behaviors towards digital textbooks are becoming more receptive

and accepting (Weisberg, 2011). Recent studies show students are more willing to learn with,

and are more excited and motivated to interact with, digital textbooks to learn new skills. In a

pilot study with undergraduate students in an educational history class, researchers compared

digital textbooks to traditional textbooks in their impact on students’ motivation to learn

(Rockinson-Szapkiw, Holder, & Dunn, 2011).

Digital textbooks are continually being adopted in classrooms across the country. Several

studies have been conducted with high school students and have found that as the technology

improves, students’ attitudes and behaviors towards digital textbooks have also improved

(Sun & Flores, 2012; Weisberg, 2011). Some drawbacks of digital textbook use exist, namely

screen lighting and internet distractions, but students have reported many favorable qualities

of digital textbooks that make these textbooks more appealing than traditional textbooks.

Some advantages include decreased cost, interactive tools for sharing and simulations,

convenience and portability. Digital textbooks improved reading comprehension and helped

students decode unfamiliar words so students could focus on the meaning of the story

(Grimshaw et al., 2006). Finally, results of a pilot study suggest digital textbooks have

assisted in motivating learners (Rockinson-Szapkiw, Holder, & Dunn, 2011).

Harandi (2015) investigated the strength of the relationship between digital textbook and

motivation among a sample of students and concluded that students’ motivation is broadly

impacted by digital books. Other studies have considered the different ways in which

accessing online learning can be delivered and assessed the role of each component in

boosting motivation. Maulana et al. (2019) proposed using the three-pillar approach; social
media, technology, and society (STS) to increase enthusiasm for independent learning, with

results indicating that such an approach can improve self-learning motivation. Another

medium that can be used to improve students’ motivation to learn is via technology, which

has been proved to leverage vocational students’ motivation to learn (Irawan et al., 2019).

Recent developments in ICT, such as mobile phones, can also motivate students to learn.

Imansari et al. (2018) indicated that e-books as a learning medium can improve such

motivation in the case of studying.

Felix Librero (2017) stated that the digital tools, now the most widely used medium in Asia,

has major educational implications. Most users, however, do not realize the digital tools'

potential for education, nor even for the communication functions for which it was originally

designed.

Since Philippines are a developing, it is relevant to examine some of thestudies on e-learning

in developing countries. A study on e-learning in developing countries presented a

framework for developing e-learning programs in universities.

Philippine publishers are now offering e-books for academic purposes. Vibal

Foundation and Diwa Learning Systems, Philippine educational publishers, are

digitizing their products to meet the current trends (Estopace, 2010). In the digital age,

universities are progressively adapting to e-teaching and e-learning; integrating technology

as part of the learning process by offering computer labs in the campus. As cited by

Mohammad (2012), the use of technology in the field of teaching and learning offers

opportunities for collaborative engagement, access to information, and interaction with

content; creating an engaging, motivating learning environment; and enabling efficient

teaching and effective learning practices.

CHAPTER III

Research Design and Methodology

Chapter 3 consists of three parts: (1) Purpose of the study and research design, (2) Methods, and
(3) Statistical Data analysis procedure.
Part one, Purpose of the study and Research Design, relates the purpose of the study and describe
the research design and the variables used in this study.

Part two, Methods, describes the participants, the data gathering materials and the research
procedure used in the study.

Part three, statistical data analysis procedures, reports the procedure for scoring and the statistical
analysis used to interpret the hypothesis.

Purpose of the Study and Research Design

The main purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of digital textbooks towards the
motivation in learning of high school students of Hercor College.

This study used a survey correlation method. According to Fraenkel & Wallen (2005) as cited in
Fuego (2019), survey is used as a descriptive method to further analyze the quality and accuracy
of the study objectives. Survey can be useful when a researcher wants to collect data on
phenomena that cannot be directly observed. Moreover, Gall et al. (2003) explained,
correlational research refers to studies in which the purpose is to discover relationships between
variables and subjecting the variables to correlational and multiple regression analysis.

The independent variable in the study was the Motivation in Learning of High School Students.
The dependent variable is the effectiveness of digital textbooks.

Data gathered will be computer-processed using the statistical package for the Social Science
(SPSS) Software.

Descriptive statistical tools such as frequency count, mean, and standard deviation will be
employed. On the other hand, t-test, one-way ANOVA and Pearson r will be used as inferential
tests. All inferential tests will be set at 0.05 levels of significance.

Methods

Participants

The participants of this study are the selected High School students of Hercor College. All of this
participants was selected through random sampling. This sampling method is conducted where
each students of Hercor College has a capability to become part of the sample.
100 chosen students from grade 7-10 will be included in this study, twenty-five (25) students per
year level. Each name of students from each year level will be put in a fish bowl and the
researchers will randomly pick 25 names to be their respondents.

Table 1 shows the distribution of participants.

Distribution of Participants

Year Level Number of Participants

Grade 7 25

Grade 8 25

Grade 9 25

Grade 10 25

Data Gathering Instrument

The researcher will use a researcher’s made questionnaire to gather the needed data.

The data needed for the study will be gathered using a researchers made questionnaire, taken
from the level of effectiveness of digital textbooks and students motivation in learning. The
questionnaire will undergo pilot testing, before conducting an actual survey.

To determine the level of effectiveness of digital textbooks towards the motivation in learning of
high school students in Hercor College, the scale will be used and it will be responded as
follows:

Scale Description

4.21 - 5.00 Extremely Effective

3. 41 - 4.20 Very Effective

2.61 - 3.40 Moderately Effective

 1.81 - 2.60 Slightly Effective

1.00 - 1.80 Not at all Effective

Data Gathering Procedures

The study will be conducted during the First Semester of the school year 2021-2022. Data
needed for this descriptive research will be gathered using a 30 item researchers made
questionnaire and another researchers made instrument will be prepared by the researcher to
gather the information on the participants’ name, gender, age, and device used.

Necessary permission will be secured from the office of the Principal. After the permit is
granted, the researcher will ask the adviser of each year level to conduct the study.

After establishing the validity on how gather-data, formulating questions appropriate for the
study and all doing necessary modification to the chosen respondent. 100 copies of
questionnaires distributed will be successfully completed and returned. Thus their corresponding
answer to the question are kept in accordance with the agreement of the respondents and the
researchers.

The data gathered will be organized and tabulated according to the result of the statistical
treatment done. In this stage, the service of a statistical consultant will be needed.

Statistical Data Analysis and Procedure

The data gathered will be subjective to descriptive and inferential analysis.

Frequency distribution and Percentage. This will be used to determine the number of
respondents in every year level.

Mean. This test will be used to ascertain the level of effectiveness of digital textbook towards the
motivation in learning of High School students of Hercor College.

Pearson r. Set at 0.05 level of effectiveness, this test will be used to determine the level of
effectiveness towards the motivation in learning of High School students of Hercor College.