Internet Reliance, Social Interaction, and Pragmatic Language Skills of Freshmen Education Students
Nesrin G. Karim
Department of Education, Upper Bunawan Integrated School, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, Philippines.
Ariel E. San Jose
*
Southern Philippines Agribusiness and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology, Poblacion, Malita, Davao Occidental, Philippines.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: The study aimed to determine the significance of internet reliance, social interaction, as predictors of pragmatic language skills.
Study Design: Descriptive-correlational research design
Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in Datu Paglas, Maguindanao del Sur, Philippines.
Methodology: The study employed stratified random sampling. A total of 113 freshmen education students were selected as respondents, with the sample size determined through proportional allocation based on the enrollment data. To collect the data, the researchers utilized a structured survey questionnaire. The instrument was composed of 75 items. It was adapted and modified from existing tools and subsequently validated by language experts. Of the total items, 45 measured the independent variables, while 30 assessed the dependent variable. Prior to its administration, the instrument underwent a rigorous process of validation and reliability testing. Subject matter experts conducted content validation and confirmed the instrument's strong validity in capturing the intended constructs. A pilot test was also administered to evaluate item clarity and reliability. The instrument underwent content validation and pilot testing, yielding a Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.931, indicating high reliability.
Results: The findings revealed that the levels of internet reliance and social interaction among freshmen education students were very good, while their pragmatic language skills were assessed as very strong. Statistical analysis indicated a significant positive correlation between internet reliance, social interaction, and pragmatic language skills. Furthermore, both internet reliance and social interaction were found to significantly influence pragmatic language skills, with internet reliance demonstrating slightly stronger predictive power. Collectively, these two predictors accounted for 95.4% of the variance in pragmatic language skills, indicating a substantial combined effect.
Conclusion: Internet reliance and social interaction were found to be significant predictors of pragmatic language skills among freshman education students, accounting for a combined influence of 95.4% on pragmatic language development. This finding supports the Usage-Based Theory of Language Acquisition, which posits that language is learned through general cognitive mechanisms that enable individuals to form internal representations of language based on real-life speech events. According to this theory, linguistic structures emerge from language use and experience, emphasizing the importance of exposure and interaction in language learning.
Keywords: Internet reliance, social interaction, pragmatic language, freshmen, education students