THE EFFECTS OF MASS MEDIA ON THE ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT OF GRADE 9 – RUBY

The anchor theory to be introduced is Social Constructivism. Lev Vygotsky, a Soviet

psychologist, established the social constructivism theory. Social Constructivism, learning
happens through social interaction and other people's assistance, frequently in a group.
According to social constructivism, social interaction shapes the understanding that a person
develops. Three processes are involved in the processing of new information: construction,
storage, and retrieval. Construction is the process of assembling several pieces of knowledge to
create an understanding of a concept. Storage is the act of mentally storing of new information
in memory. Retrieval is the finding and using of data that has already been stored in memory.
Reciprocal teaching, a scaffolded conversation strategy that can be used to assist students
comprehend materials they read, is an illustration of social constructivism. Social
constructivism, like social constructionism, asserts that individuals collaborate to create
artifacts. Social constructivism places more emphasis on the learning that occurs as a result of a
person's interactions in a group than social constructionism does on the artifacts that are
produced via group social interactions.

The support theory to be introduced is Connectivism. A learning theory known as

connectivism acknowledges the complexity and ever-evolving nature of learning networks as
well as the role that technology plays in facilitating both the expansion of current networks and
the development of new ones. It expands upon constructivism where students work
collaboratively amongst themselves to create new knowledge and understanding. A teaching
strategy developed by George Siemens that contends that knowledge and experience are
embodied by each person's network of contacts, resources, and the Internet itself. Instead of
going through a formal learning procedure to learn about a subject, a learner can simply reach
out and get the knowledge they need, much like individuals do today with the internet. The four
guiding principles of Connectivism, a new learning paradigm for the digital age, are as follows:
autonomy, connectedness, diversity, and openness. An example of Connectivism, participating a
forum where scientists debate mitosis and asking questions to get knowledge from other
participants. The core idea of Connectivism is that we should distribute knowledge and
cognition using technology. The knowledge is found in the connections we make, whether they
be with other people or with data sources like databases. The idea that learning theories within
the frames of behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, and humanism promote the belief that
learning occurs only inside a person served as the inspiration for the establishment of
connectivism.

Social Constructivism, This theory assumes that understanding, significance, and meaning are
developed in coordination with other human beings (R.J Amineh & H.D Asl, 2015). According to
social constructivism, effective instruction and learning depend greatly on interpersonal contact
and conversation, with the main objective being the students' understanding of the discussion.
Social constructivism is based on the social interactions a student in the classroom along with a
personal critical thinking process (K.C. Powell & C.J. Kalina, 2009). The underlying
presuppositions of social constructivism also relate to reality, knowledge, and education. Reality
according to the first tenet of social constructivism, reality is created by human activity rather
than existing beforehand. Knowledge, People acquire knowledge through their interactions with
one another and their surroundings. Learning, effective learning happens when people connect
with one another and work together. The zone of proximal development (ZPD), a key concept in
Vygotsky's theory of social constructionism, highlights the importance of the teacher in a
student's learning. Social constructivism itself, address the importance of learning when it is
engaged you are able to interpret and comprehend, this allows you to gain knowledge more.
These discussions about learning liberate; they permit teachers to move beyond standards and
performance and concentrate on that which should be at the heart of the educational process:
learning and learners (P. Adams, 2006). Like Social Constructivism, mass media influences can
also have drawbacks with the lack of face-to-face contact, it lessens the student’s inability to
apprehend the surroundings.

Connectivism introduces the behavioral concept and learning of a student’s academic

performance. The theory further explains that behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism are
the three broad learning theories most often utilized in the creation of instructional
environments these theories, however, were developed in a time when learning was not
impacted through technology (George Siemens). Connectivism tackles how the presence of a
physical guide can influence a person’s behavior and contribution to responses and learning,
same as how mass media can affect a person’s learning when surrounded by mass media tools,
which are social media, digital media, magazines, the internet and etc. Personal knowledge
consists of a system of networks, which supplies an organization, which in turn gives back to the
system, the individual continues the cycle of knowledge growth by his or her access back into
the system (B. Duke et al,. p.6). As learners, the idea of attempting to learn new things are
always intriguing, learners simply do not learn, they select knowledge they wish to learn and
know the definition. As to mass media, learners can also allow to choose a variety of knowledge
in mass media as well. Including technology and connection making as learning activities begins
to move learning theories into a digital age. As student can no longer personally experience and
acquire learning that is needed to act. Connectivism explains how individuals use their internal
processes to activate learning through a series of nodes originating from the instructor (D.C.
Kropf, P. 14). People will quit engaging in physical activity and instead constantly employ mass
media. Inattentive students will pay less attention to their academic tasks. Connecivism,
although the negative effects of media it fully accepts that media can be important as well,
mass media as well is the same of this it provides both benefits and drawbacks.
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Betsy Duke, Ginger Harper, and Mark Johnston. “Connectivism as a Digital Age Learning Theory”.
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Dorothy C. Kropf. “Connectivism: 21st Century’s New Learning Theory”. Eric. V16 n2 p13-24.
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