Relationship between Social Media Usage and Civic Engagement among Students in St. Mary's College of Bansalan Inc.

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between social media use and civic engagement of St. Mary's College of Bansalan, Inc. students. The study employs a mixed-methods design, combining a quantitative correlational design with qualitative data from semi-structured interviews as supplementary information. A stratified random sample of 200 undergraduate students undertook online questionnaires measuring three aspects of social media use (academic, social, and information-based) and civic engagement. Twenty participants were also interviewed to enhance the findings. Statistical analysis indicated a high positive correlation between social media use and civic engagement (r = 0.967, p <.001). All aspects of social media usage significantly impacted civic participation, with academic usage having the highest mean (M = 4.31, SD = 0.544). Qualitative findings underscored how social media facilitates collaboration, community engagement, and awareness. The findings suggest that educational institutions can leverage social media to promote civic participation by implementing targeted digital literacy programs and creating opportunities for meaningful online interaction.