View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Pepperdine Digital Commons Pepperdine University Pepperdine Digital Commons Theses and Dissertations 2012 Facebook usage and academic achievement of high school students: a quantitative analysis Celeste Marie Alexander Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/etd Recommended Citation Alexander, Celeste Marie, "Facebook usage and academic achievement of high school students: a quantitative analysis" (2012). Theses and Dissertations. 294. https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/etd/294 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by Pepperdine Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Pepperdine Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected] , [email protected]. Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology FACEBOOK USAGE AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Educational Technology by Celeste Marie Alexander August, 2012 Eric Hamilton, Ph.D. – Dissertation Chairperson This dissertation, written by Celeste Marie Alexander under the guidance of a Faculty Committee and approved by its members, has been submitted to and accepted by the Graduate Faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY Doctoral Committee: Eric Hamilton, Ph.D., Chairperson Monica Goodale, Ed.D. Charles Colen, Ph.D © Copyright by Celeste Marie Alexander (2012) All Rights Reserved TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. vi DEDICATION .................................................................................................................. vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................. viii VITA .................................................................................................................................. ix ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ x Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of This Study ..................................................................................................... 4 Research Questions ......................................................................................................... 4 Significance of Study ...................................................................................................... 5 Limitations ...................................................................................................................... 7 Assumptions .................................................................................................................... 8 Theoretical Perspective ................................................................................................... 8 Overview of Methodology .............................................................................................. 9 Definition of Terms ...................................................................................................... 10 Organization of the Study ............................................................................................. 13 Chapter 2: Literature Review ............................................................................................ 14 Social Capital Defined .................................................................................................. 14 Positive Social Capital .................................................................................................. 16 Negative Social Capital ................................................................................................ 18 Family Social Capital and Academic Achievement ..................................................... 19 School Social Capital and Academic Achievement...................................................... 21 Community Social Capital and Academic Achievement ............................................. 23 Decline of Social Capital .............................................................................................. 25 Social Capital and the Internet ...................................................................................... 27 Definition and History of Social Network Sites ........................................................... 30 Facebook Defined ......................................................................................................... 32 Facebook and Social Capital ......................................................................................... 33 Facebook and Teens ...................................................................................................... 35 Facebook and Academic Achievement ......................................................................... 36 Psychosocial Factors and Academic Achievement ...................................................... 38 Psychosocial Factors and Social Capital ...................................................................... 42 Page Chapter 3: Methodology ................................................................................................... 46 Research Design ........................................................................................................... 46 Population ..................................................................................................................... 47 Sample and Sampling Procedures ................................................................................. 49 Instrumentation ............................................................................................................. 49 Data Collection Procedures .......................................................................................... 53 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................ 54 Limitations .................................................................................................................... 54 Summary of Methodology ............................................................................................ 55 Chapter 4: Results ............................................................................................................. 56 Characteristics of the Sample ....................................................................................... 56 Research Questions ....................................................................................................... 57 Chapter 5: Discussion ....................................................................................................... 61 Key Findings ................................................................................................................. 62 Limitations of the Study ............................................................................................... 65 Implications for the Field .............................................................................................. 66 Suggestions for Future Research .................................................................................. 66 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 68 APPENDIX A. Facebook Intensity Scale ......................................................................... 79 APPENDIX B. Pepperdine University Institutional Review Board Approval ................. 80 APPENDIX C. Student Assent Form ............................................................................. 822 APPENDIX D. Parental Consent Form .......................................................................... 833 v LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1. Dollarway High School Student Characteristics ................................................ 48 Table 2. Facebook Intensity Scale .................................................................................... 50 Table 3. Sample Characteristics ........................................................................................ 57 Table 4. Correlation of Facebook Intensity with GPA and ENGAGE scales .................. 58 Table 5. Strength of Statistically Significant Correlations ............................................... 59 vi DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my wonderful friends and family who continuously support my goals and encourage me to reach for the stars. vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5,6 viii VITA Celeste Marie Alexander Education University of Arkansas at Monticello (6/03-5/04), Masters of Arts in Teaching University of Arkansas at Little Rock (8/98-5/03), Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics University of Arkansas at Little Rock (8/98-5/03), Bachelor of Arts in Radio/TV/Film Employment University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Mathematics Instructor (8/08-present) Pine Bluff School District, Secondary Mathematics Teacher (8/03-7/08) ix ABSTRACT