COMMUNICATION BARRIERS AFFECTING STUDENTS’ OF COLLEGE OF

COMPUTING STUDIES IN WESTERN MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN CYCLICAL LEARNING MODALITIES

THIS RESEARCH PROPOSAL IS PRESENTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE

REQUIREMENTS IN CAS 101

ORADA, ADRIAN U.

CONVOCAR, AIMMAN A.

SAPPARI, ALFAISAL M.

ANSOC, JOEVIN C.

LABACANACRUZ, GERALD LLOYD

OCAMPO, ISRAEL S.

SAHIBUL, JAYTHOON JR.

NOVEMBER 2022

Keynard L. Ponce
Research Adviser
Chapter I

Introduction

Background of the Study

During the pandemic, modern technology was of convenience to everyone. Education was

done through online learning and that became the new norm to students globally. However After

the decline of the Covid-19 pandemic, face-to-face learning has become a challenge for

universities to adapt to contemporary changes. Most of the universities try to improve their

educational system in order to meet the standard education for its students. Western Mindanao

State University implemented the cyclical learning modality in which students can learn through

face-to-face and online learning. Communication barriers have been a problem even before the

pandemic, they happen in every communication an individual makes everyday.

Communication is an act of which we want to express or say what we feel and think. We

communicate with people every day through our phones, letters, social media, etc. Most of our

communications are done in places like our home, school, and workplace, in other words face to

face. We rely on our communication skills to further form friendships, express our opinions and

even ask for help.

According to LISBDNETWORK 2014, Communication is an important part of trying to

convey information. Students also have to be able to communicate effectively with each other.

There are a number of factors in the classroom (and many of these factors exist in day-to-day life

as well) that can act as barriers to effective communication. Communication barriers hinder our

ability to receive and comprehend the information being conveyed by others through their

messages, ideas and thoughts that can obstruct or interfere with one another, and the point you're
attempting to make. There are many different types of communication barriers that may cause

ineffective communication.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to find out the Communication barriers affecting student’s academic

performance in cyclical learning modalities. Specifically, this study seeks to answer the following

questions:

1. What are the communication barriers that affect a student’s performance in cyclical

learning modality?

2. What causes these communication barriers to occur?

Significance of the Study

Knowing Communication barriers that affect Cyclical Learning is a big step in overcoming

difficulties of a student. This study aims to ascertain the barriers that students have in

communicating in a cyclical learning. Also, this study investigates what causes these barriers and

suggests ideas on wats to overcome them.

Scope and Delimitation of the study

This study is focused on the different types of communication barriers affecting students

of the CCS (College of Computing Studies) in WMSU (Western Mindanao State University)

towards their academic performance in Cyclical Learning Modalities. Their study will be based on

a survey of 50 individuals divided by their genders at each year level. Determining the factors that

contribute to communication barriers that hinders the academic performance of a student in a

cyclical learning modality. Acknowledge in depth significance in the effectiveness of cyclical

learning modality in today's developing times.

Chapter II

Review of Related Literature and Studies

Conceptual Literature

In this chapter, an overview of the related literature and studies that are in line with the

research topic is discussed in order to provide an in-depth understanding of the objectives of this

research. This section presents relevant studies about communication barriers affecting students'

academic performance in cyclical learning modalities.

Communication barriers

According to Rani (2006), anything that interferes with our ability to hear and

comprehend the information, ideas, and thoughts of others is a communication barrier.

There are (number) types of communication barriers that she Identified that can cause

communication barriers in cyclical learning modality. This includes: the attitudinal

barriers, behavioral barriers, cultural barriers, language barriers, and environmental

barriers.

Attitudinal Barriers

Attitudinal barriers are products of one's attitude and assumptions shaped

through external and internal experiences (Roy, 2022). Where in the way a person

communicates depends on his or her values, attitude, beliefs, and perception of

other people. (Rani, 2006). An example scenario: an individual (person A) wants

to converse with a speech-impaired person (person B), before the communication

even happens, Person A assumes that Person B will not understand anything that

Person A says, resulting in Person A having to talk to Person B indirectly or not at

all. Other examples are: thinking that people with intellectual disabilities are not

capable of making decisions; avoiding a person for fear of saying the wrong word

or something that may offend other people; interrupting when other people are

speaking; dominating group sessions or discussions; and listening to opinions rather

than facts. This type of barrier can be a major obstruction to effective

communication; it prevents other people from maintaining and creating

relationships, as well as making a person biased towards others. (Roy, 2022)

Behavioral Barriers

Behavioral Barriers occur when the way you act towards others has bias,

prejudice, generalization and stereotype. Negative behavior contributes to the

ineffectiveness of communication and learning towards our teachers and fellow

classmates. Stereotyping occurs when you assume we know something about a

person because of their cultural or social background. Our views may come from a

bias you may have against a particular behavior, appearance, possession or even a

particular geographical area (Rani, 2016)

Physical Barriers

They include barriers like noise, closed doors, faulty equipment used for

communication, closed cabins, etc. Sometimes, in a large office, the physical

separation between various employees combined with faulty equipment may result

in severe barriers to effective communication.

Technological Barriers
Technological barriers are described as limited access to useful, relevant,

and appropriate hardware and software, especially in “instances where the use of

the technology is perceived as not being sufficient to perform the tasks or

accomplish the objectives for which the technology was initially utilised” [87].

Technological barriers are often reported as a significant cause of poor

implementation and diffusion rates in developing countries [88]. (Yvonne O’

Connor, John O’ Donoghue 2016)

Environmental Barriers

According to Kapur (2020), environmental barriers are communication

barriers that occur within a physical environment and obstruct the communication

process. To have effective communication, the environmental conditions must be

favorable so that the meaning of the message will not be obstructed. Some

environmental barriers are manageable, and some are difficult to deal with. If these

environmental barriers are not dealt with or managed properly, they may cause

distraction, inattentiveness, miscommunication, misinterpretation, and perplexity.

Other than the list of communication barriers previously mentioned, there are other

barriers to effective communication, as Kapur (2018) defined as psychological barriers.

These are: 1. Academic culture - it is when student's that came from different backgrounds

have difficulties in understanding a certain concept due to being unable to comprehend that

concept from a different perspective through a logical point of view. 2. Marital barriers -

occurs in married people, these barriers are caused by irrelevant information,

misunderstandings, insecurity and fear which results in separation or divorce. 3.

Communication flow - due to limited knowledge, a person can only communicate to a

certain extent. People who have inadequate information find it difficult to have effective

communication. That being said, communication barriers are not only limited to

demographic aspects and external interference, psychological factors can also affect the

effectiveness of communication between people.

Barriers in teaching and learning

Commonly, when teaching, instructors live under the impression that the contents

of the material that they are teaching using words and messages are fully received and

understood by the students. However, that is not always the case. The reason is that the

explanation or message received tends to be more or less close to the original meaning, and

in some cases, the message is received differently. (Duţă, 2015)

As the source of communication, the instructor should have proper knowledge and

confidence in his or her expertise on the topic that he or she discusses with the students.

The success of the instructor in delivering the messages effectively depends on his or her

overall behavior, personality, and the strategies he or she applies inside the classroom. It is

also the teacher's responsibility to choose and modify the source material to make it

relevant to the learners' interests and needs, regardless of their socio-economic background.

Nevertheless, effective communication can only be carried out if the students are

cooperating and involved themselves. (Pal et al., 2016)

In a study conducted by Malek (2016), both teachers and students were interviewed

about communication barriers that they experience in school. It was found that the most
common communication barrier that students experience is language. The teachers, on the

other hand, have three common communication barriers that they experience when

teaching the students. These barriers are cultural, perceptual, and linguistic. Moreover, the

study also identified the factors that cause these barriers to occur, namely: conflict, lack of

knowledge, various interpretations of language, lack of language ability (limited

vocabulary), differing emotional states, and different backgrounds.

Communication Barriers in Distance learning

One of the students' problems in distance learning is the perceived lack of contact

with or feedback from the instructor. Because there is no face-to-face contact with the

teachers, students find it hard to self-evaluate themselves. The separation of students and

teachers due to distance learning takes away a significant "connection" that is crucial for

the teacher-student relationship. (Galusha, 1997)

In a mixed-approach study conducted by Isman and Altinay (2005), they concluded

that internet connection and accessing create barriers both physically and psychologically

for the students as well as the teachers. They also pointed out that problems in language

require semantic barriers in a communication process, and technical barriers occur due to

technological factors present in communication. In addition, the students reflected that they

have psychological problems that are caused by certain factors such as stress, feeling

uncomfortable, anxiety, and fear of uncertain circumstances that may arise due to

ineffective communication. Isman & Altinay (2005) also stated that teachers also need to

improve their teaching effectiveness in virtual contexts, as barriers change according to the
perceptions of students and teachers. Barriers that were identified in this study are

technological, physical, semantic, and psychological.

As technologies nowadays offer easier, faster and globalized communication for

learning, the number of communication barriers also increases both in numbers and

complexity. These communication barriers present in a distance education can also

influence actual communication and may hamper student's performance and learning

experience (Berge, 2013).

Alawamleh et al. (2020) conducted a quantitative research study that aims to

explore whether online classes have a negative impact on student and teacher

communication. They found out that students prefer to conduct classes face-to-face rather

than virtually due to the challenges that they face when taking online classes, such as

decreased understanding and lack of motivation to study given material, decreased levels

of communication between student and teacher, and an increased feeling of isolation

among students due to online classes. They also point out that online learning has a negative

impact on the effectiveness of communication and the communication between teachers

and students.

Research Literature

To sum up, most of the previous studies mentioned defined and identified various

communication barriers that are present in the communication process particularly in school

setting as well as in virtual setting. Some of these barriers can overlap and cause more complex

problems that hinder the effectiveness of communication between students and teachers. Previous

studies had also provided countermeasures to lessen these obstacles. That being said, with the
contribution of these previous studies, further research must be done to observe the effects or

impact of these communication barriers on the students’ academic performance especially in the

new method of learning which is the cyclical learning modalities; and identify other

communication barriers that may occur in this mode of learning in the future.

Theoretical Framework

This study is anchored on two(2) different theories namely; the Communication Theory,

this theory focuses on various barriers to distance and face-to-face education. Communication

barriers are obstacles which prevent something from getting through to its destination, barriers

may lead your message getting distorted. In this theory the types of barriers mentioned includes;

Personal/Socio-psychological barriers, Physical/Environmental barriers, Mechanical barriers,

Semantic/Linguistic barriers, Cross-cultural barriers and Organizational barriers. And the Blended

learning theory, this theory refers to the combination of in-person and online teaching as a special

form of learning called “blended”. This theory provides theoretical foundations for the successful

implementation of blended learning. According to the U.S. Department of Education (Means,

Toyama, Murphy, Bakia, & Jones, 2009), a blend of classroom and web-based teaching and

learning offers access to the widest range of learning modes and methods for developing student

skills and expertise as learners (Cleveland-Innes, 2017). Many findings on blended learning show

an increase in learners’ ability to learn collaboratively, think creatively, study independently and

tailor their own learning experiences to meet their individual needs. Communication is an

important part of teaching because the students have to be able to understand the message that the

teacher is trying to convey. Students also have to be able to communicate effectively with each

other. There are a number of factors in the classroom that can act as barriers to effective

communication. Communication barriers include; noise, invisibility, inaudibility, environmental

and physical discomfort, distractions, lack of motivation, poor time management, slow-internet

connection and other technical issues are some of the barriers that students and teachers experience

during the interaction/communication.

Conceptual Framework

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEPENDENT VARIABLE

Communication Barriers Student’s Academic Performance

MEDIATOR VARIABLE
Attitudinal Barriers
Behavioral Barriers
Cultural Barriers
Environmental Barriers
Physical Barriers
Technological Barriers

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework

Figure 1 presents the conceptual framework of the study. Communication barriers as

Independent variable, Attitudinal barriers, Behavioral barriers, Cultural barriers, and

Environmental barriers, Physical and Technological Barriers as Mediator variable

and Student’s Academic performance as dependent variable. In figure 1. Communication

barriers as independent variables pertain to problems that come across during the

interaction, these barriers occur unanticipated during the face-to-face and online

interaction. The mediator variable which are the Attitudinal barriers, Behavioral barriers,

Cultural barriers, and Environmental barriers, Physical Barriers, and Technological

Barriers are the variables that are produced by the independent variable that could affect

the dependent variable of the study. The dependent variable which is the student’s

academic performance. Communication is essential in learning-teaching process, however

when communication barriers occur, these barriers could affect the overall academic

performance of the students.

Research Hypothesis

HO: There are significant amount of communication carriers that affects students academic

performances in cyclical learning modalities

Definition of Terms

Cyclical learning modality - refers to the learning method wherein some students are allowed to

have face-to-face classes while other students are utilizing the online learning method.

Distance learning - refers to the learning method that doesn't require face to face interaction;

classes are conducted virtually.

Blended learning - refers to a learning method that combines traditional classroom instructions

with online learning.

Barriers - Anything that obstructs the meaning of the message being delivered.

Modality - Refers to the method used for learning/teaching.

Prejudice - A preconceived opinion or judgment.

Stereotype - It refers to the unfair belief that all people or things with a particular characteristic

are the same.

Ethnocentrism - It refers to the perception of an individual that one's own culture is superior while

other cultures are perceived to be inferior.

Semantics - It refers to the meaning (of words) in a language.

Effective communication - It occurs when the message from the sender is received and

understood by the receiver.

Perplexity - A state of being confused because of difficulty in understanding the message.

Chapter 3

Methodology

Research Design

This study is a Quantitative research, the researchers will focus on determining what are

the different communication barriers that affect the effectiveness of students towards their

academic performance. A descriptive research design will be utilized in this study as it aims to

through naturalistic observation, case studies, and surveys to derive results.

Population and Sampling Procedure

The population for this research is the entire students of CCS (College of Computing

Studies) in WMSU (Western Mindanao State University) in the year 2022. The respondents will

consist for every year level under the CCS (College of Computing Studies) department which are

the Computer Science and Information Technology department. The researchers will use Slovin's

formula for population and sampling.

Research Instrument

For the presented study, the research instrument that the researchers will utilize is a

survey questionnaire containing close-ended questions in order to effectively measure variables

under the study base from the responses of the respondents. The survey will be disseminated

online to allow the respondents to answer the survey at their own convenience.
Data Gathering Procedure

Google Forms will be utilized for the survey as it is low-cost and is able to be distributed

at a large scale. The uploaded survey on the internet will be distributed in all College of

Computing Students using Slovin’s formula, to the random respondents

online for about a month from a single semester.

Data Analysis Procedure

After collecting the data from the respondents, the researchers will summarize and

organize the gathered data and utilize statistical data analysis as well as inferential statistics to test

the researchers' hypothesis to generate objective findings at the end of the study.

Statistical Treatment of Data

The study will be using a Likert Scale to serves as the guide for interpreting the data

gathered.

Scale Weighted Means/Equivalent Corresponding Remarks

5 4.20-5.00 Always

4 3.40-4.19 Often

3 2.60-3.39 Sometimes

2 1.80-2.59 Rarely

1 1.00-1.79 Never
Literature Review References:

Adler, N. J. (1991). Communicating across Cultural Barriers. Interkulturelle

Kommunikation: Texte Und Übungen Zum Interkulturellen Handeln. Sternenfels:

Wissenschaft & Praxis.

https://www.academia.edu/download/51496842/NancyAdlerCrossCultComm..pdf

Alawamleh, M., Al-Twait, L. M., & Al-Saht, G. R. (2020). The effect of online learning on

communication between instructors and students during Covid-19 pandemic. Asian

Education and Development Studies, 11(2), 380–400. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeds-06-2020-

0131

Aytekin Isman, & Fahriye Altinay. (2005). Communication Barriers: A Study of Eastern

Mediterranean University Students’ and Teachers’ of Online Program and Courses.

Istanbul University - DergiPark. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/156506

Berge, Z. L. (2013, March 1). Barriers To Communication In Distance Education.

https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/tojde/issue/16895/176039

Cultural Barriers of Communication. (2019, March 14). Communication Theory.

https://www.communicationtheory.org/cultural-barriers/

Duţă, N. (2015). From Theory to Practice: The Barriers to Efficient Communication in

Teacher-Student Relationship. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 187, 625–630.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.03.116
Dabaj, F., & Yetkin, A. (2011). Analysis of Communication Barriers to Distance Education:

A Review Study. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 1(1).

https://doi.org/10.29333/ojcmt/2328

Galusha, J. M. (1997, November 30). ERIC - ED416377 - Barriers to Learning in Distance

Education., 1998. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED416377

Kapur, R. (2020). Understanding Physical and Environmental Barriers within the Course of

Communication. University of Delhi.

Malek, N. S. A. (2016). Communication Barriers between Students and Lecturers | LSP

International Journal. https://journals.utm.my/lsp/article/view/15208

Pal, N., Halder, S., & Guha, A. (2016). Study on Communication Barriers in the Classroom:

A Teacher’s Perspective. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 6(103–

118).

http://i-rep.emu.edu.tr:8080/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11129/289/Dabaj.pdf?sequence=1

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and How to Overcome Attitudinal Barrier. Harappa. https://harappa.education/harappa-

diaries/attitudinal-barriers-to-communication/

Rani, U. K. (2016). COMMUNICATION BARRIERS. Journal of English Language and

Literature, 3(2).

Siganova, V. (2016). Identifying the Cultural Barriers to Effective Communication. Science,

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%3DJlKVSVWRssIJ

https://l.messenger.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fopenbooks.col.org%2Fblendedlearni

ng%2Fchapter%2Fchapter-1-blended-

learning%2F&h=AT0kzr8OGM7BrJ8fcZSDCzMpuSuZqijrC8zPJYfn9PQtMarhr-

g3kq21ytzhNVbHgDJTKjWLAth6_oz-

RdghGIcRpAzENbw6nBM8cZKQFoyt6FmJnYoeDJpNo5iTec3qeEKSJOBt9YJgqG5c2O

Y1Rg

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%2Fcommunication-

theory.html&h=AT0kzr8OGM7BrJ8fcZSDCzMpuSuZqijrC8zPJYfn9PQtMarhr-

g3kq21ytzhNVbHgDJTKjWLAth6_oz-

RdghGIcRpAzENbw6nBM8cZKQFoyt6FmJnYoeDJpNo5iTec3qeEKSJOBt9YJgqG5c2O

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https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/computer-science/technological-
barrier#:~:text=Technological%20barriers%20are%20described%20as,initially%20utilise
d%E2%80%9D%20%5B87%5D.
QUESTIONNAIRE

1. . Cyclical learning modality did not help you to perform better on your academics.

o Always
o Often
o Sometimes
o Rarely
o Never

2. Do you experience Communication barriers with the new implementation of cyclical

learning modalities?

o Always
o Often
o Sometimes
o Rarely
o Never
3. How often do you experience communication barriers?

o Always
o Often
o Sometimes
o Rarely
o Never
4. Do you experience technical barriers in your area?

o Always
o Often
o Sometimes
o Rarely
o Never

5. Do you experience bad communications with your peers?

o Always
o Often
o Sometimes
o Rarely
o Never

6. Do you experience bad communication with your teacher?

o Always
o Often
o Sometimes
o Rarely
o Never