Assessing the Educational Value of Facebook as a Supplementary Tool in Teaching Discrete Mathematics

Abstract ―​

This quantitative comparative study examines the effectiveness of Facebook as a supplementary teaching tool in the Discrete Mathematics course during the First Semester of Academic Year 2022–2023. Through purposive sampling, two groups of students were analyzed: an experimental group that used Facebook to support traditional instruction and a control group that relied solely on conventional classroom methods. Results revealed that Facebook integration positively influenced students’ learning outcomes, engagement, and perceptions of the subject, with overall mean scores ranging from 3.44 to 3.52 out of 5. Students reported that the platform enhanced their understanding of concepts, encouraged collaboration, and made learning more interactive. However, statistical analysis using an independent t-test (p = 0.543) indicated no significant difference in the General Weighted Averages (GWA) between the experimental and control groups. These findings suggest that while Facebook effectively enriches the qualitative dimensions of learning—such as engagement, motivation, and interaction—it does not directly translate into higher academic performance as measured by grades. The study recommends the continued use of Facebook to enhance engagement and collaborative learning while integrating alternative assessment methods to capture qualitative gains not reflected in traditional grading metrics.