COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

COURSE MODULE IN

Building and Enhancing New

Literacies across the
Curriculum

COURSE FACILITATOR: RAMONITO N. ABESAR, LPT, MAEd-PES

FB/MESSENGER: Ghagha Necesario-Abesar
Email: rnabesar@nonescost.edu.ph
Phone No: 09166147707

1
MODULE
 VISION

Northern Negros State College of Science and Technology envisions skillful

and productive manpower, qualified and competent professionals endowed with

leadership qualities, commitment to public service, commonly shared values, and

capacities to integrate and use new knowledge and skills in various vocations and

professions to meet the challenges of the new millennium.

MISSION

To train and develop semi-skilled manpower, middle-level professionals, and

competent and qualified leaders in the various professions responsive to the needs

and requirements of the service areas providing appropriate and relevant

curricular programs and offerings, research projects and entrepreneurial

activities, extension services and develop progressive leadership to effect socio-

economic change and thereby improve the quality of life.

INSTITUTIONAL OUTCOMES

1. Demonstrate logical thinking, critical judgment, and independent decision-

making on any confronting situations
2. Demonstrate necessary knowledge, skills, and desirable attitudes expected
of one’s educational level and field of discipline
3. Exhibit necessary knowledge, skills, and desirable attitudes in research
4. Exhibit proactive and collaborative attributes in diverse fields
5. Manifest abilities and willingness to work well with others either in the
practice of one’s profession or community involvement without
compromising legal and ethical responsibilities and accountabilities.
PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES (CMO # 80 s. 2017)
Graduates of a BPED program are teachers who have the ability
to:
A. articulate and discuss the latest developments in the specific field of
practice.
(PDF level 6 descriptor)

B. effectively communicates in English and Filipino, both orally and in writing.

c. Work effectively and collaboratively with a substantial degree of
independence in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams. (PDF level 6
descriptor)

D. act in recognition of professional, social, and ethical responsibility.

E. preserve and promote “Filipino historical and cultural heritage”
(Based on RA 7722).

F. articulate the rootedness of education in philosophical, socio-cultural,

historical, and political contexts.

G .demonstrate mastery of subject matter/discipline.

h. facilitate learning using a wide range of teaching methodologies and delivery
modes appropriate to specific learners and their environments.
I. develop innovative curricula, instructional plans, teaching approaches, and
resources for diverse learners.
J. apply skills in the development and utilization of ICT to promote quality,
relevant, and sustainable educational practices.
K. demonstrate a variety of thinking skills in planning, monitoring, assessing,
and reporting learning processes and outcomes.

L. practice professional and ethical teaching standards sensitive to the local,

national, and global realities.

M. pursue lifelong learning for personal and professional growth through

varied experiential and field-based opportunities.

N. apply scientific and evidence-based practices critical to the educational

and learning processes

o. Demonstrate skillful performance in a variety of physical activities

P. adapt performance to a variety of physical activity settings: (e.g. formal
Classes, recreational, and competitive)

Q. critically examine the curriculum (e.g. content, pedagogy and

Assessments) and program, and enhance (e.g. innovate) them
Necessarily

R. plan and implement safe and effective physical activity programs to

address the needs of individuals and groups in school and/or
Non-school settings.
s. monitor and evaluate physical activity programs in school and/or
non-school settings.
t. use appropriate assessments in as and for student or client learning.
u. use information, media, and technology in pedagogy and for lifelong
learning.
v. demonstrate firm work/professional ethics.
w. cultivate solidarity by working and dealing with/relating to others
harmoniously.
X .promote the advancement of the profession by making sense of and
getting involved in current discourse that impacts on the profession.
y. pursue lifelong learning for personal and professional development.
z .communicate effectively with PE practitioners, other professionals, and
stakeholders
aa. use oral, written, and technology formats deftly.
Warm greetings!

Welcome to the second semester of School Year 2020-2021! Welcome to the

College of Education BPEd Program and welcome to NONESCOST!

Despite all the happenings around us, there is still so much to be thankful for and
one of these is the opportunity to continue learning.

You are right now browsing your course module in EDP110. As you read on, you
will have an overview of the course, the content, requirements, and other related
information regarding the course. The module is made up of 6 lessons. Each
lesson has seven parts:

INTRODUCTION- Overview of the lesson

LEARNING OUTCOMES- Lesson objectives for you to ponder on

MOTIVATION- Fuels you to go on

PRESENTATION- A smooth transition to the lesson

TEACHING POINTS- Collection of ideas that you must discover

LEARNING ACTIVITIES – To measure your learnings in the lesson where you wandered

ASSESSMENT – To test your understanding in the lesson you discovered

Please read your modules and learn the concepts by heart. It would help you prepare to
be an effective and efficient professional in your respective fields. You can explore more of
the concepts by reading the references and the supplementary readings.

I encourage you to get in touch with me in case you may encounter problems while
studying your modules. Keep a constant and open communication. Use your real names
in your FB accounts or messenger so I can recognize you based on the list of officially
enrolled students in the course. I would be very glad to assist you in your journey.
Furthermore, I would also suggest that you build a workgroup among your classmates.
Participate actively in our discussion board or online discussion if possible and submit
your outputs/requirements on time. You may submit them online through email and
messenger. You can also submit hard copies. Place them in short-size bond paper inside a
short plastic envelop with your names and submit them in designated pick-up areas.

I hope that you will find this course interesting and fun. I hope to know more of your
experiences, insights, challenges, and difficulties in learning as we go along this course. I
am very positive that we will successfully meet the objectives of the course.

May you continue to find inspiration to become a great professional. Keep safe and God
bless!

Course Outline in EDP110 – Building and Enhancing New Literacy Skills Across the
Curriculum

Cou EDP 110

rse
Num
ber
Cou Building and Enhancing New Literacy Skills Across the Curriculum
rse
Title
Cou This course introduces the concepts of new literacies in the 21st century as an
rse evolving special phenomenon and shared cultural practices across learning
Desc areas. The 21st-century literacies shall include globalization and multi-cultural
ripti literacy; social literacy; media literacy, financial literacy; cyber/digital literacy;
on eco-literacy; and arts and creative literacy. Field-based interdisciplinary
explorations and other teaching strategies shall be used in this course.

No. 3 units
of
Unit
s
Pre- None
requ
isite
s
Cou CILO 1. Demonstrate content knowledge and pedagogy of the 21st Century
rse Education, new Literacies, functional literacy, and multi-literacy
Inte Perspective. (PPST1.1.1)
nde CILO 2.Demonstrate the application of new literacies within and across a teacher
d education curriculum ( PPST 1.1.1)
Lear CILO 3. Apply teaching strategies that develop critical and creative thinking and
ning /or higher-order thinking skills ( PPST 1.5.1)
Outc CILO 4. Show skills in the selection, development, and use of a variety of
ome teaching
s and learning resources, including ICT to address learning goals.
 ( PPST 4.5.1)
CILO 5. Demonstrate knowledge of providing timely, accurate, and constructive
feedback to improve learner performance ( PPST 5.3.1}
Cont A. Module 1-21st Century Education
ent B. Module II- 21st Century Skills
Cove C. Module III- New Literacies, Functional Literacy, and Multiliteracy
rage D. Module IV- Integrating New Literacies in the Curriculum
E. Module V-Multicultural and Global Literacy
F. Module VI- Social Literacy
G. Module VII- Media Literacy
H. Module VIII- Eco literacy
I. Module IX-Arts and Creative Literacy
J. Module X-Gender Literacy Issues and Research Writing

Refe R1. Course Syllabus

renc R.2.Building and Enhancing New Literacies across the Curriculum, Elmer B. De Leon, DEM
es 3.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
276486094_Gender_and_Literacy_Issues_and_Research_Placing_the_Spotlight_on_Writing/link/
5ace59c2a6fdcc87840e30c5/downloa
2.https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHZL_enPH842PH842&sxsrf=ALeKk004Za8Fdy2smgQi3NzKymhYu-
12IQ:1610328063971&q=New+literacies+integration+by+student+teacher/
+cooperating+teacher+dyads+in+elementary+school:+A+collective+case+study,
+Friedrich+(2014)&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwif6OXB25LuAhWSEqYKHcKvBjQQ7xYoAHoECAUQMA&biw=1339&bih=
588
4.https://scholar.google.com.ph/scholar?q=Improving+students
%E2%80%99+engagement+and+acceptance+using+multicultural+texts.
+Rouse+(2018)&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart

Supplementary Readings:
1. New literacies integration by student’s teacher/ cooperating teacher’s dyads in elementary
school: A collective case study, Friedrich (2014)
2. Improving students’ engagement and acceptance using multicultural texts. Rouse (2018)
3. Study of digital media literacy of 5th and 6th-grade primary students in Beijing, Zhang (2016)

Cou 1. Active class participation (online discussion board, FB Closed group account)
rse 2. Logbook/ Journal (Reflection, Observation, and/or Activities on each Lesson
Requ 3. Two (2) Long Examination
irem 4. Reflection Paper
5. Final Teaching Demonstration: Application of the new literacies in the curriculum
ents
Prep RAMONITO N. ABESAR,LPT, MAEd-PES
ared
by:
Reviewed and Approved by:

Subject Area Coordinator: MARY GRACE M. OFQUERIA, Ph. D.

Dean, COE: MARY GRACE M. OFQUERIA, Ph. D.

GAD Director: MARY ANN T. ARCEŇO, Ph.D.

CIMD, Chairperson: MA. JANET S. GEROSO, Ph.D.

QA Director : DONNA FE V. TOLEDO, Ed. D.

VP- Academic Affairs: SAMSON M. LAUSA, Ph. D

 MODULE
1
LESSON

1 ST
21 Century Education
3
HOURS

This modern society is ushered in by a dramatic technological revolution. It is an

increasingly diverse, globalized, and complex media-saturated society. According to Dr.
Douglas Kellner, this technological revolution bears a greater impact on society than the
transitions from an oral to print culture.

1. Define 21st Century Education

2. Describe the 21st-century teacher and the innovative tools for learning
3. Examine the critical attribute of 21st-century education
4. Explain how 21st-century education concepts can be integrated into the classroom
5. Draw relevant life lessons and significant values from the experience in practicing
21st-century education

Education prepares students for life in this world. Amidst emerging social issues
and concerns, there is a need for students to be able to communicate, function, and
create change personally, socially, economically, and politically at the local, national, and
global levels by participating in real-life and real-world service.

Emerging technologies and resulting globalization provide unlimited possibilities for

exciting discoveries and developments.

21st Century Education Context

What is 21st Century Education?

A 21st-century education responds to the economical, technological, and societal

shifts that are happening at an ever-increasing pace. It’s an education that sets children up
to succeed in a world.

a. 21st Century School.

Schools in the 21st century focus on a project-based curriculum for life that would
engage students in addressing real-world problems and humanity concerns and issues.
This has become an innovation in education, it makes a new way of designing and
delivering the curriculum.

Schools will go from “buildings” to “ nerve centers”, with open walls and roofless
while connecting teachers, students, and the community to a breadth of knowledge in the
world. Teachers will transform their role from being dispensers of information to becoming
facilitators of learning and help students translate information into knowledge and
knowledge into wisdom. Learners will become adaptive to changes. In the past, learners
spent a required amount of time in respective courses, received passing grades, and
graduated. Today, learners are viewed in a new context. These changes have implications
for teachers:
1. Teachers must discover student interest by helping them see what and how
they are learning to prepare them for life in the real world.
2. They must instill curiosity, which is fundamental to lifelong learning;
3. They must be flexible in how they teach;
4. They must excite learners to become more resourceful so that they will
continue to learn outside formal school.

b. The 21st Century Curriculum.

The twenty-first-century curriculum is the “abandonment, finally, of textbook-
driven, teacher-centered, paper and pencil schooling”. It means a new way of
understanding the concept of “knowledge”, a new definition of the “educated person”. A
new way of designing and delivering the curriculum is required. The twenty-first-century
curriculum is: “interdisciplinary, project-based, and research-driven. It is “connected to
the community – local, state, national, and global.

The curriculum incorporates higher-order thinking skills, multiple intelligences,

technology and multimedia, the multiple literacies of the 21st century, and authentic
assessments. Service-learning is an important component”.

Key Trends in Curriculum

Trends to watch and prepare for:

 Digital Learning – Information is ubiquitous: voluminous, current, easily

accessible, and free. Everything, from the world economy to the way we live
and socialize, has shifted to accommodate this instantaneous, global flow of
data.
School curriculum will evolve to leverage this treasure trove of online
knowledge, teaching students to navigate the digital world competently and
responsibly. Students must learn to find pertinent information quickly,
sifting through the enormous haystack of data to find the golden needle.
They must know what to trust, what to ignore, and how to make their own
valuable and appropriate contributions to the online global community. The
near-future curriculum will encompass activities such as creating online
content, or designing a video game – as we do in Envision’s NYLF
Engineering & Technology program.

 With Wikipedia and Web 2.0 we see a growing proliferation of open-source

sites and thousands of other educational resources, which include tools such
as:
 Shmoop
 Google’s Education apps and sources
 Khan Academy
 Teacher Tube
 Smithsonian
 TED Talks
 Interest-Driven Learning – Future curriculum will be shaped by the
students’ interests. Studies have proven a direct correlation between
achievement and personal interest. In his book Teaching Digital Natives,
Marc Prensky writes, “Passion drives people to learn (and perform) far beyond
expectations. And whatever is learned through the motivation of passion is
rarely, if ever, forgotten.”

Today’s digital resources propel the movement toward individualized

learning, placing students in the role of curriculum decision-makers, as well
as content creators. The change is already underway with a K-12
Expeditionary Learning (project-based) option for all students. Example: The
entire curriculum at Forest Lake Elementary School in South Carolina is
designed around personalized learning.

 Skill-Driven Learning – Lately we hear a lot about “21st-century skills.”

These skills: collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, etc., aren't new
to the educational landscape, but they have recently taken on a new
importance, as global competition creates a greater need for “real-world
readiness.”

Smartphones in hand, students can engage more deeply in their studies,

accessing facts quickly and easily – and thus questioning the need to
memorize those facts. Instead, students need to develop a new digital
literacy that includes the ability to discern the relevance of facts and use
 that knowledge to achieve something “real.” Students need to grasp meaning
from the content they’re reading, communicate its significance effectively,
and apply the new knowledge collaboratively. Look for new state and
national testing/competency assessments to develop around these skills.

 New Subjects – We also expect to see an evolution in the kinds of subjects

offered in school. Computer science is an obvious example, and many
schools are already offering classes, or at least projects, that involve
computer programming and design

c. The 21st Century Learning Environment.

Our traditional notion of learning environments has centered mainly on places and
spaces. It’s natural to associate the quality of our learning with the quality of our
learning environments, but a fancy building with big LCD monitors and gigabit
Ethernet may not be a 21st century school at all. An effective learning environment
doesn’t have to be a particular place or space. Effective learning environments do not
limit themselves to time or space but comprise a variety of support systems that take
into consideration how we learn best as well as the unique learning needs of each
student.

In the 21st Century classroom, teachers are facilitators of student learning and
creators of productive classroom environments in which students can develop the skills
they will need in the workplace. The focus of the 21 st Century classroom is on students
experiencing the environment they will enter as workers. The collaborative project-
based curriculum used in this classroom develops the higher-order thinking skills,
effective communication skills, and knowledge of technology that students will need in
the 21st Century workplace.

1. Changes in the Classroom

The students are learning by doing. The focus of student learning in this
classroom is different. The focus is no longer on learning by memorizing and
recalling information but on learning how to learn. Now, students use the
information they have learned and demonstrate their mastery of the content in the
projects they work on. Students learn how to ask the right questions, how to
conduct an appropriate investigation, how to find answers, and how to use
information. The emphasis in this classroom is on creating lifelong learners. With
this goal in mind, students move beyond the student role to learn through real-
world experiences
2. Changes in Teacher Behavior
Teachers are not the only ones responsible for student learning. Other stakeholders
including administrators, board members, parents, and students all share
responsibility with the teacher for educating the student.

d. Technology in the 21st Century Pedagogy.

Why technology is essential to 21st-century education?
It is important to discuss the value 21st-century education technology brings to the
classroom environment.
First: The addition of technology into the classroom can help transform the
classroom experience from a classic teacher-centered one into a student-centered
experience – with students taking a more active role in their learning. In a student-
centered classroom, the teacher becomes more of a guide as the students engage with
and tackle the day’s lesson. And there is nothing better than seeing your students fully
 engaged! It is important to understand that integrating technology into the classroom is
by no means a replacement for an effective teacher. To put it simply, the ideal classroom
environment would be student-centered and includes a carefully selected blend of
instructional technologies with face-to-face communication.

Second: Technology provides teachers and students with access to a variety of

educational resources that inspire creativity, critical thinking, communication, and
collaboration.
 It promotes inclusion and the development of digital literacy skills.
 It extends learning beyond the text – and beyond the classroom walls.
 It ultimately exposes students and teachers to new online global communities. This
in turn promotes global awareness, which is an essential component of 21st-
century education.

Third: We all know that there have been, and will continue to be, different levels of
students in our classrooms – and with uniquely important learning needs. Through the
use of instructional technology, differentiated instruction can be made much easier. It
can become more of a reality! With differentiated instruction, students are provided a
personalized education – and that meets them where they are, developmentally. More
students can benefit from this type of instruction. The use of technology also provides
students access to very rich learning materials outside of the classroom.

Finally, it is of paramount importance that while in school, students use tools that will
best prepare them for their future academic and professional experiences. – This
includes a blend of new tech and old tech. Integrating technology into the classroom
provides students with a set of skills to navigate through the variety of online tools we
have today! It also provides teachers opportunities to educate students on digital
citizenship and the new challenges to academic integrity.

e. Understanding 21st Century Learner.

Today’s students are referred to as “digital natives”, while educators are “digital
immigrants” (Prensky, 2001). Most likely, the digital native usually reacts, are random
holistic and non –linear. Their predominant senses are motion and touch. They learn
through experience and learn differently. Digital immigrants often reflect, are sequential,
and linear. Their predominant senses are hearing and seeing. They tend to intellectualize
and believe that learning is constant (Hawkin and Graham, 1994)

21st-century learning is the constellation of learner characteristics that equip

students to enjoy a high quality of life, work, and relationships by being resilient,
intentional, creative, and confident learners who understand the value of collaboration,
the relationship of effort to results, and the need to be continually growing and learning.

What are the characteristics of a 21st Century Learner?

They are unlike any other generation before them (and that’s how they like it). Here are
some indicators that you have a 21st Century learner on your hands (other than their
age):

1. Open to change: Change is no big deal in their eyes, it’s just a part of life and they
embrace it.
2. Take control of their education: They respond better when their voices are heard
and they have the opportunity to express their thoughts and opinions.
 3. Technologically capable: They’ve never lived in an era without computers.
4. Belief in the power of collaboration: They can be part of a team and socialize
with others amazingly well.
5. Hands-on approach: Sitting down and listening isn’t enough for them. They want
to learn by doing.
6. Multicultural awareness and appreciation: This generation is more aware and
accepting of other cultures, knows other countries, and is open to exploring.
7. Connected at all times, anywhere, and on their terms: They want to connect
and socialize with peers/family in real-time, in their way, on their terms.
8. Trial and error are necessary: They have a “can-do” attitude and are open to
trying new things even if there is a chance of failure.
9. Demand freedom to be creative: They believe they have a part to play in this
world and want to let their creativity shine.
10.Critical-thinkers: They question things if they don’t understand and are more
interested in the “why”.

THE 4 C’S OF A 21ST CENTURY LEARNER

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills, a national organization advocating for
21st-century readiness explains the main pillars for a 21st-century learner:

1. Creativity and Innovation

21st-century learners believe in sharing their creativity and they don’t want to hold
back. They aren’t scared of failure, instead, they are motivated by it. These students use a
wide range of techniques to brainstorm ideas. They will have big, radical ideas but you’ll
find they’ve also got practical ideas. They believe there are endless opportunities available
out there if they just use their creativity, and innovate.
These students also creatively collaborate with others. Gone are the days of
presenting an idea only through PowerPoint. They want to show how creative and
innovative they can be by coming up with a video, blog, or even website to best represent
their ideas to others. In a group setting, they are open-minded to what others have to say
and accepting of other people’s ideas and creativity.

2. Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving

Critical thinking is about the students learning how to evaluate, analyses, and
solve problems in any subject and even beyond their K-12 education. Teachers help
students look at problems through different perspectives and angles rather than simply
repeating and memorizing the “right answer”. Having open-ended problems will encourage
students to think differently, find a creative solution and analyze the outcome.

3. Collaboration
Now, collaboration plays a huge part in the student’s learning outcomes. With the
easy access to connect with people around the world, it’s become much more important to
learn to collaborate with people from all over the world. They learn to work with people
who are from different cultures and have different values from their own.
Collaboration is about working together to find the best solution. In a group, you
will have different personalities who have different strengths and weaknesses. Students
learn to play to their strengths and allow others to step up to form a dynamic team.

4. Communication
21st-century learners expect transparency and honesty from parents, teachers,
and peers. They are open to hearing what others have to say and want to connect. They
are social by nature in various forms of communication. They are likely talking to people
on 6 different apps and enjoy having conversations with others.
These students know how to articulate their thoughts and ideas using oral, verbal,
and non-verbal communication. They enjoy using multiple media devices, technologies,
and apps to present their creative ideas. 21st-century learners are unafraid to
communicate their thoughts and ideas in unconventional/new ways; in fact, they
embrace the opportunity to do so.

F. 21ST CENTURY SKILLS OUTCOME AND DEMANDS IN THE JOB MARKET.

The 21st Century Skills are a set of abilities that students need to develop to
succeed in the information age. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills lists three types:

1. Learning Skills which comprise critical thinking, creative thinking, collaborating, and
communicating.
2. Literacy Skills which is composed of information literacy, media literacy, and
technology literacy; and
3. Life Skills that include flexibility, imitative, social skills, productivity, and leadership.

According to Partnership for 21st-Century Skills (P21), various industries look for
employees who can think critically, solve problems creatively, innovate, collaborate and
communicate. Therefore, for a perfect match between academe and industry demands,
schools need to embed time-tested industry–demanded work skills in the curriculum.

G. THE 21ST CENTURY LEARNING IMPLICATIONS.

21st-century skills are viewed as relevant to all academic areas and the skills may
be taught in a wide variety of both on-campus and community settings.

Teachers should practice teaching cross-disciplinary skills in related courses, such

as integrating research methods in various disciplines; articulating technical scientific
concepts in verbal, written, and graphic forms; presenting laboratory reports to a pool of
specialist, or use emerging technologies, software programs, and multimedia applications
as an extension of an assigned project.

Likewise, accrediting organizations and regulatory bodies may require21st century

skills in the curriculum. In doing so, the assessment tools should also contain these
skills. They may design or adopt learning standards that explicitly describe multi-
disciplinary skills that students should acquire and master.

Schools and teachers should use a variety of applied skills, multiple technologies,
and new ways of analyzing and processing information, while also taking initiative,
thinking creatively, planning out the process, working collaboratively in teams with other
students.

A PARADIGM SHIFT FOR 21ST CENTURY EDUCATION

Before 21st Century 21st Century Education

Time- based Outcome-based

Focus: memorization of discrete facts
Lower order thinking skills in loom’s Taxonomy, such
as knowledge and comprehension
Textbook- driven
Passive learning
Learners work in isolation and confined in the
classroom ( walled classroom )
Teacher-centered: teacher is a dispenser of knowledge,
information, and attention.
Little to no student freedom
Focus: what students Know, Can Do, and Are Like after all the
details are forgotten.
Higher-order thinking skills (metacognition), such as
application, analysis synthesis, and evaluation.
Research-driven
Active learning
Learners work collaboratively with classmates and others
around the world ( global classroom)
Student-centered: teacher is a facilitator/ coach of students’
learning.
A great deal of student freedom
 “Discipline problem”- No trust between educators and
students. Little student motivation.
Fragmented curriculum
Grades took from formal assessment measures entered
in the class recorded for reporting purposes
Assessment is for making purpose and place as part of
lesson plan structure.
Low expectations. What students receive is what they
get.
A teacher is a judge. No one else sees student work.
Outputs are assessed using structured metrics.
The curriculum is irrelevant and meaningless to the
students
Print is the primary vehicle of learning and assessment
Students’ diversity is ignored.
Students just follow orders and instructions while
listening to the teacher’s lecture
Literacy is the 3R’s ( reading, writing, arithmetic)
Factory model, based upon the needs of employers for
the Industrial Age of the 19th Century
No “discipline problem”- Students and teachers have mutual
respect and relationship as co-learners. High student
motivation.
Integrated and Interdisciplinary curriculum
The grade is based on students’ performance as evidence of
learning outcomes.
Assessment is an important aspect of instruction to gauge
learning outcomes.
A high expectation that students succeed in learning to a high
extent.
Self, peer, and others serve as evaluators of student learning
using a wide range of metric and authentic assessments
The curriculum is connected to students’ interests,
experiences, talents, and the real world.
Performance, projects, and multiple forms of media are used
for learning and assessment.
Curriculum and instruction address students’ diversity.
Students are empowered to lead and initiate while creating
solutions and solving problems.
Multiple literacies of the 21st Century aligned to living and
working in a globalized new society.
Global model based upon the needs of a globalized society
high-tech society.

Educators have identified characteristics or attribute critical to 21st education. As a

modern-day teacher, you need to be aware of what these are and you must strive to
understand them so that you may be able to integrate them into your teaching.

Critical Attributes of the 21st Century

1 Integrated and Interdisciplinary

. Education in the 21st century is characterized by linkages among
various subject areas in an integrated manner rather than
compartmentalizing its subsequent parts
This critical attribute implies that teachers need to review the school
curriculum and identify strategies or ways on how different subjects can
be effectively linked to enhancing the learning experiences of students.
For example, music and algebra can be linked together in the discussion
of fractions.
2 Technologies and Multimedia
. Education in the 21st century makes full use of available Information
and Communication Technology, or ICT (e.g., computers and the
internet) as well as multimedia (e.g., using audio- and video-based
instruction) to improve teaching and learning activities, including online
applications and technology platform. It implies a need to acquire and
 use computers and multimedia equipment and design a technology plan
to enhance learning at its best.
3 Global Classrooms
. Education in the 21st century aims to produce global citizens by
exposing students to the issues and concerns in the local, national and
global societies. They are encouraged to react and respond to issues as
part of their roles as global citizens. This critical attribute implies that
teachers need to include current global issues/concerns, such as peace
and respect for cultural diversity, climate change, and global warming, in
classroom discussions.
4 Creating/Adapting to Constant Personal and Social Change, and
. Lifelong Learning
Education in the 21st century subscribes to the belief that learning
does not only happen inside the four walls of the room instead learning
takes place anywhere, anytime, regardless of one’s age. This means that
teachers should facilitate students’ acquisition of KSAVs that go beyond
academics. Learning should take place not only to pass exams but also
for transferring knowledge to real-life situations. The curriculum should
be planned in such a way that the students will continue to learn even
outside the school’s portals.

5 Student-Centered
. Education in the 21st century is focused on students as
learners. It is tailor-fit to address the individual learning needs of each
student. Differentiated instruction is common in 21st-century
classrooms, where diverse student factors are taken into account when
planning and delivering instruction. You, as a teacher, can structure
learning environments that address a variety of learning styles, interests,
needs, and abilities.
This critical attribute implies that teachers should act as facilitators
of learning — not as “sages on the stage” but as “guides on the side.”
Learners should be given opportunities to discover new knowledge, learn
with one another, and create their learnings.
6 21st Century Skills
. Education in the 21st century promotes the skills needed to be
productive members of today’s society. Beyond learning the basic skills
of reading, writing, and numeracy, but should develop in themselves
skills that would help them cope with life and work in 21st-century
communities. These skills include, among others, critical and creative
thinking skills, problem-solving and decision making, and ICT literacy
and skills. As a teacher, you are expected to possess these 21st-century
skills before you can help your students develop these skills.
7 Project-Based and Research-Driven
. 21st-century education is the emphasis on data, information, and
evidence-based decision-making. It relies heavily on student-driven
activities to encourage active learning. This implies that teachers of the
21st century need to be knowledgeable about research to guide their
students’ learning through self-directed activities, such as learning
projects within and outside their classrooms. Investigatory projects
showcased in many science fairs across Southeast Asia and the world
are examples of research-based activities of students.
8 Relevant, Rigorous, and Real-world
. Education in the 21st century is meaningful because it is rooted in
the real-life day-to-day activities of learners. It can be applied to the
realities of the present and includes what students need to develop to
enable them to become productive members of the 21st century.
This critical attribute implies that topics are taught using current
 and relevant information and linked to real-life situations and context.
As a 21st century teacher, you need to be updated on the current trends,
developments, and issues in your school, community, and the world, so
that your teaching will be relevant to the lives of your students.
Newspapers, TV and radio news, and the internet are good sources of
relevant and up-to-date information that you can access.

The Characteristic of a 21st Century Teacher

The 21st Century teaching-learning environment becomes more complicated

brought by technological changes. Therefore, teachers should be able to cope with and
adapt to these changes.

1. Multi-literate. Teachers know how to use various techniques in teaching.

2. Multi-specialist. Teachers are not only knowledgeable in the course subject they
teach but also in other areas so that they can help the learners build up what they gain
in the classroom and outside the school that make sense of what was learned.
3. Multi-skilled. Teachers cope with the demand of widening learning opportunities by
being skillful not just in teaching but also in facilitating and organizing group activities.
4. Self-directed. Teachers are responsible for various aspects of school life and know
how to initiate action to realize the learning goals of the students and the educational
goals of the country, at large.
5. Lifelong learner. Teachers embrace the idea that learning never ends. Therefore,
teachers must be constantly updated on the latest information related to their subject
and pedagogic trends. They should also share what they are learning with their
students, colleagues with a high sense of professionalism.
6. Flexible. Teachers can adapt to various learning styles and the needs of the learners.
They can facilitate learner-centered teaching with flexibility using alternative modes of
delivery.
7. Creative problem solver. Teachers create innovative ideas and effective solutions to
the arising problems in the field, be it in the classroom, in the school, or the profession
as a whole.
8. Critical thinker. Teachers are critical thinkers as they encourage students to reflect
on what they have learned, and rekindle in them the desires to ask questions, reason
out, probe, and establish their knowledge and belief.
9. Has a passion for excellent teaching. Teachers possess passion in the teaching
profession to ensure that students are motivated to learn under guidance and care.
10. High Emotional Quotient. (EQ). Teachers do not just have the head but also the
heart to teach. Teaching is emotionally taxing but an influential job as it involves
interaction with a person being.
Common 21st Century Tools for Learning

As a teacher for the 21st Century, no one can escape from the reality that we are
now in a borderless society. It is, therefore, important that we should know different
technology tools for learning to respond to the needs of 21st Century Learners.

1. Affinity Groups. These are groups or communities that unite individuals with
common interests. Electronic spaces extend the range of possibilities for such groups.
2. Blogs. Weblogs or “blogs” are interactive websites, often open to the public that can
include Web links, photographs, and audio and video elements.
3. E-portfolio. It refers to student’s work that is generated, selected, organized, sored,
and revised digitally. Often, electronic portfolios are accessible to multiple audiences
and can be moved from one site to another easily. It can document and can be moved
from the final work, and/or provide a space for reflective learning.
4 Hypertext. These are electronic texts that provide multiple links and allow users to
trace ideas in immediate and idiosyncratic directions. Hypermedia adds sound, video,
animation virtual reality environments to the user's choices.
5. Podcasts. These are digitalized audio files that are stored on the Internet and
downloaded to listeners or most likely to MP3 players. The term "podcast comes from
iPod, the popular MP3 player.
6. Web 2.0. This refers to the second generation of Web-based Communities that
demonstrate the participatory literacies that students need for the 21st-century.
7. Myspace (http://www.Myspace.com). is a Social networking website that offers an
interactive user-submitted network of friends, personal profiles, blogs, groups, photos,
music, and videos internationally. Students can rate professors, discuss books, and
connect with high school and college here.
8. Second Life (http://www.secondlife.com). is an Internet-based, 3-D virtual world that
uses avatars (digital representation) to explore, socialize, participate in individual or
group create and trade items (virtual property) and services.
9. Semantic Web. It is an extension of the current Web that put data into a common
format so that instead of human working with individual search engines (e.g., Google,
Ask Jeeves) to locate information, the search engines themselves feed into a single
mechanism that provides this searching on its own. Sometimes called Web 3.0, this
technology enables the integration of virtually all kinds of information for more efficient
and comprehensive retrieval.
10. Webkinz (http://www.webkinz.com). It is an Intern simulation wherein children
learn pet care and other skills.
11. Wiki. It refers to software that fosters collaboration and communication online.
Wikis enable students to create comments upon and revise collaboration projects. One
of the prominent is Wikipedia.
12. YouTube. It is a popular website for video sharing where users can upload, view,
and share video footage, including movie clips, TV clips, and music videos, even
student-produced videos.
13. Google Docs. It allows students to collaborate with other people and the documents
materials that need to be compiled, processed transacted, and analyzed.
14. Prezi. It allows individuals to use pre-made, creative presentation templates.
15. Easybib. It allows individuals to generate citations in any given format.
16. Social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Edmodo, Schoology, Instagram, etc.)
These are means to communicate and share ideas among users.
17. Smartboards and audience response system. These are replacement for traditional
chalkboards and whiteboards in the classroom
18. ReadWriteThink org. It is a repository of standards-based literacy lessons that offer
teachers instructional ideas for internet integration.
19. WebQuest Page. It provides Webquests on an array of topics across content areas
with a template for creating one’s own.
20. Literacy Web. It is an online portal that includes a large number of literacy
resources for new literacies for teachers.
For 20 points. Share your experience /observation on 21st Century teaching and learning
that we are practicing right now. What life lessons and values have you realized and
learned?

Change may be described as theadoption of an innovation, where the ultimate goal is to

improveoutcomes through an alteration of practices. This saying can truly be applied in
today’scentury of education.

Twenty-first century education is the incorporation of technology inevery sector. It is the century
where students and teachers are tech-savvy.The twenty-first century teaching-learning process being
practiced in the schoolbefore pandemic was truly an effective, efficient, and enjoyable one. Because
there is aphysical interaction among students and teachers. Before pandemic, in our
physicalclassroom, our instructors integrate the use of technology when discussing, in which
Iobserved that every room of the College of Teacher Education Department has a SmartTV which
will be used when you are reporting or presenting something to the class. Icould say we can
comprehend well about the topic being discussed and approached toour instructor easily if there is
some points for clarifications.

Henceforth, Twenty-first century learning refers to developing learning, literacy and life skills as part
of the classroom experience. Learning skills encompass critical thinking, creativity, collaboration
and communication, which have been identified as essential for successfully adapting to modern
work
environments._____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

For 10 points each. Explain compressively the following questions.

1. What are the critical attribute of 21st century Education? Explain them.

- As a 21st century teacher, i need to develop essential knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values to be able to
cope with these changes and to help your students address them as well.
integrated and interdisciplinary
This critical attribute implies that teachers need to review the school curriculum and identify strategies or
ways on how different subjects can be effectively linked to enhance the learning experiences of students.
technologies and multimedia
This critical attribute implies that your school will need to acquire and use computers and various multimedia
equipment to enhance learning to the best extent possible.
digital literacy
It is the ability to find, evaluate, utilize, and create information using technologies and multimedia, or digital
technology.
global classrooms
This critical attribute implies that teachers need to include current global issues/concerns, such as peace and
respect for cultural diversity, climate change, and global warming, in classroom discussions.

2. Describe a 21st Century teacher and discuss some innovative tools for learning?
- The 21st century teacher looks forward to the future. They are aware of the ever-changing trends in
technology and are in tune of what the future may bring to education. A good 21st century teacher is aware of
the career opportunities that will be in the coming years for their students, and are always advocating towards
forward thinking and planning to ensure all students will not be left behind.

Technology in the classroom is moving at a rapid pace and the 21st century teacher moves right along with it.
Classroom technology; whether it’s for lessons, assignments, or grading, can help students learn better and
faster, and help make a teacher’s time more effective. A 21st century teacher does not have to have a class set
of tablets in every child’s hand, or the latest Smart-board. But they can have a nice balance of educational
tools in their classroom. An effective teacher knows what technology in the classroom can truly help
transform their students’ education. They know what the best tools are, and how and when to use them.
3. Explain how you can integrate 21st-century education into the curriculum?
21st century skills are tools that can be universally applied to enhance ways of thinking, learning, working and
living in the world. The skills include critical thinking/reasoning, creativity/creative thinking, problem
solving, metacognition, collaboration, communication and global citizenship.Video editing has more
requirements but also more benefits. We found that it ignited the imagination resulting in some incredible
work. It encouraged cooperation because it requires students to work in teams. By editing videos, students
became comfortable with using technology beyond basic word processing. The effective use of digital
learning tools in classrooms can increase student engagement, help teachers improve their lesson plans, and
facilitate personalized learning. It also helps students build essential 21st-century skills

Rubric for Essay Writing.

MODULE for
Midterm

LESSO
N

Module 4: Integrating New Literacies in the

1
Curriculum This
lesson

3
HOURS
introduces the concepts of an integrated curriculum, the approaches to integration,
methods, and types of integration.

1. Discuss the concept of integrated curriculum

2. Distinguish the different curriculum integration approaches, methods, and types
3. Identify lessons or course disciplines that may be appropriate for curriculum
integration
4. Draw relevant life lessons and significant values from curriculum integration
experiences in class
5. Analyze research abstract on curriculum integration experiences in class
6. Apply integration across the related discipline in a lesson plan

Imagine yourself during your elementary days. United Nations has come again and in
celebration of that, your Arts teacher has instructed the class to choose the flag of the
country that each one wants to draw. The teacher then asks for every student to identify
in front of the class which country the said flag represents. He then proceeded in giving
you a brief background of each country.
Is the subject confined to a lesson in Arts? If not, what other subjects do you think forms
the closest connection to the subject matter?
I think …

To become fully literate in today’s world, students must become proficient in the
new literacies. If literacy is changing, how must schools change as well? Literacy
educators have a responsibility to effectively integrate the said “new literacies” in the
curriculum to prepare students for the future they deserve.

Concept Exploration
Innovative educators concerned with improving student achievement seek ways to create
rigorous, relevant, and engaging curriculum as a way to realize curriculum integration.
Today, the subjects in the curriculum should not be taught singly and compartmentally
but rather become an integral part of towards total development of the child.

The Concept of Integrated Curriculum

In retrospect, the introduction of an integrated curriculum gained the greatest
support in the 1960s. Based on the essential organization of content, the design
emphasizes the role of diverse entities called academic disciplines clearly defined in terms
of knowledge, skills, and values.
Thus, an integrated curriculum…

 Focuses on basic skills, content, and higher-level thinking;

 Encourages life-long learning;
 Structures learning around themes, big ideas, and meaningful concepts;
 Provides connections among various curricular disciplines;
 Provides learners opportunities to apply skills they have learned;
 Encourages active participation in relevant real-life experiences;
 Captivates, motivates, and challenges learners;
 Provides a deeper understanding of content;
 Offers opportunities for a smaller group and industrialized instruction; and
 Accommodates a variety of learning styles/theories and multiple intelligences

Approaches to Integration
 The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (2004) presents
three approaches to integration and these are multi-disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and
Trans disciplinary.

Multidisciplinary Approach. A multi-disciplinary approach focuses primarily on

different disciplines. Teachers who employ this approach may create standards from the
disciplines within a theme. There are many different ways to create a multi-disciplinary
curriculum, and they tend to differ in the level of intensity of the integration effort. It can
be recalled that the previous Restructured Basic Education Curriculum (RBEC) is the best
depiction of a multidisciplinary approach. The four disciplines (Araling Panlipunan,
Values Education, MAPEH, and TLE) were integrated along with a theme termed
Makabayan as an integrated subject served as a laboratory of life. Makabayan was a
learning area that stressed the development of social awareness, empathy, and
commitment for common good. Grades in these four disciplines were usually computed to
comprise the general grade in Makabayan as a discipline. At the end of the week, the four
disciplines collaborated to design a culminating activity along with the given theme that
connected these four discipline areas. The following is the structure of Makabayan that
used the multidisciplinary approach centered on a given theme.

Araling Panlipunan

MAPEH Makabayan HE

Values Education
When a teacher integrates sub-disciplines within a subject area, he/she is practicing an
interdisciplinary approach. For example, one integrates reading, writing, and oral
communication in the English subject. Likewise, Science integrates sub-disciplines such
as Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics that respond to the spiral curriculum
approach. This connection is presented in the structure below.

Earth Science

Biology

Chemistry

Physics
SCIENCE

Through the integration, teachers expect students to understand the connections

between the different subdisciplines and their relationship to the real world. This
approach brings a positive impact on the achievement of students.
In using the multidisciplinary integration approach, there is a need to organize a
list of standards from various disciplines around one common theme. Likewise, come up
with a list of standards from related disciplines such as Earth Science, Biology,
Chemistry, and Physics to focus on a common interdisciplinary science program. Another
way of doing it is by fusing skills, knowledge, and attitudes into the school curriculum or
utilizing technology across the curriculum. In this way, students learn other subjects
while enhancing their computer skills.

Interdisciplinary Approach. In this approach to integration, teachers organize and

capsulize the curriculum around common learning across disciplines to emphasize
interdisciplinary skills and concepts. The disciplines are identifiable, but they assume
less importance than in the multidisciplinary approach. For example, in teaching Filipino,
as a discipline, the teacher hones student’s language skills while resorting to content and
topics in Araling Panlipunan. Therefore, there are times that a teacher in Filipino teams
up with a teacher in Araling Panlipunan to teach a lesson in Araling Panlipunan while she
teaches the needed skills in the Filipino 1 subject.

Skills Content
Filipino Araling
Panlipunan

Filipino

Besides, in using the interdisciplinary integration approach, there is a need to

structure the curriculum around common learning areas across disciplines. For example,
incorporate interdisciplinary skills, such as thinking skills, problem-solving and analytic
skills in teaching Science, Math, and English. The purpose is to learn the skills and
concepts that are beyond the immediate lesson.

Transdisciplinary Integration. In the transdisciplinary approach to integration,

teachers design a curriculum within student needs and concerns. Students develop life
skills as they apply disciplinary and interdisciplinary skills in a real-life context. Two
routes lead to transdisciplinary integration, namely: project-based learning and
negotiating the curriculum.

Comparing and Contrasting the Three Approaches to Integration

(Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development)
Aspect Multidisciplinary
Organizing  Standards of the discipline
Center organized around a theme
Conceptualizati  Knowledge best learned
on of Knowledge through the structure of
the discipline es
 A right answer
 One truth
Role of  Procedures of discipline
Disciplines considered most important
 Distinct skills and
Interdisciplinary Transdisciplinary
 Interdisciplinary skills and  Real-life context
concepts embedded in  Student
disciplinary standards questions
 Disciplines connected by  All knowledge
common concepts and interconnected
skills and
 Knowledge considered to interdependent
be socially constructed  Many right
 Many right answers answers
 Knowledge
considered to be
indeterminate
and ambiguous
 Interdisciplinary skills and  Disciplines
concepts stressed identified if
desired, but real-
 concepts of discipline life context
taught emphasized

Role of Teacher Facilitator Facilitator Co-planner

Specialist Specialist/Generalist Co-learner
Generalist/Specialist
Starting Place Disciplinary standards and Interdisciplinary bridge Student questions
procedures Know/Do/Be and concerns
Real-world context
Degree of Moderate Medium/Intense Paradigm shift
Integration
Assessment Disciplined-based Interdisciplinary Interdisciplinary
skills/Concepts stressed skills/Concepts
stressed
Learning to Concepts and essential understandings across disciplines
Know
Learning to Do  Disciplinary skills as  Interdisciplinary Interdisciplinary
the focal point skills/Concepts skills/Concepts
 Interdisciplinary skills stressed stressed
also included  Disciplinary skills also
included

Learning to Be  Democratic values

 Character education
 Habits of mind
 Life skills
Planning  Backward design
Process  Standards-based
 Alignment of instruction, standards, and assessment
Instruction  Constructivist approach
 Inquiry
 Experimental learning
 Personal relevance
 Student choice
 Differentiated instruction
Assessment  Balance of traditional and authentic assessments
 Culminating activity that integrates disciplines taught
(Source: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2004)

Methods of Curriculum Integration

Anchored on approaches to curriculum integration, some methods are processed
and devised for this purpose.

1. Project-Based Learning. It engages students in creating knowledge while

enhancing their skills in critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication,
reasoning, synthesis, and resilience (Barron and Darling-Hammond, 2008 in
Corpuz, 2014). As such, it entails an output that involves accomplishing a complex
task, performing a presentation, and producing a project, a craft, or an artifact.
Here, students start by defining the purpose of creating the end-product; identify
the audience; do research on the topic; design the product; implement the design;
solve the problems that arise, and come up with the product guided by a plan or a
model. It usually culminates with product presentation, and product evaluation
while reflecting on the entire production process. (Schneideman, et.al, 1998 in
Corpuz, 2014).
Implementation Outcome. As a result, Curtis (2002) revealed that project-based
programs show that students go far beyond the minimum effort, make connections among
different subject areas to answer open-ended questions, retain what they have learned,
apply learning to real-life problems, have fewer discipline problems, and have lower
absenteeism. Student assessment considered teamwork, critical thinking skills, problem-
solving, and time management.

2. Service Learning. It refers to learning that actively involves students in a wide

range of experiences, which often benefit others and the community, while also
advancing the goals of a given curriculum. Community-based service activities are
paired with structured preparation and student reflection. What is unique about
service learning is that it offers direct application of theoretical models. As such,
the real-world application of classroom knowledge in a community setting allows
students to synthesize course material in more meaningful ways. It impounds
integrative, reflective, contextualized, strength-based, reciprocal, and life-long
learning (Clevenger-Bright, et. Al, 2012).

Implementation Outcome. As a result, Glenn (2001) found that more than 80 percent of
the schools that integrate service-learning into the classroom report an improvement in
the grade point average of participating students. On the other hand, such programs
foster a lifelong commitment to civic participation, sharpen “people skills”, and prepare
students for the workforce. Students also gain a deeper understanding of the
course/curricular content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced
sense of civic responsibility.

3. Learning Centers/Parallel Disciplines. A popular way to integrate the curriculum

is to address a topic or theme through the lenses of several subject areas. In an
elementary classroom, students often experience this approach at learning centers.
As students move through the learning centers to complete the activities, they learn
about the concept being studied through the lenses of various disciplines.
In the higher grades, students usually study a topic or theme in different classrooms. This
may take the form of parallel disciplines and teachers sequence their content to match the
content in other classrooms.

Implementation Outcome. As a result, according to a study by Carnegie Mellon

University (CMU), learning centers in the classroom can affect the ability to focus and
study among young children. Learning centers allow children to role-play to understand
and make sense of the real world and their personal experiences in it. Thus, this helps
children understand the social world, develop communication skills, and build
relationships.
 4. Theme-Based. Some teachers go beyond sequencing content and plan
collaboratively and they do it in a more intensive way of working with a theme
dubbed as “theme-based”. Often, three or more subject areas are involved in the
study, and the unit ends with an integrated culminating activity. Units of several
weeks’ duration may emerge from this process, and the whole school may be
involved. A theme-based unit involving the whole school may be independent of the
regular school schedule.
Other thematic programs may involve teachers across the same grade, wherein teachers
carefully connect the activities to the standards in each discipline. Over time, they have
developed a long list of possible culminating activities. They also update their website
continually and use it as a teaching tool with students. The site offers many interesting
options for those interested in this method of integration.

Implementation Outcome. Using theme-based learning, students can exhibit

excellent on-task behavior and work collaboratively. Also, students are engrossed both as
presenters and as an audience for a half-day performance task presentations as they use
a wide range of presentation, such as video, panel, forum or colloquium, debate,
sculpture, music, etc. they can demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the topics as a
result of their sustain interest around various questions. Fewer problems occur during
this two-week period that made teachers enjoy the process and the results.

5. Fusion. In this method, teachers fuse skills, knowledge, or even attitudes into the
regular school curriculum. In some schools, students learn respect for the
environment in every subject area or incorporate values across disciplines. Fusion
can involve basic skills. Many schools emphasize positive work habits in each
subject area. Educators can also fuse technology across the curriculum with
computer skills integrated with every subject area.

Implementation Outcome. As a result, fusion brings positive gains in student

achievement resulting from integrated instruction in the classroom. Also, students make
connections among disciplines, values, concepts, and content, and life experiences.
Students’ increased critical thinking skills, self-confidence, positive attitude, and love for
learning manifest their effectiveness. Shriner, et.al, (2010) also found that motivated
teachers and students allow a classroom to be a positive, fun, and engaging environment
in which to learn.

Other Types of Integrated Curriculum

There are different types of integrated curriculum as mentioned by ASCD (2004):

1. Connected. This happens when topics surrounding disciplines are connected,

which allows students to review and re-conceptualize ideas within a discipline.
However, it has its shortcomings because the content focus remains in one
discipline.

2. Sequenced. This is observed when similar ideas are taught together, although in
different subjects, which facilitates learning across content areas but requires a lot
of communication among teachers of different disciplines.

3. Shared. This is when the teachers use their planning to create an integrated unit
between two disciplines. Although in some ways, this method of integration
requires a lot of communication and collaboration between two teachers. A teacher
 presents the structure, format, and standards in making research while
collaborating with the science teacher, who focuses on the content area of research
that is related to science.

4. Webbed. This reflects when a teacher plans to base the subject areas around a
central theme that will enable students to see the connection within different
subjects.

Doing Curriculum Integration in the Classroom

Chabra (2017) posited that integrating curriculum in the classroom includes combining
different subject areas and then, teaching them concerning a singular theme or an idea.
Innovative teachers and schools prefer integrating the curriculum in their classrooms as it
improves student achievement and leads to an increase in student standardize scores.
Placing student achievement on top priority, an integrated curriculum utilizes the
mentioned three different approaches of integration.

Benefits of Integrated Curriculum Model

1. It focuses on basic skills, content, and higher-level thinking.
2. It provides a deeper understanding of content.
3. It encourages active participation in relevant real-life experiences.
4. It provides connections among various curricular disciplines.
5. It accommodates a variety of learning styles, theories, and multiple intelligences.

New Literacy Integration in the K-12 Curriculum

The new literacy can be integrated into the K-12 curriculum across subject areas
as presented in the table below. However, the integration of new literacy is not limited to
the identified disciplines, the given learning outcomes, suggested strategies, and
assessment. Each learning area can integrate as many new literacies as possible
depending on the lesson, the nature of the subject, and the objectives or intended
outcomes. New literacy integration can take place in as many disciplines as possible.

Integration of New Literacy in the K-12 Curriculum

Literacy Subject Area Outcome Strategy Assessment
Output
Multicultural Araling Demonstrate Roleplaying Rubric
and Global Panlipunan respect for Brainstorming assessment
Literacy cultural diversity result
Brainstorming
report
Social Literacy Edukasyon sa Apply ethical and Case analysis Case report
Pagpapahalaga moral standards Drama analysis Narratives
on given issues
and cases
Media Literacy English Use media in Media-assisted E-portfolio
Filipino communication instruction Google clip
dissemination
and transaction
Financial Math Solve problems in Problem-solving Scores in
Literacy the context of problem-solving
business and drills and
investment exercises
aspects
TLE Apply effective Business Business plan
techniques in simulation and and inventory
budgeting and immersion
income-
generating
enterprise
Using the rubric. Explain the following for five (5points) each:

1. What is an integrated curriculum?

2. What are the different approaches, models, and types of curriculum integration?
3. How can you apply integration along with multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary,
and trans-disciplinary approaches?
4. Which curriculum integration approaches would best suit the different types of
learners in diverse classroom contexts?
5. In what lesson or course discipline is the integrated curriculum most
appropriate?
Rubric:

Criteria 5 4 3 2 1

Appropriatene The response is The response is given The response The response The response given
ss
given answers answers the question given is slightly given barely does not
the question but with a little appropriate to the answers the necessarily answer
befittingly deviation from the question question the question
I.
concept

Clarity The response Most of the response The response The response The response given
given is clear given is clear given is slightly given is most is not clear
and not unclear of the time
confusing unclear

For 5 points each per column: write you’re learning concepts on four types of curriculum
integration on the four corners below:
Curriculum Integration
Theme-based Topic-Based
Concept:________________ Concepts: __________________
Application:______________ Application:___________________
Learning _________________________ ______________________________
_________________________ ______________________________
Reflection _________________________ ______________________________
Project-Based Task- based
Concept:_________________ Concept:_________________
Application:______________ Application:__________________
_________________________ ______________________________
_________________________ ______________________________
_________________________ ______________________________
II. For 5 points each per column: Make a lesson plan using thematic integration with
related disciplines. Use the template provided below.

Components Subject A: Subject B: Subject C:

English Math PE
I. Learning Outcomes
II. Topic/
Subject Matter
Values Integration
III. Materials
References
IV. Strategy/ies

Activities

Thematic Culminating Activity :

Brief Description:

Objectives:

V. Assessment
 LESSON

Module 5: Multicultural and Global Literacy

2

3 HOURS

This lesson discusses the concept of multicultural literacy, its implications on the
teaching-learning process, and the dimensions of multiculturalism. It also tackles the
global competencies that future educators must have to better address multiculturalism
in schools.

1. Discuss global and multicultural literacy

2. Illustrate the Global Competencies Framework
3. Explain the dimensions of multiculturalism
4. Elucidate on the assessment strategy for global competencies and global
understanding
5. Present effective ways on how to integrate global multiculturalism in the lesson
using appropriate delivery strategies, instructional materials, and assessment
tools.
6. Draw relevant life lessons and significant values from personal experience in
demonstrating multicultural literacy.
7. Analyze research abstract on global and multicultural literacy and its implications
on the teaching-learning process
8. Draft relevant policy in addressing multiculturalism in school

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0E0QF4tz0U

 What is CULTURAL DIVERSITY?

 What does CULTURAL DIVERSITY mean?
 CULTURAL DIVERSITY meaning
How do you view cultural diversity? As schools cater to diverse students in class, be it in
terms of gender, color, or race, nationality, religious beliefs, ethnic groups, socio-economic
status, etc., teachers need to understand the concept of multicultural literacy to come up
with appropriate approaches in class.

Multicultural Literacy

Multicultural literacy consists of the skills and ability to identify the creators of
knowledge and their interests (Banks, 1996) to reveal the assumptions of knowledge, to
view knowledge from a diverse ethnic and cultural perspective, and to use knowledge to
guide action that will create a humane and just world.
Multicultural literacy then brings attention to diversity, equity, and social justice to
foster cultural awareness by addressing difficult issues like discrimination and oppression
towards other ethnicities (Boutte, 2008).
Accordingly, education for multicultural literacy should help students to develop
the 21st-century skills and attitudes that are needed to become active citizens who will
work toward achieving social justice within communities. Because of the growing racial,
language, and ethnic diversity in the country, multicultural literacy needs to be
transformed in substantial ways to prepare students to function effectively in the 21 st
century.
Boutte (2008) reiterated that making small changes within the classrooms can
create big changes globally. As diversity grows, there is a need for the emergence of
multicultural education that is more representative of the students in today’s classrooms.
Banks (2003) asserted that teaching students to be advocates of multiculturalism is also a
matter of sending a message of empathy and tolerance in schools to develop a deeper
understanding of others and appreciation of different cultures. Developing these attitudes
and skills requires basic knowledge before teaching students how to question
assumptions about cultural knowledge and how to critic and critically think about these
important cultural issues, which is what essentially makes multicultural literacy a 21 st-
century literacy (Banks, 2003).

Global Literacy
Global literacy aims to address issues of globalization, racism, diversity, and social
justice (Guo, 2014). It requires awareness and action consistent with a broad
understanding of humanity, the planet, and the impact of a human decision on both. It
also aims to empower students with the knowledge and take action to make a positive
impact in the world and their local community.
According to the Ontario Ministry of Education, a global citizen should possess the
following characteristics:
1. Respect for humans regardless of race, gender, religion, or political perspectives;
2. Respect for diversity and various perspectives;
3. Promote sustainable patterns of living, consumption, and production; and
4. Appreciate the natural world and demonstrate respect for the rights of all living
things
Interconnecting multiculturalism and global literacy. Every classroom contains students
of different races, religions, and cultural groups. Guo (2014) averred that students
embrace diverse behaviors, cultural values, patterns of practice, and communication, yet
they all share one commonality, which is their educational opportunity.
Therefore, teachers should teach their students that other cultures exist and that
these deserve to be acknowledged and respected. Integrating a variety of cultural contexts
into lessons and activities teaches students to view the world from many angles, creates
respect for diversity, and enables students to learn exciting information. As classrooms
become increasingly more diverse, educators need to analyze and address diversity issues
and integrate multiculturalism information into the classroom curriculum (Guo, 2014).

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Global

Competency Framework

Source: https://www.oecd.org/pisa/pisa-2018-global-competence.htm

The framework depicts the four dimensions of global competencies encompassing

the development of knowledge, values, attitudes, and skills that flow along the perimeters
of attaining such competency.
Global Competence
The desire to participate in interconnected, complex, and diverse societies has
become a pressing need. Recognizing the roles of schools in preparing the youth to
participate in the world, the OECD’s Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)
developed a framework to explain, foster, and assist students’ global competence. This
design serves as a tool for policy-makers, leaders, and teachers in fostering global
competence among students worldwide.
Global competence is a multidimensional capacity. Therefore, globally competent
individuals can analyze and rationalize local, global, and intercultural issues, understand
and appreciate different perspectives and worldviews, interact successfully and
respectfully with others, and take responsible action toward sustainability and collective
well-being.
Global competence refers to skills, values, and behaviors that prepare young people
to thrive in a diverse, interconnected, and rapidly changing world. It is the ability to
become engaged citizens and collaborative problem-solvers who are ready for the
workforce.

Promoting Global Competence in Schools. Schools play a crucial role in helping young
people to develop global competence. They can provide opportunities to critically examine
global developments that are significant to both the world and to their own lives. They can
teach students how to critically, effectively, and responsibly use digital information and
social media platforms.
Schools can encourage intercultural sensitivity and respect by allowing students to
engage in experiences that foster an appreciation for diverse peoples, languages, and
cultures. Schools are also positioned to enhance student’s ability to understand their
place in the community and the world and improve such ability to make judgments and
take action.

The Need for Global Competence

The following are the reasons why global competence is necessary.
1. To live harmoniously in multicultural communities. Education for global
competence can promote cultural awareness and purposeful interactions in
increasingly diverse societies. People with diverse cultures can live peacefully,
respect differences, find common solutions, resolve conflicts and learn to live
together as global citizens. Thus, education can teach students the need to address
cultural biases and stereotypes.
2. To thrive in a changing labor market. Education for global competence can boost
employability through effective communication and appropriate behavior within
diverse teams using technology in accessing and connecting to the world.
3. To use media platforms effectively and responsibly. Radical transformations in
digital technologies have shaped young people’s outlook on the world, their
interaction with others, and their perception of themselves. Online networks, social
media, and interactive technologies give rise to new concepts of learning, wherein
young people exercise to take their freedom on what and how they learn.
4. To support the sustainable development goals. Education for global competence
can help form new generations who care about global issues and engage in social,
political, economic, and environmental discussions.

Dimensions of Global Competence: Implications to Education

Education for global competence is founded on the ideas of different models of global
education, such as intercultural education, global citizenship education, and education
for democratic citizenship.
Despite differences in focus and scope, these models share a common goal of
promoting students’ understanding of the world and empower them to express their views
and participate in society. PISA proposes a new perspective on the definition and
assessment of global competence that will help policy-makers and school leaders create
learning resources and curricula that integrate global competence as a multifaceted
cognitive, socio-emotional and civic learning goal.
This definition outlines four dimensions of global competence that people need to
apply in their everyday life just like students from different cultural backgrounds are
working together in school projects.

Dimension 1: Examine issues of local, global, and cultural significance

This dimension refers to globally competent people’s practices of effectively utilizing
knowledge about the world and critical reasoning in forming their own opinion about a
global issue. People who acquire a mature level of development in this dimension, use
higher-order thinking skills, such as selecting and weighing appropriate evidence to
support arguments about global developments. Most likely, globally competent students
can draw on and combine the disciplinary knowledge and thinking styles learned in
schools to ask questions, analyze data and propositions, explain phenomena, and develop
a position concerning a local, global or cultural issue. Hence, globally competent people
effectively use and create both traditional and digital media (Boix Mansilla and Jackson,
2011).

Dimension 2: Understand and appreciate the perspectives and world views of others
This dimension highlights that globally competent people are writing and capable of
considering other people’s perspectives and behaviors from multiple viewpoints to
examine their assumptions. This in turn implies a profound respect for and interest in
others with their concept of reality and emotions. Individuals with this competence also
consider and appreciate the connections that enable them to bridge differences and create
common ground. They retain their cultural identity while becoming aware of the cultural
values and beliefs of people around them.
Dimension 3: Engage in open, appropriate, and effective interactions across cultures
This dimension describes what globally competent individuals can do when they
interact with people from different cultures. They understand the cultural norms,
interactive styles, and degrees of formality of intercultural contexts, and they can flexibly
adapt their behavior and communication manner through respectful dialog even with
marginalized groups. Therefore, it emphasizes an individual’s capacity to interact with
others across differences in ways that are open, appropriate, and effective.
Dimension 4: Take action for collective well-being and sustainable development
 This dimension focuses on young people’s role as active and responsible members
of society and refers to an individual’s readiness to respond to a given local, global, or
intercultural issue or situation. It recognizes that young people have multiple realms of
influence ranging from personal and local to digital and global. Globally competent people
create opportunities to get engaged to improve living conditions in their communities and
build a just, peaceful, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable world.

The Assessment Strategy for Global Competence

The PISA 2018 assessment of global competence contributes to development while
considering challenges and limitations. It has two components:
1. A cognitive test exclusively focused on the construct of “global understanding”; and
2. A set of questionnaire items collecting self-reported information on students’
awareness on global issues and cultures, skills, (both cognitive and social), and
attitudes, as well as information from schools and teachers on activities that
promote global competence (OECD, 2018)

Curriculum for Global Competence: Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes, and Values

Schools can provide opportunities for students to explore complex global issues that they
encounter through media and their own experiences. The curriculum should focus on four
knowledge domains:
1. Culture and intercultural relations
2. Socio-economic development and interdependence
3. Environmental sustainability
4. Global institutions, conflicts, and human rights.
Teaching these four domains should stress differences in perspectives, questioning
concepts, and arguments. Students can acquire knowledge in this domain by reflecting on
their own cultural identity and that of their peers by analyzing common stereotypes
toward people in their community or by analyzing related cases of cultural conflict.
Acquiring knowledge in this aspect is important in developing values, such as peace,
respect, non-discrimination, equality, fairness, acceptance, justice, non-violence, and
tolerance (OECD, 2018).

Skills to understand the world and to take action

Global competence builds on specific cognitive, communication, and socio-economical

skills. Effective education for global competence allows students to mobilize and use their
knowledge, attitudes, skills, and values together while sharing ideas on global issues in
and outside of school or interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds.
A school community that desires to nurture global competence should focus on
clear, controllable, and realizable learning goals. This means engaging all educators to
reflect on teaching globally significant topics, the types of skills that foster a deeper
understanding of the world and facilitate respectful interactions in multicultural contexts,
and the attitudes and values that drive autonomous learning and inspire responsible
action.

Knowledge about the world and other cultures

Global competence is supported by the knowledge of global issues that affect lives locally
and around the globe, as well as intercultural knowledge, or knowledge about the
similarities, differences, and relations among cultures. This knowledge helps people to
challenge misinformation and stereotypes about other countries and people, and thus,
results in intolerance and oversimplified representations of the world.
This can be done through the following strategies (OECD 2018):
1. Perspective-taking refers to the cognitive and social skills of understanding how
other people think and feel.
2. Adaptability – refers to the ability to adapt systems thinking and behaviors to the
prevailing cultural environment, or to situations and contexts that can present new
demands or challenges.

Openness, respect for diversity and global-mindedness

Globally competent behavior requires an attitude of openness towards people from other
cultural backgrounds, an attitude of respect for cultural differences, and an attitude of
global-mindedness. Such attitudes can be fostered explicitly through participatory and
learner-centered teaching, as well as through a curriculum characterized by fair practices
and an accommodating school climate for all students.
Openness toward other people from other cultural backgrounds involves sensitivity
towards curiosity and willingness to engage with other people and other’s perspectives on
the world.
Respect consists of positive regard for someone based on the judgment of intrinsic
worth. It assumes the dignity of all human beings and their inalienable right to choose
their affiliations, beliefs, opinions, or practices.

Global-mindedness is defined as the worldview, in which one sees him/herself

connected to the community and feels a sense of responsibility for its members.

Valuing Human Dignity and Diversity

Valuing human dignity and valuing cultural diversity contribute to global
competence because they constitute critical filters through which individuals process
information about other cultures and decide how to engage with others and the world.
Hence, people, who cultivate these values, become more aware of themselves and their
surroundings and are strongly motivated to fight against exclusion, ignorance, violence,
oppression, and war.
Clapham (2006) introduced the four aspects of valuing equality of core rights and
dignity:
1. The prohibition of all types of inhuman treatment, humiliation, and degradation by
one person over another;
2. The assurance of the possibility for individual choice and the conditions for each
individual’s self-fulfillment, autonomy, or self-realization;
3. The recognition that protection of group identity and culture may be essential for
that of personal dignity; and
4. The creation of necessary conditions to have the essential needs satisfied.

Global Understanding
Understanding is the ability to use knowledge to find meaning and connections
between different pieces of information and perspectives.
The framework distinguishes four interrelated cognitive processes that globally
competitive students needed to use to understand fully global or intercultural issues and
situations (OECD, 2018)
1. The capacity to evaluate information, formulate arguments and explain complex
situations and problems by using and connecting evidence, identifying biases and
gaps in information, and managing conflicting arguments.
 2. The capacity to analyze multiple perspectives and worldviews, positioning and
connecting their own and other’s perspectives on the world.
3. The capacity to understand differences in communication, recognizing the
importance of socially appropriate communication, and adapting it to the demands
of diverse cultural contexts
4. The capacity to evaluate actions and consequences by identifying and comparing
different courses of action and weighing actions based on consequences.

Thus, globally competent students should be able to perform a wide variety of tasks
utilizing different cognitive processes, such as reasoning with evidence about an issue or
situation of local, global and intercultural significance; searching effectively for useful
sources of information; evaluating the information based on its relevance and reliability;
synthesizing information to describe the main ideas in an argumentative text or the
salient passages of a conversation; and combining their background knowledge, new
information, and critical reasoning to build multi-causal explanations of global or
intercultural issues.

Integrating Global and Intercultural Issues in the Curriculum

For global education to translate abstraction into action, there is a need to integrate global
issues and topics into existing subjects. In practice, content knowledge related to global
competence is integrated into the curriculum and taught in specific courses. Therefore,
students can understand those issues across ages, starting in early childhood when
presenting them in developmentally appropriate ways.
Therefore, Gaudelli (2006) affirmed that teachers must have clear ideas on global
and intercultural issues that students may reflect on. They also need to collaboratively
research topics and carefully design the curriculum while giving students multiple
opportunities to learn those issues. Teachers may also engage in professional learning
communities and facilitate peer learning.
More so, teaching about minority cultures in different subject areas entails
accurate content information about ethnically and racially diverse groups and
experiences. Curricula should promote the integration of knowledge of other people,
places perspectives in the classroom throughout the year, rather than using a “tourist”
approach, or giving students a superficial glimpse of life in different countries now and
then.
Textbooks and other instructional materials can also distort cultural and ethnic
differences. Teachers and their students should critically examine textbooks and other
teaching resources and supplement information when necessary.
Connecting global and intercultural topics to the reality, contexts, and needs of the
learning group is an effective methodological approach to make them relevant to
adolescents. People learn better and become more engaged when they get connected with
the content and when they see its relevance to their lives and their immediate
environment.

Pedagogies for Promoting Global Competence.

Various student-centered pedagogies can help students develop critical thinking along
with global issues, respectful communication, conflict management skills, perspective-
taking, and adaptability.
Group-based cooperative project work can improve reasoning and collaborative
skills. It involves topic or theme-based tasks suitable for various levels and ages, in which
goals and content are negotiated and learners can create the learning materials that they
present and evaluate together. Learners, participating in cooperative tasks, soon would
realize that to be efficient, they need to be respectful, attentive, honest, and empathic.
Class discussion is an interactive approach that encourages proactive listening and
responding to ideas expressed by peers. By exchanging views in the classroom, students
learn that there is no single right answer to a problem, understand the reasons why
others hold different views, and reflect on the origins of their own beliefs.
Service learning is another tool that can help students develop multiple global
skills through real-world experiences. This requires learners to participate in organized
activities that are based on what has been learned in the classroom and that benefit their
communities. After the activities, learners reflect critically on their service experience to
gain further understanding of course content and enhance their sense of role in society
concerning civic, social, economic, and political issues. Through service-learning,
students not only “serve to learn”, which is applied learning, but also “learn to serve”.

The Story Circle Approach intends students to practice key intercultural skills,
including respect, cultural self-awareness, and empathy. The students, in groups of 5-6,
take turns sharing a 3-minute story from their own experience based on specific prompts,
such as “Tell us about your first experience when you encountered someone different from
you in so many ways”. After all students in the group have shared their personal stories,
students then, share the most memorable point from each story in a “flashback” activity.
Other types of intercultural engagements involve simulations, interviews, role-
plays, and online games.

Attitudes and Values Integration toward Global Competence.

Allocating teaching time to a specific subject that deals with human rights issues and
non-discrimination is an important initial step in cultivating values for global competence.
Values and attitudes are partly communicated through the formal curriculum and
also through the formal curriculum and also through ways, in which teachers and
students interact, how discipline is encouraged, and the types of opinions and behavior
that are validated in the classroom. Therefore, recognizing the school and classroom
environments’ influence on developing students’ values would help teachers become more
aware of the impact of their teaching on students.

For 20 pts. RESEARCH ANALYSIS AND ITS IMPLICATION :

 Direction: Analyze the following research abstract and cite its implication on teaching-
learning. You may download the full paper of this research on the website given below.
abstract and Improving student engagement and acceptance using multicultural texts Rouse
(2018)

The purpose of this research is to investigate how students in a third-grade classroom

engage in multicultural texts when reading Furthermore, it investigated cultures other
than their own. Furthermore, it investigated how the use of multicultural texts impacts
their understanding and acceptance of diverse cultures. The strategies used for this
qualitative research study were questionnaires, observations, accountable talk discussion,
artifact analysis, and interviews. Throughout the six-week study, students read and
engaged in discussions after reading expressing two multicultural texts. They participated
in activities expressing their thoughts and beliefs related to the content read in class.
After discussing and analyzing the texts, students were able to identify possible solutions
to help people become more aware and accepting of diverse cultures. They also became
more engaged in productive dialog with their peers while analyzing and responding to
complex texts. Furthermore, students felt safe and comfortable asking questions about
culture and diversity. They were eager to express their thoughts interacted with their
peers positively and made connections to the multicultural texts showing their
enthusiasm as they learned about different cultures.
(Source: Rouse, B. (2018). Improving student engagement and acceptance using httno:
((radar rowan educated/2499.)

Analysis:
1. How can the students' Use of multicultural texts impact students' texts impact
understanding and acceptance of diverse cultures?
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Implication:

1. How can this study contribute to the school’s practice of multiculturalism?

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Assessment:
I. Essay: For 5points each. Direction: Answer the questions in 5-8 sentences.
The rubric for scoring is provided below. The highest point you can get for each
item is ten (10) points.

Criteria 5 4 3 2 1

Appropriatene The response is The response is given The response The response The response given
ss
given answers answers the question given is slightly given barely does not
the question but with a little appropriate to the answers the necessarily answer
befittingly deviation from the question question the question
concept

Clarity The response is Most of the response The response The response The response given
given is clear given is clear given is slightly given is most is not clear
and not unclear of the time
confusing unclear

1. What are the dimensions of culturalism? Explain each.

2. How can global competence and global understanding be assessed in the classroom?
3. How can you integrate multicultural and global literacies in the lesson?
II. For 5 points. Direction: From the perspectives of global competency, fill in the boxes
below in the context of instruction along with lesson content assessment, teaching
strategy, materials, and learning outcome.

III. For 10 points. Directions: Draft a relevant policy in addressing multiculturalism in

school. (e.g. admitting foreign students and indigents, student mix, inclusive education,
multigame teaching, heterogeneous class grouping, addressing students with special
needs, etc.). Use the template below.

Policy on ______________________________________________________________
Rationale
Objectives
Scope
References
Policies

Narrative Procedures
Authorities Responsibilities

Prepared by:__________________________________Section/Major:________________
 LESSO
N
Module VI- Social Literacy
3

3
HOURS

Social skills are essential in building both personal and professional relationships.
Demonstrating strong interpersonal skills can help you accomplish career goals,
contribute to company achievements, perform well during the hiring process, and expand
your professional network and much more.

Understanding and improving your social skills can benefit you in every area of life. In
this article, we discuss what social skills are, why they are important and how you can
improve them with examples

1. Discuss social skills, their impact, and strategies for improvement

2. Describe an emotionally intelligent person.

3. Present ways for enhancing people skills

 4. Design instructional materials that can be used in integrating social literacy in
related discipline

Please click this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iErgOZBFdc

Based on the video, what do understand about social literacy

The school is a social institution established for the contemplation of reality in a

profound, personal, informal, and unstructured way. Teachers facilitate learning, teach
students, and model certain types of acceptable behavior while developing them in all
aspects: academically, physically, emotionally, and socially. In performing such other
stakeholders. That is why understanding and attaining social literacy is imperative among
them.

Social Literacy.

Social literacy entails the development of social skills, knowledge, and positive human
values toward desire and ability in human beings to act and react positively in a wide
range of complex social settings. It can be acquired or acquired through the social process
of inquiry, values exploration, and social decision-making that relate to the acquisition of
knowledge and understanding (Arthur, Davison, and Stow, 2000).

In school, in dealing social literacy can be demonstrated by teachers in dealing with their
superiors, colleagues parents, students au others, while for students, by way of
interaction and interrelation with the surroundings around them their peers, the media
and political influencers, technology agents, religious groups, school staff, family
members, etc.
Social skills are important because they can help you communicate more effectively and
efficiently and, as a result, help you build, maintain and grow relationships with
colleagues, clients, and new contacts alike. These skills are important to maintain and
improve no matter your position, industry, or experience level.

Investing in relationships by developing your social skills is beneficial for your career in
many ways, some of which include:

 Gaining ideas, information, techniques, and perspectives from people with different
areas of expertise

 Providing your perspective for the benefit of others

 Accomplishing tasks and collaborating with others toward a shared goal

 Providing mutual support for difficult or hard-to-navigate situations

 Expanding your network to learn about and pursue new opportunities

 Gaining feedback and referrals from people who can personally attest to your work,
skills, and qualities (and for whom you can do the same)

 Making the workplace more enjoyable

It is also important to display your social skills during the hiring process. Being able to
work and build relationships with others effectively is crucial quality employers look for in
candidates and it can show your fitness for their company culture.

Types of Social Skills

There are types of social skills that teachers can demonstrate among students to attain a
harmonious relationship with them

1. Effective communication

The ability to communicate effectively with others is a core social skill. If you have strong
communication skills, you’ll be able to share your thoughts and ideas clearly with others.
Effective communicators make good leaders because they can easily explain projects and
goals in an easy-to-understand way.

2. Conflict resolution

Disagreements and dissatisfaction can arise in any situation. Conflict resolution is the
ability to get to the source of the problem and find a workable solution. Good conflict
resolution skills are important in any job, but they might be particularly well-suited for a
position in HR, where you’ll often address disagreements between employees or in a
customer service role, where you resolve conflicts for clients about a company’s products,
services or policies

3. Active listening
Active listening is the ability to pay close attention to a person who is communicating with
you. Active listeners are typically well-regarded by their coworkers due to the attention
and respect they offer others. You can increase your listening skills by focusing on the
speaker, avoiding distractions, and waiting to prepare your response only after the other
person is finished (rather than while they are speaking)

4. Empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand and identify with the feelings of another person. If
you have empathy, others will often be more likely to confide in you. Being more
empathetic takes a conscious effort to carefully consider how others feel. If you strengthen
your empathy and rapport with others, you can build stronger, more respectful, and open
relationships

5. Relationship management

Relationship management is the ability to maintain healthy relationships and build key
connections. For example, if you have a job in customer service, you might be responsible
for nurturing the relationship between your company and a specific set of clients.
Executives at organizations manage partnerships with stakeholders and investors. This
social skill allows professional relationships to flourish and all parties involved can
benefit.

6. Respect

A key aspect of respect is knowing when and how to initiate communication and respond.
In a team or group setting, allowing others to speak without interruption is a necessary
communication skill that shows respect. Respectfully communicating can also mean
using your time with someone else wisely—staying on topic, asking clear questions, and
responding fully to any questions you’ve been asked.

7. Problem-solving skills.

These involve seeking help, making effective decisions, and accepting consequences to
derive better solutions to the problem.

8. Interpersonal skills.

These include the abilities of sharing, joining activities, asking for permission, and waiting
for one’s turn in every facet of school undertakings.

Improving social skills. Social skills can be improved by focusing on sustaining desirables
attitudes and eliminating those undesirable ones through modeling, role-playing, and
performance and feedback mechanisms. Also, one may consider:

(1) maintaining eye contact;

(2) using proper body language;
 (3) knowing the difference between being in contact, between being assertive and
being aggressive:
(4) selecting effective communication being channels;
(5) being flexible;
(6) accepting criticism Without being criticism without defensive;
(7) Remaining positive at all times; and
(8) being teachable and a good student in most instances ( https://www.skillsyouneed.com/
ips/social-skills. HTML).

Likewise, other ways that may help are as follows:

(1) Behave as a social person;
(2) start small if necessary;
(3) Ask open-ended questions;
(4) encourage others to talk about themselves;
(5) Create goals for yourself;
(6) Offer compliments generously;
(7) Read books about social skills;
(8) Practice good manners;
(9) pay attention to your body language;
(10) join a social skills support group;
(11) Stay up to date on current events; and
(12) Identify and replace negative thoughts.

Impact of Social Skills. Possessing social skills results to:

1. Better relationships;
(2) Better communication;
(3) Greater efficiency
4) Advanced career prospects, and (5) increased overall hap
Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

Emotional intelligence can bring about maintaining a healthy and about maintaining and
purposeful relationship with others that may best defect a socially literate person.

Goleman (1996) defines Emotional Intelligence (EQ) as the aD to (1) recognize, understand
and manage own emotions, and li to: (1) recognize, understand, and influence the
emotions of others.

It is being aware that emotions can drive behavior and impact people (positively and
negatively), and learning how to manage those emotions, both one's own and others' when
under pressure, especially in times of: (1) giving and receiving feedback; (2) meeting
deadlines; (3) dealing with challenging relationships; (4) not ha enough resources; (5)
dealing with change; and (6) experiencing setbacks and failure.
Strategies for Enhancing Emotional Intelligence

Goleman (1995) laid down ways of enhancing emotional intelligence in the light of
understanding and managing emotions teachers need to know and understand.

1. Think about feelings. A person has to be sensitive to and other's feelings to

come up with the right manner approach or appropriate response.
For example, a teacher has to be aware of his/her students' background or sit has to that
may trigger negative emotions. In that case, he/she know the right approach when
dealing with sensitive issues in class.

2. Pause. This is about taking a moment to stop and think before anything to
refrain from resorting to an unsound at the height of anger.
For example, at the peak of anger a student who commits violations, a teacher may gently
pause for a while and take a moment of silence to rethink and cool down before jumping
to any decision to avoid untoward consequences.

3. Strive to control one's thoughts. This is controlling the reactions to emotions

by focusing one's thoughts in harmony with goals and values.
For example, instead of overreacting to a certain incident or situation in class, try
to control negative thoughts to see a myriad of colors at the end of the rainbow among
students. As such, try to find beauty in all things despite not-so-good circumstances that
may happen.

4. Benefit from criticism. Criticism, even not delivered in a favorable way, is an

opportunity to learn and it gives an idea of how others think about you.
For example, when a senior teacher gives negative feedback on your work, instead
of taking it personally against him/her, gratefully accept it with humility and
appreciation, just think that it is for your improvement.

5. Show authenticity. This is saying what we mean with what we say and we
have to stick to our values and principles.
For example, in times of confrontation with parents, teachers should clearly express
their side with respect and sincerity while consistently upholding the principle and truth
behind the issue to avoid resorting to heated arguments and conflict at the end.
6. Demonstrate empathy. Whenever we show empathy to others, such as understanding
their thoughts and feeling can easily establish a connection with them. As a teacher, we
should reach out to students who are in their worse situations, and try to understand
them and feel as we were in the boat.

7. Praise others. This is by way Of acknowledging and appreciating others towards

attaining self-fulfillment and building trust.
 For example, teachers should give acknowledgment and praise to students for their
deeds that are worth commending.

8. Give helpful feedback. Although negative Feedback may hurt ones’ feeling at
Some points can turn constructive for one's improvement.
For example, when we received negative feedback from our superiors, we have to
take it as a challenge toward becoming a better and stronger person.
9. Apologize. Saying sorry demonstrates humility, a quality that will naturally win
others as you value the relationship more than the ego.
For example, whenever we commit mistakes in teaching, whether big or small, there
is nothing to lose when we apologize, even at times, doing it may seem to be very difficult.
10.Forgive and forget. Forgiving and forgetting prevent others from holding emotions
and allowing one to move forward.
For example, when a student or a colleague hurts us, we should be ready to forgive
and let go of the pains that somehow caused us.
11.Keep our commitments. The habit of keeping one's word in things, either big or
small, develops a strong reputation for reliability and trustworthiness.
For example, when we are given tasks in school, make sure that we commit
ourselves, our time, and our efforts to it. Remember, opportunities may only come once,
therefore, grab every opportunity that may come along our way for it may never come
again.
12. Help others. One way to positively win others is through helping them because
listening to and helping them can bull trust and inspire them to follow. For example, in
every school activity, we have to find ways to help others accomplish tasks. In return, they
will be grateful to us.

13. Protect ourselves from emotional sabotage. This is being wise enough in protecting
ourselves when others attempt to manipulate our emotions for our sake.

For example, when we feel that someone has been excessively or wrongly controlling
our actions, feelings, and decisions in school, stop it in any right but subtle and
courteous way possible.

Recommended Tools in Enhancing Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence can be enhanced in school with the help of the following
tools and strategies.

1. Emotional Literacy Workshop. This will help teachers to communicate with students,
recognize and manage emotions and increase self-awareness.

2. Emotional Literacy Museum. It is a self-directed learning experience that teaches about

the physiology of emotions, emotional regulation, and emotional literacy.
 3. Mixed Emotions Cards. It is a beautiful deck of "tarot-like" cards of feelings (labeled
with feelings and synonyms)

4. eMotion Cards. It is an evocative, playful moon face illustration of emotions (open-

ended without labels).

5. Biodots. It is a simple reminder that emotions are part of our physiology.

6. Bingo Emotions. It is typically a classic "bingo" game played with emotions.

7. Feeling Faces. These are photos of real people and data about how survey respondents
evaluated each picture.

8. Six Seconds Emotional Intelligence Assessment. It provides feedback about the way one
uses EQ and how to improve in this area. (http://www.6seconds.org/2018/02/27/emotional-intelligence-
tips- awareness/)

9 The Zoo: Animal Workshop. It is an activity that intends to imitate an animal behavior
and gesture that ends with reflections and group sharing.

10. Face Workshop. It is an activity, in which partners face each other while showing
different facial expressions and qualities that end with reflections.

11. The Machine Transformer. Participants in groups have to transform into an assigned
machine or vehicle, of which each member shall comprise different parts, deemed
essentials and equally important that usually ends up with interactions and reflections.

12. Tower Building. Groups will be tasked to build a tower using pop sticks and straws.
The goal is to make the tallest and interactions, strongest tower of all. This will end up
with interactions, sharing, open forums, and patching of emotional barriers

13. Build Me a House. The participants in groups will be tasked to build a house using
any available material around them. The goal is to make the strongest house. Then, the
facilitator will suddenly destroy the house made by the group and observe the members'
emotions and reactions and let them express their feelings and thoughts. In the end, each
one will draw realizations, lessons, and values for reflection.

14. Internalization Activity. This is an activity that helps participants to reflect on the
narrations of the facilitator with background music in a dim and candle-lighted room.
Everyone can express his/her emotions and feelings of resentment, remorse, agony
disappointment, and sadness.

15. Mirroring and Unmasking Activity. Each participant shall prepare a piece of paper
and put it on her/ his back. In a circular formation, everyone has to write that person’s
negative attitude on that paper. Everyone will be given time given chance to express
themselves. These negative feedbacks will be called masks to be torn-off and burned at
the end of the activity and they will be led to pray for self-renewal and also given a
rejuvenation.
Characteristics of an Emotionally Intelligent Person (Connors, 2018)
The following are indicators and manifestations of an emotionally intelligent person that
have to be considered and demonstrated in schools.

1. Empathy. Empathy is the capacity to understand or feel what another person is

experiencing from within their frame of reference.
Greater Good Science Center in UC Berkeley laid down two different types of empathy,
namely: (a) Affective empathy refers to the sensations and feelings that one gets in
response to others emotions including mirroring what that person is feeling or just feeling
stressed when he/she detects another's fear of anxiety;
(b) Cognitive empathy (sometimes called "perspective-taking") refers to one's ability to
identify and understand other people's emotions.

2. Self-awareness. It is the art of understanding one’s self people’s emotions, recognizing

the stimuli that he/she faces, and preparing how to manage him/herself, both in a
proactive and reactive manner
3. Curiosity. It is one's willingness to learn and improve. WH one is curious, he/she is
passionate and therefore, he/she, therefore, he/she is driven to desire to be at his/her
best.
4. Analytical mind. It pertains to being a critical thinker that analyses and processes all
new information that comes his way and sees if they can extract ways to improve.
5. Belief. It is the power of believing in one's self, both at present and that everything and
the future. It is a matter of affirming that people and that ultimately turn out to be good.
6. Needs and wants. It is something to discern between the one needs versus things that
he/she just wants establishing needs before fulfilling wants and establishing needs before
fulfilling wants.
7. Passion. It is a natural desire, instinct, drive, ambition, and motivated love for a
subject or someone. More so, it brings positive energy that helps sustain and inspire one
to keep going.

8. Optimism. It is about maintaining a positive attitude that may increase one's

opportunities, improve relationships, and think clearly and constructively.

9. Adaptability. It is an important recognition and the ability to make or remake

decisions in one's best interest. it is also determining when to continue his/her course, or
when s the- time for a change.

10. Desire to help others succeed. It is becoming interested and appreciative of the
success and achievement of others

People Skills

Like emotional intelligence and social skills, people Skills have been widely used in
demonstrating social literacy at home, in school anywhere that a person may be.
 According to Wikipedia, people skills are patterns of behavior and behavioral
interactions. For Thompson (2009), this is an area exploration about how a person
behaves and how he/she is perceived irrespective of his/her thinking and feeling. Honey
2001) defines it as the dynamics between personal ecology (cognitive, affective physical,
and spiritual dimensions) and its function with other people’s personality styles in
numerous environments (life events, institutions, challenges, etc.).

On the other hand, people skills are tools used to communicate and interact
effectively with others. Therefore, individuals with strong people skills can predict
behavior, relate to others and easily.

People skills can also define in three sets of abilities (1)personal effectiveness or
about how one comes across with others (2) interaction ability or how well one predicts
and decodes behavior (3) intercede easily or ability to lead, influence, and build bridges
between people.

Moreover, people skills are the ability to accept, appreciate and admire others on a
personal or professional level. Good people skills extend to acceptance, the ability to listen
and empathize with others, as Common goals with them. Therefore, work toward well are
sets of skills that enable a person to get along with others, communicate ideas effectively,
resolve conflicts and achieve personal or professional goals.

In general, Portland Business Journal describes people skills as (Rifkin, 2009): 1.

Ability to effectively communicate, understand and empathize

2 Ability to interact with others respectfully and develop a productive working relationship
to minimize conflict and maximize rapport.

3 Ability to build sincerity and trust, moderate behavior(less impulsive), and enhance
agreeableness.

Educational Impact of People Skills. People skills are classroom important for teachers in
effective classroom management. Knowing how to communicate and teach people instead
of simply teaching their subject will help make a difference in the classroom ( Bolton,
2009) Accordingly, almost 50 % of classroom success lies in effective interpersonal
relationships, while the other 50% lies within academic ( Boyle, 2011) This is because
teacher tend to interact and relate with students. Therefore, they need to learn how to
practice these people skill effectively to create a healthy and conducive learning
atmosphere in the classroom.
In general, people skills are an essential part of work, life, and social success.
When one has strong people skills, he/she can:
1. (pitch him/herself;
2. overcome social anxiety,
3. Communica Ideas; and
4. influence others positively.

Strategies in Obtaining Good People Skills

 McQuerrey (2019) presents the following strategies in maintaining good
people skills which are essential in a meaningful, joyful, and purpose-driven life that
teachers also need to know.
1. Good communication skills. Strong people skills in the communication area include the
ability to take in information, clarify comments and participate in effective verbal and
written exchanges.
2. Conflict resolution skills. Having the ability to mediate disputes and resolve conflicts
among others is an important personal and professional skill. Hence, conflict resolution
involves the ability to clarify a specific dispute, listen to prospective non-judgemental and
other suggestions for action.

4. The value of patience. Patience is an exceptional people is valuable in every profession.

It involves being able to maintain an even temper, repeat and explaining information as
necessary, and control anger in even the most trying situations

5. Tolerance understanding. Having tolerance and understanding for the differences of

others leads to success. Tolerant people can accept differences, even when they
don't personally agree with them.

In general, there are 5 A's to improve people skills, namely: (1 acceptance; (2)
appreciation, (3) approval; (4) admiration; and (E attention.

Ten Essential People Skills to Succeed.

The following is the list of soft skills for one's self-reflection and nation.

1. Being socially assertive. Social assertiveness is essential 1Or conserving

social energy in the right ways. People with high social assertiveness have more
focused social energy and more clarity in their interactions.
2. Crafting a memorable presence. People with great presence take it easy in
making connections and are extremely good at rapport building. Those with a
strong presence can attract others, are well-remembered, and are likable.
3. Mastering communication. This is knowing how to present one's self and, in
turn, gets one's message across.
4. Sustaining lasting confidence. People, who can sustain lasting Confidence
can conquer their shyness, avoid awkwardness and get through their anxiety or
overcome any nervousness and tendencies.
5. Being an excellent conversationalist. This is essential in communicating and
interacting with conversationalists are people whom others may be fond of
listening to and discussing. Most interactions happen in three levels: (1) The
First Five Minutes: This is the first impression and the time to decide if someone
is worth getting to know, (2) The First Five Hours: This is moving past first
impressions into rapport building; and (3) The First Five Days: This is the final
and ultimate level of trust and connection. Thus, a conversation is with others.
Excellent the key to moving up these three levels.
6. Being highly likable. Likability is an important facet of trust through being
authentic or genuine with their true selves.
7. Being exceptional at decoding emotions. People, who are good at reading
people, are exceptionally strong at knowing how others think and feel.
 8. Pitching ideas. Pitching is a very important people skill because it happens all
the time when one is asked for his/her opinion and in introducing
himself/herself.
9. Being charismatic. Charisma is the perfect blend of two essential people skills
traits such as warmth and competence.
10. Being an influential leader. Leaders in both personal, social, and professional
life can gain camaraderie. (Source: www.scienceofpeople.com/people-skills)

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION FOR 5POINTS EACH.

1. What is social literacy?

2. Explain social skills. Cite the impact of social literacy and suggest strategies and tools
improve it.

Direction: Design instructional materials that can be used in integrating social literacy in a related
discipline ( i.e. Edukasyon sa Pagpakataao). Use the provided format template below.
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS PLAN
Instructional
Materials
Brief description
Purpose:
Topic:
Subject:
Materials :
PROCEDURE
 Paste/ print picture of instructional materials here:

Prepared by:
Course and
Section

LESSON

Module: Media and Cyber / Digital Literacy

4

3
HOURS

Digital and media literacy both draw on the same core skill of critical thinking, the
fact that most digital media are networked and interactive raises additional issues and
requires additional habits and skills: media literacy generally focuses on teaching youth to
be critically engaged consumers of media, while digital literacy is more about enabling
youth to participate in digital media in wise, safe and ethical ways. However, it is
important to keep in mind that digital literacy does not replace or run parallel to media
literacy but rather builds on it while incorporating new concepts that arise from the added
dimension of networked interactivity. At the same time, many digital issues cannot be
understood without traditional media literacy.

1. Define Media Literacy and its roles.

2. Explain Media Information Literacy (MIL) along with various aspects and dimension

3. Examine the advantage and disadvantage of media

Becoming digitally literate means that students develop technological skills, learn
authorship rules, such as copyright and plagiarism, understand how to access online

information, and learn social responsibility while interacting on social networks. Teaching
digital literacy in primary and secondary schools is all about understanding that today’s
children need different types of skills and technological knowledge to think critically,
evaluate their work and engage with a global community.

Explore the Digital Literacy Fundamentals and Media Literacy Fundamentals sections
of our website to understand more about the underlying aspects and principles for each of
these skill sets.
Media Literacy is a 21st-century approach to education.
• It provides a framework to access, analyze, evaluate and create messages in a variety
of forms - from print to video to the Internet.
• Media literacy builds an understanding of the role of media in society as well as
essential skills of inquiry and self-expression necessary for citizens of a democracy.

What is important to understand is that media literacy is not about "protecting" kids
from unwanted messages. Although some groups urge families to just turn the TV off,
the fact is, media are so ingrained in our cultural milieu that even if you turn off the
set, you still cannot escape today's media culture. Media no longer just influences our
culture. They ARE our culture.

Media literacy, therefore, is about helping students become competent, critical, and
literate in all media forms so that they control the interpretation of what they see or
hear rather than letting the interpretation control them.

To become media literate is not to memorize facts or statistics about the media, but
rather to learn to raise the right questions about what you are watching, reading, or
 listening to. Len Masterman, the acclaimed author of teaching the Media, calls it
"critical autonomy" or the ability to think for oneself.

Without this fundamental ability, an individual cannot have full dignity as a human
person or exercise citizenship in a democratic society were to be a citizen is to
both understand and contribute to the debates of the time.

The 21st Century has redefined digital literacy. It has broadened in perspective to include
other aspects of the 21st context, these literacies are:

 CYBER LITERACY OR DIGITAL LITERACY

 MEDIA LITERACY
 ARTS AND CREATIVITY LITERACY
 FINANCIAL LITERACY
 MULTICULTURAL LITERACY OR GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING

DIGITAL LITERACY
Digital literacy is the individual’s capabilities to be able to effectively and
responsibly function and perform in a digital society. The term “Digital Literacy” was
coined by Paul Glister in 1997 and it came from the discussion of the concepts on:
a. Visual literacy when images and non-verbal symbols try to capture the knowledge;
b. Technological literacy requiring one to be able to use technology in addressing a need;
c. Computer literacy which in the 1980s started to become a household item manipulated
to achieve one’s target;
d. Information literacy refers to the finding, evaluating using, and sharing of information.

DIGITAL LITERACIES

 MEDIA LITERACY –is one’s ability to critically read information or content and
utilize multimedia in creatively producing communication.
 INFORMATION LITERACY – is locating information from the web and interpreting
which evaluating its validity so that it can be shared.

 ICT LITERACY – is knowing how to select and use digital devices, applications, or
services to accomplish tasks requiring the use of the internet.

 COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION – are one’s capabilities in being able to

participate in the digital networks in the teaching and learning context.

 IDENTITY MANAGEMENT – is being able to understand how to ensure safety and

security in managing online identity and foster a positive digital reputation.
 LEARNING SKILLS – These are ways of knowing how to study and learn in a
technology-enriched environment, this is knowing how to utilize technology in
addressing the need to learn efficiently.

 DIGITAL SCHOLARSHIP – is being able to link and participate in professional and

research practice. One important component of digital literacy is having an in-
depth understanding of concepts requiring essential core skills. These core skills
are known as the Cs of the 21st Century.
THE FOUR C OF THE 21ST CENTURY SKILLS

CRITICAL THINKING – is learning how to solve problems. It teaches students not to

accept immediate claims without seeking the truth. It is the ability to differentiate facts
from opinion and not only just learn a set of facts or figures but also discover these for the
sake of knowing what you know.

CREATIVITY – requires students to think out of the box and to take pride in what
is uniquely theirs. It means that they will be able to look at a problem from multiple
perspectives. Creativity encourages students to think beyond the expectations of
conventions. However, creativity may not ensure success all the time but may lead to
another direction that can be a better way of figuring out how to solve the problem.

While creativity is often treated like a you-have-it-or-you-don’t quality, students

can learn how to be creative by solving problems, creating systems, or just trying
something they haven’t tried before. That doesn’t mean every student will become an
artist or a writer. Instead, it means they’ll be able to look at a problem from multiple
perspectives — including those that others may not see.
COMMUNICATION- makes students express their ideas in the clearest and organized
manner. Through varied modes – face to face, technologically mediated or a blended

medium, they need to know how to efficiently and convey ideas. In the age of text-based
communications — SMS, emails, social media, etc. — it’s never been more important for
students to learn how to convey their thoughts in a way that others can understand them.
That’s because text-based communications lack tone, which is critical to understanding
the context of someone’s words

COLLABORATION – When students know how to work well with others to accomplish a
given task or to solve a problem at hand. This is a 21st essential when students are made
to work with others in a pair or a team. They are given the chance to practice how to
relate with others.

Virtually every job requires someone to work with another person at some point, even if
it’s for something as simple as what to get for lunch. Practicing collaboration helps
students understand how to address a problem, pitch solutions, and decide the best
course of action.
In addition to the 4 C's, there are Citizenship and Character.
Citizenship is known as netizenship in the virtual world. This is making the person
consider how one behaves accordingly by observing the norms and rules that are following
what is sociably and virtually acceptable.
As a result, one is projecting a reputable digital identity which is his or her
character.

Digital Literacy Skills vs Digital Literacy

 As teachers, why do we need to worry about digital literacy if our students are
already growing up surrounded by technology?
While there’s no doubt that being adept at using digital tools and technologies is
essential for everyone in the 21st century - teachers and students alike - possessing
digital skills is not the same as being digitally literate. It’s a mistake to assume that
exposure to digital tools and technologies automatically equates to the knowledge of how
to use these effectively.
Our students are tech-savvy digital natives. They know their way around a tablet,
smartphone, and laptop better than most. More often than not, they know how to do a
voice search on an iPad, share selfies on Instagram, play a video game, and send a GIF on
WhatsApp.
But what they lack is the knowledge of how to use these digital tools and
technologies to communicate and achieve their learning goals.
Lynch (2017), identified eight digital literacy needed to become digitally literate. These are:
1. Coding

Coding is a universal language. A basic understanding of HTML, CSS, and the like will
create a shared understanding of what can be done with the web page

2. Collaboration
Collaboration is the use of Google Docs among others allows the student to begin
experimenting with effective online collaboration.

3. Cloud Software

Cloud Software is an essential part of document management. It is used to store

everything from photos to research projects, to term papers and even music.

4. Word Processing Unit

Word Processing Unit Google, Microsoft Online Drop. The box is available for storage
and management solution.

5. Screencasting
A screencast is a video recording using a computer screen and usually includes audio.

6. Personal Archiving

Personal Archiving the students should be taught the concepts of metadata, tagging,
keywords, and categories to make them aware of how they are represented online.
7. Information Evaluation

Information Evaluation critical thinking to weed out fake news is a crucial 21st-century
skill. The use of tools and skills needed to process information is very much needed.
8. Use of Social Media

Social media serves different purposes depending on the user, technology, and need.

Here are examples of how Digital Skills or Proficiency support Digital Literacy.
Digital Skills Digital Literacy

The ability to judge the appropriate digital channel for

Sending an email, DM, or text.
online communication with peers, teachers, and parents.

The ability to:

 Articulate the benefits and drawbacks of each

Using Microsoft Office/Google G Suite. tool.

 Critically evaluate which is most effective for the

project at hand.

The ability to navigate social media safely, to:

 Protect their reputation by determining what

Tweeting, posting to Facebook, uploading a video to private content is safe/appropriate to share.
YouTube, adding to a Snap chat story, and posting
 Recognize bots.
a photo to Instagram.
 Spot bias, prejudice, and hate propaganda.

 Identify cyberstalking and harassment.

The ability to effectively use online search as a research

tool, including:

 Picking the right search terms.

 Evaluating results based on cues such as web

Conducting a Google search. addresses.

 Tracking information to a reasonable source.

 Assessing tone, style, audience, bias, and

purpose to determine the credibility of
information.

As a student, you need to be proficient in how to use digital technologies and to

work proactively to embed digital literacies in your curriculum/ Subject/ lessons. Without
this, you cannot be truly digitally literate, as the American Library Association defined:
“the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create,
and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills.”

It’s important for students to critically think about media and the messages they
get daily. The ability to weed out fake news, for example, will be a crucial 21st-century
skill. We need to give our students the tools and skills needed to process the vast
amounts of information they’re exposed to each day.
A recent Digital Literacy Impact Study showed that learners with a solid grounding
in digital literacy have a competitive advantage in the workforce. Because digital literacy is
so essential not only to our student's academic and future career success but also to their
ability to fully participate in modern society, teaching digital literacy is quickly becoming a
critical part of the curriculum at the K-8 level.
In short: if digital literacies haven’t yet become a core component of your classroom
learning experience, it's time to rethink your teaching strategy.
For 5points each. Answer the following questions:
1. What is media literacy?
2. What are the important roles of media literacy?
3. Discuss Media Information Literacy (MIL), its aspects, and dimensions?

For 30 points. Watch a TED talk r online on a topic related to your specialization that is
completely new and foreign to you. Create an online or mind-map of the speaker’s lecture,
using only what you were able to understand from the video. Then ask yourself the
following questions:
1. How many times did I have to watch the video?
a. If you had to view it more than once, why?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________________

b. Can I summarize the speaker’s lecture in a paragraph of written text? Why or

why not?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________________
c. at any point in the lecture, did the speaker say anything that made me doubt
the trustworthiness of what he/ she said?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

LESSON

Module VIII- Eco literacy

5

3 HOURS
 The great challenge of our time is to build and nurture sustainable communities –
communities that are designed in such a way that their ways of life, businesses,
economies, physical structures, and technologies do not interfere with nature's inherent
ability to sustain life. The first step in this endeavor is to understand the principles of
organization that ecosystems have developed to sustain the web of life. This understanding
is what we call ecological literacy. – Fritjof Capra

1. Explain Eco literacy in developing a sustainable environment.

2. Discuss the seven environmental principles of nature.

3. Articulate how Eco literacy can be integrated into the curriculum, practiced in the
school, and demonstrate in the classroom.

4. Make a community service action plan on environmental care and protection.

Please click the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tK6jogRMaY

 What is ECOLOGICAL LITERACY?

 What does ECOLOGICAL LITERACY mean? ECOLOGICAL

What is Ecological Literacy?

 Ecological literacy (also referred to as Eco literacy) is the ability to understand the
natural systems that make life on earth possible. To be eco-literate means understanding
the principles of organization of ecological communities (i.e. ecosystems) and using those
principles for creating sustainable human communities.

The term was coined by American educator David W. Orr and physicist Fritjof
Capra in the 1990s- thereby a new value entered education; the “well-being of the earth”.
An ecologically literate society would be a sustainable society that did not destroy the
natural environment on which they depend. Ecological literacy is a powerful concept as it
creates a foundation for an integrated approach to environmental problems. Advocates
champion eco-literacy as a new educational paradigm emerging around the poles of
holism, systems thinking, sustainability, and complexity.

Ecoliteracy concerns understanding the principles of organization of ecosystems

and their potential application to understanding how to build a sustainable human
society. It combines the sciences of systems and ecology in drawing together elements
required to foster learning processes toward a deep appreciation of nature and our role in
it. Systems thinking is the recognition of the world as an integrated whole rather than a
collection of individual elements. Within systems thinking, basic principles of an
organization become more important than the analysis of various components of the
system in isolation. Ecological literacy and systems thinking implies recognition of how all
phenomena are part of networks that define the way that element functions. Systems
thinking is necessary to understand the complex interdependence of ecological systems,
social systems, and other systems on all levels.

According to Fritjof Capra, “In the coming decades, the survival of humanity will
depend on our ecological literacy – our ability to understand the basic principles of
ecology and to live accordingly. This means that ecoliteracy must become a critical skill
for politicians, business leaders, and professionals in all spheres, and should be the most
important part of education at all levels – from primary and secondary schools to colleges,
universities, and continuing education and training of professionals.”

David W. Orr has stated that the goal of ecological literacy is “built on the recognition
that the disorder of ecosystems reflects a prior disorder of the mind, making it a central
concern to those institutions that purport to improve minds. In other words, the ecological
crisis is in every way a crisis of education. All education is environmental education… by
what is included or excluded we teach the young that they are part of or apart from the
natural world.” He also emphasizes that ecoliteracy does not only require mastery of
subject matter, but the creation of meaningful connections between head, hands, and
heart as well.
 Others have reiterated the urgent importance of ecological literacy in today's world,
where young people are faced with escalating environmental challenges, including climate
change, depletion of resources, and environmentally linked illnesses. This generation will
require leaders and citizens who can think ecologically, understand the
interconnectedness of human and natural systems, and have the will, ability, and courage
to act —?
Michael K. Stone With an understanding of ecological literacy, perceptions
naturally shift. The need to protect the ecosystems is not simply a belief held by
environmentalists; it is a biological imperative for survival over time. This value will
become a basic principle for prioritizing thought and action in a sustainable society. In
the face of the increasing capacity of industrial systems to destroy habitats and the
climate system, the explicit declaration of the principles of ecological literacy – and the
resulting awareness of the importance of living within the ecological carrying capacity of
the earth, is increasingly necessary. Whether ecoliteracy can address the infamous value-
action gap is unclear.
The following are core aspects of ecological literacy:
1. Principles of Living Systems
2. Design Inspired by Nature
3. Systems Thinking
4. Ecological Paradigm and the Transition to Sustainability
5. Collaboration, Community Building, and Citizenship

1. Principles of Living Systems

According to Fritjof Capra, the ecological problems facing society are rooted
in a lack of understanding of our place in the web of life. A key part of eco-literacy
is reconnecting students to living systems – what educator Linda Booth Sweeney
calls developing a ‘connected wisdom’.
Living systems are open, self-organizing systems that have the special
characteristic of life and that interact with their environment through information
and material-energy exchanges.
Examples of living systems include the human body, or a forest, or a river, as well
as human-created organizations, such as communities, or schools. Connecting
students to natural systems provide them with a deep sense of place and an
understanding of their local environment. While students are immersed in
experiences of the natural world as part of their classroom learning, they discover
and study the principles guiding the functioning of natural systems.
Principles of living systems, including their dynamic, complex,
Cyclical nature and their inherent interconnectedness. These principles come from
the study of ecosystems and from a growing understanding of the way they have
evolved. They also draw on the approaches of traditional and indigenous societies,
many of whom have thrived for centuries by applying these ecological principles.

2. Design inspired by Nature

The guiding principles and characteristics of living systems serve as a basis for
envisioning and designing sustainable communities. Beyond understanding natural
systems, ecological literacy is about applying this understanding to the redesign of
organizations, communities, businesses, and societies to align with ecological principles.
The idea of “design inspired by nature” has become popular through concepts such as
biophilia, biomimicry, or biomimetics, which involve examining and emulating natural
models, systems, processes, and elements to solve human problems.
According to David Orr, the goal of ecological design is to transform how humans act in
the world to provide food, shelter, energy, materials, and seek their livelihood. Ecological
literacy asks what people know and how should they learn it, given the limits of the Earth
and its systems. It demands that human actions and design conform to how the world
works as a biophysical system and that societies be designed with future generations in
mind.

3. Systems thinking
Ecological literacy is also guided by an understanding of systems, or systems
thinking, sometimes called holistic or relational thinking. Because a system is a set of
interdependent, interrelated parts that make up a complex and unified whole, it cannot be
fully understood by analyzing its constituent parts. Ecological literacy involves applying a
way of thinking that emphasizes relationships, connectedness, and context. For example,
we can only understand a songbird by exploring both its characteristics as well as its
interactions with the watershed where it lives. Systems operate on multiple scales, with
systems nested within systems – a watershed is a vibrant interplay among species from
the tree to the bacteria in the soil. Systems thinking is necessary to understand the
complex interdependence and often unpredictable dynamics of ecological systems, social
systems, economic systems, and other systems on all levels. Ecologically literate students
find connections in seemingly disjointed problems, perceive patterns instead of pieces,
and design communities based on the interrelatedness of all life.
Example:
Science lessons about the water cycle or a food web are building blocks of ecological
literacy because they reveal to the student how nature works. Likewise, a social studies
unit on a human community (e.g., a family, neighborhood, region, or a country) or a
geography lesson on resource management contributes to ecological literacy as soon as the
dependence and impact of the human system/community/ region on natural systems are
acknowledged and explored as a vital part of the story.
Thinking systemically requires several ‘habits of mind’.These habits include seeing
the whole of a system rather than snapshots of its parts, looking for patterns and
connections, and uncovering and testing assumptions. This also involves a shift in
perception, from a focus on parts to a focus on the whole, or from discrete objects to
relationships within a system. Two versions of these shifts in perception are captured at
the heart of a broader shift in worldview or paradigm.

4. Ecological Paradigm and the Transition to Sustainability

The dialogue about sustainability is about a change in the human trajectory that will require us to rethink old
assumptions and engage the large questions of the human condition that some presume to have been solved
once and for all. Genuine sustainability, in other words, will come not from superficial changes but from a
deeper process akin to humankind growing up to a fuller stature. – David W. Orr

Ecological literacy is partly aimed at triggering a large-scale social change in how

humans live on the planet. Teaching young people that we are part of the natural world is
the basis for the shift to an ecological paradigm – a worldview that places humans as
embedded in ecological systems rather than perceived as separate, and that recognizes
that there are global constraints to the number of resources we can use and waste we can
produce on a finite Earth. As Fritjof Capra notes, “in the coming decades, the survival of
humanity will depend on our ecological literacy – our ability to understand the basic
principles of ecology and to live accordingly.” This shift to an ecological paradigm is part of
a transition to sustainability – meeting human wellbeing while substantially reducing
poverty and conserving the planet's life support systems. Sustainability is not just about
basic needs and human survival, sustainability is the process to create a vibrant society.
The Center for Ecological Literacy notes:
A truly sustainable community is alive — fresh, vital, evolving, diverse, dynamic. It supports
the health and quality of life of present and future generations while living within the limits
of its social and natural systems. It recognizes the need for justice and physical, emotional,
intellectual, cultural, and spiritual sustenance.

This is about the ethics guiding human society, including taking responsibility for
the social and environmental consequences of our activities. Daniel Goleman uses the
term ‘ecological intelligence’ to highlight the need for feedback about whether our
activities are having a positive or negative impact on people and ecosystems. He makes
the point that there is an urgent need for marketplace transparency and for greater
human understanding of the ecological impacts of how we live. New information
technologies provide a tool for assessing the sustainability of supply chains and the far-
flung impacts of our choices. He notes that “we can, together, become more intelligent
about the ecological impacts of how we live – and how ecological intelligence, combined
with marketplace transparency, can create a mechanism for positive change.” The
exchange of information is only one aspect of this ecological intelligence – Goleman notes
that we also need to draw on our social intelligence to coordinate and harmonize our
efforts because of the complex global web of cause and effect.

Ecological intelligence allows us to comprehend systems in all their complexity, as well as the
interplay between the natural and man-made worlds. But that understanding demands a vast
store of knowledge, one so huge that no single brain can store it all. Each one of us needs the
help of others to navigate the complexities of ecological intelligence. We need to collaborate.

5. Collaboration, Community Building, and Citizenship

Ecological literacy is about emphasizing collaboration and partnership as a
hallmark of living systems and life. The ability to associate, create links, draw on the
collective distributed intelligence of many individuals is part of eco-literacy. Ultimately,
sustainability is a community practice.
Ecologically literate students are also community builders and active citizens. An
ecological education occurs both within the natural environment and in the local
community where students can build relationships and apply their understanding in a
real-world setting.
Ecoliteracy knowledge empowers students to help create a better society and make
a difference. Studies have shown that combining civic engagement and ecological literacy
creates positive change leaders willing to participate as citizens and engage in creating
solutions.

Ecological Literacy in a Global Issues course

The Center for Ecoliteracy suggests the following principles for the integration of ecological
literacy:
• Ecological literacy is not an additional concept or subject to be added to the
content of the course. It may be seen rather as a perspective or way of thinking
through which any selected topic or Issue may be viewed.

• It is useful to focus on guiding fundamental questions, which may recur and open
up conceptual links across disciplines (e.g., science, geography, anthropology,
politics, history, the arts, sociology, and health).

• The conceptual links that tie subjects together help make learning more effective
since they lead to learning that is more readily applicable to the real world.

• Taking a hopeful, proactive approach and designing learning activities that

engage students in potential solutions are important when teaching about
environmental issues.

Core competencies for Ecoliteracy

The Center for Ecoliteracy http://www.ecoliteracy.org/discover/competencies has developed a set of
‘core competencies to help young people develop and live in sustainable communities.
These competencies relate to the head (learning to know), the heart (learning to be), the
hands (learning to do), and the spirit (learning to live together).

Head (Cognitive)
• Approach issues and situations from a systems perspective
• Understand fundamental ecological principles
• Think critically, solve problems creatively, and apply knowledge to new situations
• Assess the impacts and ethical effects of human technologies and actions
• Envision the long-term consequences of decisions

Heart (Emotional)
• Feel concerned, empathy, and respect for other people and living things
• See from and appreciate multiple perspectives; work with and value others with
different backgrounds, motivations, and intentions
• Commit to equity, justice, inclusivity, and respect for all people

Hands (Active)
• Create and use tools, objects, and procedures required by sustainable communities
• Turn convictions into practical and effective action and apply ecological knowledge to the
practice of ecological design
• Assess and adjust uses of energy and resources

Spirit (Connectional)
• Experience wonder and awe toward nature
• Revere the Earth and all living things
• Feel a strong bond with and deep appreciation of the place
• Feel kinship with the natural world and invoke that feeling in other

Teaching ecological literacy often involves the following:

• Weaving ecological and systems approach into the existing curriculum in a coherent way
that builds student knowledge over time. (Note: The focus should be on ecological
concepts and their relationships to each other – both the big picture and the details – and
to the active preservation of the ecosphere rather than incremental inclusion of ecological
concepts.)
• Building teacher capacity in the areas of ecology and systems thinking,
• Learning from nature through immersion in the real world (nature and communities)
and deep knowledge of particular places,
• Acknowledgement of place-based and experiential outdoor learning as essential to the
cognitive development, health, and wellbeing of children,
• Cultivation of a sense of wonder, creativity, and compassion for nature and community,
• Transformation of the school into a living laboratory of buildings and processes that
teach children about their interconnectedness to nature and their communities, and
• Linkages to Higher Education resources and schools that allow students to continue the
development of their Ecological Literacy.

A list of resources is included following the Appendices to further support

curriculum development. This is a relatively new field. It is a rich area to explore and take
leadership in shaping Ecological Literacy and in nurturing the next generation of
empowered students and sustainable communities.

The 12 Habits of Mind – a systems thinker…

• Sees the Whole: sees the world in terms of interrelated “wholes” or systems, rather than
as single events, or snapshots;
• Looks for Connections: assumes that nothing stands in isolation; and so tends to look
for connections among nature, ourselves, people, problems, and events;
• Pays Attention to Boundaries: “goes wide” (uses peripheral vision) to check the
boundaries drawn around problems, knowing that systems are nested and how you define
the system is critical to what you consider and don’t consider;
• Changes Perspective: changes perspective to increase understanding, knowing that
what we see depends on where we are in the system;
• Looks for Stocks: knows that hidden accumulations (of knowledge, carbon dioxide,
debt, and so on) can create delays and inertia;
• Challenges Mental Models: challenges one’s assumptions about how the world works
(our mental models) — and looks for how they may limit thinking;
• Anticipates Unintended Consequences: anticipates unintended consequences by
tracing loops of cause and effect and always asking “what happens next?”
• Looks for Change over Time: sees today’s events as a result of past trends and a
harbinger of future ones;
• Sees Self as Part of the System: looks for influences from within the system, focusing
less on blame and more on how the structure (or set of interrelationships) may be
influencing behavior;
• Embraces Ambiguity: holds the tension of paradox and ambiguity, without trying to
resolve it quickly;
• Finds Leverage: knows that solutions may be far away from problems and looks for
areas of leverage, where a small change can have a large impact on the whole system,
• Watches for Win/Lose Attitudes: is wary of “win/lose” mindsets, knowing they usually
make matters worse in situations of high interdependence.
For 20 points. Create a slogan stating how Nature should be saved.
Example:

For 10 points each. Read the questions and instructions carefully.

1. Develop a personal definition of sustainability?
2. What are greening initiatives done by the College of Education particularly in your
course program (BSED and BPED)?
3. Make a Project proposal for the greening activities of your college.
 LESSON

Module IX-Arts and Creative Literacy

1

3 HOURS

Teachers need to be creative by all means because teaching S entails critical

thinking and creativity not only in presenting lessons but perhaps in all facets of
instructional endeavor. Therefore, student’s creative potential should be honed through
various pedagogic techniques, classroom activities, and student engagement. Teachers
have to understand creative literacy deeply to guide them in assessing their creativity and
that of their students.

1. Define arts and creative literacy.

2. Identify the seven habits of highly creative people.

3. Explain eye-hand coordination with examples associated with the disorder,

intervention, and development.

4. Compare and contrast visual and verbal creativity.

5. Cite ways on how to integrate arts and creative literacy in the curriculum

6. Create artwork and evaluate it using a self-made assessment rubric.

 What can you say about the pictures?
 How important is art inside the classroom? About oneself? In the teaching
process?
 Artistic literacy is a human right and a teachable skill. It is the ability to connect
both personally and meaningfully to works of art and, through this process, to forge
connections to our humanity and the humanity of others. Arts literacies help students
develop design-thinking, creativity, and critical thinking—all skills said to be important
for the future workforce.

Arts and Creative Literacy

Creativity is the process of having original ideas that have value. Moreover,
creativity is the ability to see the world in new ways. Therefore, creative individuals exhibit
the ability to switch between different modes of thinking and shift their mental focus that
Suggests a connection between creativity and dynamic interactions of brain networks
(Sun, et. al, 2019).
Likewise, creativity is the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into reality.
Henceforth, it is characterized by the ability to perceive the world in new ways, to find
hidden patterns, to make connections between seemingly unrelated phenomena, and to
generate solutions. It involves two processes: thinking, then producing (Naiman, 2011)
As such, creativity is a combinatorial force: the ability to tap into one's 'inner pool
of resources, such as knowledge, insight, information, inspiration; and the fragments in
the mind to combine them in extraordinary new ways (Popova, n.d. in Naiman, 2011). It is
also the process of bringing something new into being that requires passion and
commitment.
Creativity begins with a foundation of knowledge, learning a discipline, and
mastering a way of thinking. It can be learned by experimenting, exploring, questioning
assumptions, using imagination, and synthesizing information.

The ability to generate creative and innovative ideas is not merely a function of the
mind, but also a function of five key behaviors that optimize the brain for discovery: (1)
associating or drawing connections between questions, problems, or ideas from unrelated
fields; (2) questioning or posing queries that challenge common wisdom; (3) observing or
scrutinizing the behavior of others to identify new ways of doing things; (4) networking or
meeting people with different ideas and perspectives, and (5) experimenting or
constructing interactive experiences and provoking responses to see what insights emerge
(https://www.creativityatwork.com/2014/02/17/what-is-creativity/.

Developing literacies of the arts and creativity involves the design of the physical
learning environment, the emotional environment, scheduling, organization, and
implementation of curriculum and instruction and attention to the body and the brain.
Therefore, teachers should be empowered in developing these literacies among students
with the support of the administrators, parents, and other stakeholders.
 Seven Habits of Highly Creative People
Naiman (2014) opined that if a person makes a habit of the seven practices,
he/she will be highly creative in his/her field. Thus, these would help teachers attain the
highest possible level of creativity.
1. Prepare the ground. Creativity requires an absorbed mind, a relaxed state of
focus and attention by giving the self-sufficient time and space needed while letting the
desire to create from the pleasure of creative expression and inspiration.
2. Plant seeds for creativity. It is important to put attention to what you want to
create, not on complaints, and set an intention to produce the desired results.
3. Live in the question. Ask questions, instead of trying to find immediate
answers and pay attention to questions that other people ask.
4. Feed your brain. Get interested in something that later can provide you wisdom
and ideas if you learn to make connections between people, places, and things that
are not usually connected.
5. Experiment and explore. Follow your curiosity, experiment with ideas,
and learn from your mistakes therefore, the quality of your creativity will improve.
6. Replenish your creative stock. You must learn to be self-nourishing and
translate hobbies, talents, and skills into wonderful potentials.
7. Liberate your creativity. Your child's play provides the clue to your creativity,
potentials, and passion In general, creativity takes on many forms in business, art,
design, education, and science. When you express your creativity in these domains, you
can make life indeed a work of at (Naiman, 2011).
Eye-Hand Coordination
In most of our creative activities and endeavors, we integrate eye-hand
coordination as we inhibit our usual body functioning. Eye-hand coordination (also
known as hand-eye coordination) is the coordinated control of eye movement with hand
movement and the processing of visual input to guide reaching and grasping along with
the use of proprioception of hands to guide the eyes. Eye-hand coordination can be
observed in diverse activities, such as the movement of objects, handwriting, catching
a ball, sports, performance, music, reading, computer gaming, typing, and others. In
short, it becomes part of the mechanisms of performing everyday tasks. Without it, people
would be unable to carry out even the simplest actions in daily life.
Eye-hand coordination, therefore, is the ability of the vision system to coordinate
the information received through the eyes to Control guide and direct the hands in the
accomplishment of a given task, It IS also a complex cognitive ability as it unites visual
and motor skills allowing the hand to be guided by the visual stimulation that the eyes
receive. It is the ability to do activities that require the simultaneous use of hands and
eyes, like an activity that uses the information that eyes perceive (Visual-spatial
perception) to guide the hands in carrying out a movement.
Hand-eye coordination is important for child development and academic success,
which is equally important among adults to use in countless activities daily. Most
activities in day-to-day life use some degree of eye-hand coordination, the reason why it is
really important to develop it as possible. Visual information is used to correct
inappropriate behavior in a situation. We use our eyes to direct attention to a stimulus
and help the brain understand where the body is located in space (self-perception).
Reciprocally, we use our hands to simultaneously determined tasks based on the visual
information that our eyes receive to carry out ( https://www.cognifit.com/science/cognitive-skills/eye-
hand-coordination).

Examples of eye-hand coordination

1. In writing. When making lines, the eyes send visual information to the brain to
tell where the hand is placed and if handwriting is legible.
2. Typing on a keyboard. Although the types of movement are different,
visual information is used to tell the brain how to guide the hand or if a mistake
needs to be corrected.
3. When driving. It uses visual information to move the hands on the wheel,
keeping the car in the middle of the lane and avoiding accidents.
4. In sports. In any sports, the eyes usually coordinate with the movement of some
parts of the body called "motor coordination". Depending on the sport, either hand-eye
Coordination (basketball, tennis, football, etc.) or foot-eye coordination (soccer, track, etc.)
will be more dominant. (https://www.cognifit.com/science/cognitive-skills/eye-hand-coordination).

Problems and disorders related to poor eye-hand coordination.

Hand-eye coordination can also work poorly even if the person's eyes and vision
are not affected and if their motor control skills work properly. Someone with perfect
vision can have hand-eye coordination problems that will only manifest when they use
both the visual and motor systems together.
Any alteration to the visual or motor systems can significantly affect hand-eye
coordination, like visual or muscular problems, such as strabismus (crossed eyes),
amblyopia, muscle hypotonia, balance problems, or crossed laterality. Brain damage to
the motor areas or perceptive areas may also cause eye-hand coordination problems.
Poor hand-eye coordination can affect activities that may lead to developmental
disorders, learning disorders (related to reading, writing, and playing sports), in
academics (making mistakes when they take notes, poor hand-writing, poor attention),
professional areas (in typing or assembling objects), and problems with daily activities.
Hence, poor hand-eye coordination can have a variety of causes, but the following
are two main conditions for inadequate hand-eye coordination.
1. Vision impairment. It is a loss of vision that makes it hard or impossible to
perform daily tasks without specialized adaptations caused by loss of visual acuity, in
which the eye does not see objects as clearly as usual.
2. Movement disorders. These are characterized by impaired body movements
caused by a variety of causes, such as ataxia, which is characterized by lack of
coordination while performing voluntary movements; and hypertonia, a condition marked
by an abnormal increase in muscle tension and a reduced ability of a muscle to stretch.
https://www.cognifit.com/scien ce/cognitive-skills/ eye-hand-coordination.

Hand-eye coordination development stages. Hand-eye coordination

development milestones are as follows:
Between birth and three years
1. Between birth and three years of age, infants can accomplish the following skills
and can:
1.1 start to develop the vision that allows them to follow slowly
moving objects with their eyes
1.2 begin to develop basic hand-eye skills, such as reaching,
grasping objects, feeding, dressing;
 1.3 begin to recognize concepts of place and direction, such as up,
down, in; and
1.4 develop the ability to manipulate objects with fine motor skills.

Between three and five years

2. Between three and five years of age, little children can:

2.1 continue to develop hand-eye coordination skills and a
preference for left or right handedness;
2.2 continue to understand and use concepts of place and
direction, such as up, down, under, beside;
2.3 develop the ability to climb, balance, run, gallop, jump, push
and pull, and take stairs one at a time; and
2.4 develop eye/hand/body coordination, eye teaming, and depth
perception.

Five to seven years

3. Children between five and seven years old can

3.1 improve fine motor skills, such as handling writing tools using scissors,
etc.
3.2 continue to develop climbing, Balancing, Running, galloping,
and jumping abilities running, coordination and
3.3 continue to improve hand-eye handedness preference; and
3.4 learn to focus vision on school work for hours every day.
(http://www.healthofchildren.com/G-H/Hand-Eye-Coordination.htmitixzz5xFo4rsqG )

Visual Literacy

With the advent of the Internet, students must develop the necessary visual
literacy skills to navigate the image-intense world. Therefore, visual literacy
refers to interpreting and creating visual images and usually about
communication and interaction.

Visual literacy is the ability to read, write and create visual images. It is a
concept that relates to art and design and has much wider applications. It is
about language and interaction. Visual media is a linguistic tool, with which we
communicate, exchange ideas, and navigate our highly visual digital world

The term was first coined in 1969 by John Debes, who was the founder of
the International Visual Literacy Association Debes explains: "Visual literacy
refers to a group of vision-competencies a human being can develop by seeing,
having, and integrating other sensory experiences.

According to Oxford Research Encyclopedia, visual literacy is the ability to

interpret, negotiate and make meaning from information presented in the form
of an image, extending the meaning of literacy, which commonly signifies
interpretation of a written or printed text. It is, therefore, based on the idea that
pictures can be read and the meaning can be through a process of reading.
 Serafini (2017) asserted that visual literacy is a set of visual competencies or
cognitive skills and strategies one needs to make sense of visual images. These
visual competencies were seen as universal cognitive abilities that were used for
understanding visual images regardless of the contexts of production, reception,
and dissemination. More contemporary definitions stress that visual literacy is a
contextualized, social practice as much as an individualized, cognitively based
set of competencies. It is also a process of generating meanings in a transaction
with multimodal ensembles that include written text, visual images, and design
elements from a variety of perspectives to meet the requirements of particular
social contexts.
Theories of visual literacy can be integrated across disciplines. Therefore,
visual literacy now incorporates socio-cultural, semiotic critical, and multimodal
perspectives to understand the meaning that is potential of the visual and
verbal ensembles encountered in social environments (Serafini, 2017). Digital
technology has greatly impacted our understanding of visual literacy as we now
see children growing up with tablets and computers and what appears to be
highly developed visual literacy instincts. (https:/Ivisualiteracytoday.org/what-is-visual-
iteracy)

Verbal Creativity

Because of the rapidly increasing complexity of the world, creativity is more

important now than ever before and is even considered as a useful and effective
response to evolutionary changes, Since it allows the individual to flexibly
respond to the continuously changing conditions around (Runco, 2004 in Fink,
et. al., 2015). Torrance, (1969) in Hasan (2017) recognized creativity as
important for the development of a fully functioning, mentally healthy, well-
educated, and vocationally successful individual. It is because of the growing
recognition of the importance of creative functioning and there is sufficient
evidence of the universality of creativity.

Scott, et. al (2004) cited that creativity-related skills can be improved by

providing specific rules, techniques, or strategies to develop appropriate
cognitive skills for the domain at hand. This could be realized through creative
ideation training or divergent thinking exercises (Coskun, 2005; Benedek, et. al,
2006), which aim at stimulating effective search, retrieval, and
integration/combination of remote associations related to a given stimulus
word. Divergent thinking is a useful concept for identifying, supporting, and
measuring creativity as a process to actualize one's self, manipulate internal
 and external symbols as the creation of illustrative ideas based on his/ her
knowledge senses regarding people and objects to produce on (Hasan, 2017).

The four major components of divergent thinking are fluency, flexibility,

originality, and elaboration, which are very useful for an operational concept.
Fluency refers to the total number of ideas, options, and solutions generated for
an open-ended problem; flexibility is the number of conceptual categories,
originality is the aspect of created or invented works, and is about the statistical
infrequency of responses related to the task compared with original ideas; and
elaboration is the ability to expand on an idea with details and the ability to
create an intricate plan.

Fink, et. al (2012) explained that cognitive stimulation through common or

moderately creative ideas was effective in improving verbal creativity, and most
importantly, stimulation effects were also apparent at the level of the brain. As
such, a widespread creativity-related neural network includes the left middle
and superior temporal gyri along with the right cortex being sensitive to
cognitive stimulation.

Aesthetics
Britannica defines aesthetics, also spelled esthetics, as a philosophical
study of beauty and taste. It is closely related to the philosophy concerned with
the nature of art and the concepts of which individual works of art are interpreted
and evaluated.

In perspective, it is an interesting and puzzling realm of Experience: the

realm of the beautiful, the ugly, the sublime, and that elegant; of taste, criticism,
and fine art; and of contemplation, sensuous enjoyment, and charm. In all these
phenomena, similar principles operate, and similar interests are engaged.

The nature and scope of Aesthetics. Aesthetics deals not only with the
nature and value of arts but also with those responses to natural objects that find
expression in the language of the beautiful and the ugly. The terms beautiful and
ugly are too vague in an application and too subjective in meaning. Everything on
earth may be perceived as beautiful by someone from his/her point of view while
different people may use the word differently that often may have little or nothing
in common but all are simply based on judgment. It may also be that the term
beautiful has no sense except as the expression of an attitude, which in turn,
people may associate with different matters.
 Moreover, despite the emphasis of philosophers on the terms beautiful and
ugly, aesthetics become an insignificant issue for discussion in the description of
what appeals in nature. Just like when appreciating a poem, it can be described as
ironic, moving, expressive, balanced, and harmonious. Likewise, in characterizing a
favorite stretch of countryside, it can be noted as peaceful, soft, atmospheric,
harsh, and evocative, rather than beautiful.

Three Approaches to Aesthetics

Britannica laid down three approaches to aesthetics as follows:

1. It is the study of aesthetic concepts or the analysis of "language of criticism, in

which particular judgments are singled out and their logic and justification are
presented.
2. It is a philosophical study of certain states of mind, responses, attitudes, and
emotions that are involved in aesthetic experience.
3. It is the philosophical study of the aesthetic object that 1 3 reflects the view that
problems of aesthetics exist because the world contains special objects toward
which people react selectively as described in aesthetic terms.
(https://www.britannica.com/topic/aesthetics)

Integrating Arts and Creativity Literacy into the Curriculum

The following are strategies and initiatives in embedding arts and creative
literacy in the curriculum.
1. Physical environment - Design a physical environment to Support creativity,
such as castle-designed school roofs and ceilings, well-architecturally designed
edifice, creative murals, beautiful garden landscape, colorful blocks and
benches in the math and science garden, structured music and art studio, an
atelier, student lounge, amphitheater, etc.
2. Emotional environment -Take time to create and maintain a climate of respect,
caring and support to someone when making mistakes.
3. Project-based learning (PBL) -Provide students time, space, and opportunity to
express themselves their ideas, emotions, and insights through arts. Design and
plan any projects that are relevant, rigorous, and real-world to attain
motivation, engagement, and learning.)
4. Teach creative thinking skills - Teach students about "metacognition" or
"thinking about their thinking" even to the little ones through the process of
brainstorming, reasoning, comparing and contrasting, problem-solving, concept
mapping, analyzing, evaluating, and more.
5. Alternative assessments Instead of just a worksheet or an assignment, provide
different authentic assessments like performance, systems design,
 product/output making, visual arts creation, task-based, project-based,
portfolio and others provided with rubrics and other forms of metrics.
6. Scheduling- Project-based curriculum and performance-based assessment need
ample time and proper scheduling in either a structured or unstructured
manner
7. Student-centered and personalized learning provides students the freedom to
choose what they will learn, how they will learn it, and how they will
demonstrate what they have learned.
8. Incorporate arts- Integrate seamlessly music, art, drama, and dance into the
curriculum to develop creativity.
9. Integration of technologies Encourage students to create 9. and websites,
Glogster, Voice Thread, and utilize blogs student publishing, video game design,
coding, filmmaking, photography, global collaborative classroom projects using
Google Hangouts, etc.
10. Preparing the body and brain for creativity- Create activities that induce body-
mind integration, such as yoga, ballet, jazz, Sumba, calisthenics, etc.
Explain the following for 5 points each.
1. What do you mean by arts and creative literacy?
2. What are the seven habits of highly creative people? Provide examples.
3. Explain eye-hand coordination-associated disorders, assessment
interventions, and developments.
4. Compare and contrast visual and verbal creativity.
5. Discuss aesthetics as a philosophical perspective and the three approaches.
6. How can arts and creative literacy be integrated into the curriculum?
 For 5pts each. Direction: Give your concepts of creativity using the symbols that
you will draw in the following frames. Then provide a brief explanation.

L CREATIVITY
E
A Symbols Symbols Symbols Symbols
R
N
I
N
G

R
E Brief Brief Brief Brief
F Explanation Explanation Explanation Explanation
L
E
C
T
I
O
N
 LESSO
N

2 Module X-Assess Gender issues in Literacy and

Research Writing

Gender and Literacy Issues and Research: Placing the

Spotlight on Writing

3
HOURS

Gender Literacy focuses on developing the awareness and skill sets to critically
think about socially constructed embedded gendered narratives. This is where Gender
Literacy comes in, which all about developing the awareness and skill is set to critically
think about these gendered narratives.

1. Suggest ways on how students can write a gender-fair research report

Gendered narratives in society are everywhere and touch almost every aspect of our
lives. Not only do these messages tell us that gender is determined by our genitals, but
they also insist that we ought to act certain ways based on what ours happens to look like
(for example men have to be strong and emotionless, while women have to be delicate and
submissive, and so forth). These are called gender roles, and they can be particularly
distressing to people who identify as TGNC. This is because being a TGNC person
inherently conflicts with these narratives, and the cost for not following them often turns
out to be forms of stigma and discrimination.
 We believe that gender literacy is a part of building resiliency because being able to
validate your own identity amongst negative gendered narratives can help support the
development of a positive self-image and healthy and effective coping strategies.

Gender literacy is also about helping people to see that sex assigned birth doesn’t
define your gender identity, gender expression, or your sexual orientation. Being gender
literate means that you can take your subjective experience of each of these pieces, and
put them together in a way that works for your own, integrated self.

Gender and Literacy Issues and Research: Placing the Spotlight on Writing
Shelley Stagg Peterson and Judy M. Parr

Abstract: In this introduction to a special issue of the Journal of Writing Research,

we review four decades of research, bringing writing to the forefront in conversations
devoted to gender and literacy. We identify the impetus for much of the research on
gender and writing and situate the four articles in this special issue within three themes:
gender patterns in what and how students write, cognitive and socio-cultural factors
influencing gender differences in student writing, and attempts to provide alternatives to
stereotypical gender patterns in student writing. These interdisciplinary themes, further
developed within the four articles, underscore the need to consider gender as a complex
social, cognitive, and linguistic characteristic of both reading and writing.

Keywords: writing, children, gender, development

Gender issues in literacy learning and teaching have been raised to prominence in
research (e. g., Alloway & Gilbert, 1997 in Australia; Blair & Sanford, 2003; Martino &
Berrill, 2003 in Canada; Smith, E., 2003; Younger & Warrington,2007 in the U. K; Hedges
& Nowell, 1995; Smith & Wilhelm, 2009 in the US); in commercial teaching resources (e.
g., Barrs & Pidgeon, 1993; Booth, 2002; Newkirk, 2002; Smith & Wilhelm, 2002); and in
government documents and reports (e. g., Daly, 2002; Department for Children, Schools,
and Families, 2010; Ministry of Education & University of Auckland, 2006; Ontario
Ministry of Education, 2004). For the most part, however, this extensive literature has
focused on gender performance and social expectations regarding reading practices and
processes, or attitudes toward reading, and reading preferences; overlooking or
minimizing the influence of gender on teaching and learning to write. Although there are
excellent examples of research and teaching resources examining similar aspects of
writing (as reviewed in this paper and throughout this issue), they have not, to our
knowledge, become part of the mainstream discussions on gender and literacy to the
extent of the parallel work on gender and reading. This may be part of a more general lack
of attention to issues of writing, often referred to as the forgotten ‘R’. With its focus on
gender and writing, this special issue of the Journal of Writing Research brings to the
forefront the importance of including writing in conversations devoted to gender and
literacy.

As is the case with interest in exploring gender issues in reading, the starting point
for research and policy initiatives exploring gender influences on writing is often a
consideration of the persistent gender disparity found in large-scale writing tests across
international borders (Department for Education and Skills, 2006; Education Quality and
Accountability Office, 2011; National Center for Educational Statistics, 2007; Organization
for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2004). Similar gender patterns continue to
be found in research examining patterns of performance on writing for different purposes,
as girls perform significantly better than boys. An analysis by gender of cross-sectional
writing performance data obtained from a large, nationally representative sampling of
student writing in New Zealand from students in Years 5 to 12 of schooling (N = 20,824)
shows an average effect size for the gender of. 43 favoring girls, with the gap increasing
after year 7 of schooling through secondary school (Ministry of Education & the University
of Auckland, 2006; Parr, 2010). The gap was at its greatest at year 9 where girls scored on
average 80 points or two school years ahead of boys. This gap narrowed at years 11 and
12 and, in fact, for transactional writing purposes, showed no statistically significant
difference. While the general trend of an increasing gap between boys and girls is similar
to that noted internationally, the narrowing by years 11 and 12 of schooling is at variance
with the analysis of the National Association for Educational Progress writing data in the
US for 2002 where the gap is greater at Grade 12 than Grade 8 (Smith & Wilhelm, 2009).
The underachievement of boys relative to girls has given rise to arguments regarding
which boys are at risk (Martino, 2008), as the gender disparity tends to be greatest among
students from less favorable socioeconomic backgrounds (OECD, 2004, p. 8).
As Mead (2006) notes, for certain groups of boys (and girls) there may indeed be a literacy
crisis where ethnic and economic factors are also in play. A simple look at gender and
achievement masks considerable diversity and heterogeneity.
 Also important to consider is the stabilization of gender inequalities in achievement
over the last 15 years. The achievement gap in language ability (English in this example)
has been stable for 40 years and currently is, regarding writing, at its lowest (Smith,
2003). In addition, these inequalities favoring females are not, as yet, reflected in the
wider society in terms of earnings or senior civil service or company positions (Younger &
Warrington, 2007). Further, boys’ absolute level of performance is increasing; it is simply
that girls’ academic performance is also increasing (Warrington & Younger, 2006).
Other arguments have arisen regarding whether school curricula and teaching
approaches should be changed to reflect essentialized views of masculinity (Martino &
Berrill, 2003; Newkirk, 2002). Educators taking up this perspective view boys not as being
deficient in writing, but rather as being differently literate (Millard, 1997). While some
policy documents (e. g., Ontario Ministry of Education, 2004) advocate teaching
approaches such as those that address boys’ learning styles or finding positive male role
models, many researchers argue that such practices cater to a stereotypical view of boys
as being more active and needing more hands-on activities (Martino, 2008). Furthermore,
researchers and educators question whether there should be great attention paid to
helping the boys, as such attention ‘‘tends to pit boys against girls’’ and ‘‘too much
attention on boys tends to pathologize them’’ (Newkirk, 2002, p. 20).
There continues to be a need to learn more about gender issues in teaching and
assessing writing. This is evident in the considerable response to our call for abstracts for
this special issue. We received 15 abstracts outlining research conducted in Europe and
North and South America. The abstracts came from several fields, including social,
cognitive, developmental, and educational psychology, sociolinguistics, sociology, learning
and teaching, and information and communications technology, indicating that gender
issues in writing cross disciplinary boundaries.
This special issue opens with a paper entitled ‘‘Mapping the landscape: Gender and the
writing classroom’’ by Susan Jones that situates the work on writing development and
gender within three of these perspectives: cognitive, social, and linguistic. She examines
the contribution of each of these theoretical approaches, focusing on the way gender is
positioned and shown to operate in the classroom, in curricula, and in an assessment. In
this introduction we complement Jones’s overview of the field, discussing two avenues of
research on gender and writing: the first identifying gender differences and similarities in
students’ writing, and the second examining influences on girls’ and boys’ writing.

1. Research Identifying Gender Differences in Student Writings

Researchers have been examining the influence of gender on writing styles, interests, and
motivation for more than 40 years. Over that time, their research has shown us that
primary-aged girls tend to write about themes related to the home and family and boys
tend to write about themes in secondary territory beyond the home and school (Graves,
1973); that children tend to write about characters of their sex and often stereotype those
characters (Tuck, Bayliss & Bell, 1985; Romatowski & Trepanier-Street, 1987), and that a
feminine orientation, regardless of the sex of the student, tends to have a positive effect on
writing grades (Pajares & Valiante, 2001).
Research that describes the differential performance of boys and girls has drawn on
what might be considered stereotypical notions of gender as well as on features of the
learning context. For example, writing is viewed as a passive, reflective act that is
incompatible with the stereotyping of the boy as being more active than girls (e. g. Browne,
1994). Boys are viewed as differently literate (Millard, 1997) and preferring non-fiction
texts and genres although this may be overstated (Daly, 2002). Such preferences may lead
them to write pieces with content and writing styles that are less likely to meet with
teacher approval. Boys often write narratives that draw on visual literacies from television
and computer games and the resulting pieces lack detail (Millard, 1997).
However, there are two lines of research that support the idea that there is little or no
difference in the writing. First, research has demonstrated that raters have been unable to
identify, at greater than chance, the gender of writers of scripts written by undergraduates
(Francis, Reed & Melling, 2003). Second, attempts to demonstrate systematically that the
writing of boys and girls is different in terms of the linguistic characteristics and processes
have yielded only small differences (Jones & Myhill, 2007). In contrast to the results of
large-scale tests showing gender disparities in performance (Department for Education
and Skills, 2006; Education Quality and Accountability Office, 2011; National Center for
Educational Statistics, 2007; Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development,
2004), the research of Jones and Myhill showed limited evidence at both sentence and
paragraph-level of any gender differences. Furthermore, Jones (2007) reported that,
concerning composing processes and strategies, there is scant evidence to support the
notion of boys as weak writers; rather their patterns were more similar to those of
successful writers.
Two papers in this special issue contribute to our understanding of gender differences
and similarities in students’ writing practices and views of the role of writing in their lives.
In their research conducted in Argentina, Nora Scheuer, Montserrat de la Cruz, Ana
Pedrazzini, Maria Sol Iparraguirre, and Juan Ignacio Pozo highlight gender differences and
similarities in the conceptions of learning to write of children from kindergarten to 7th
grade. Through their detailed methodology for analyzing discourse about writing, they
found that boys tended to talk about their independence as learners, whereas girls tended
to identify teachers and family members who had supported their learning to write. Many
girls integrated writing into their play, as well as their academic lives, whereas many boys
associated writing with school and the world of work.
Koutsogiannis Dimitrios and Adampa Vassiliki’s research concerning digital literacy
practice illustrates well the notion that within a gender group, there may be as much or
more variability as there is between gender groups. This reinforces the idea that gender
should not be viewed as a fixed variable. The data they present from a large-scale survey
of girls and boys, in both private and state schools in Greece, show no gender differences
in almost all aspects of literacy practice reported by boys and girls in private schools,
whereas differences exist in state schools. In addition, there are marked differences in the
written communication practices of girls, according to the type of school they attend. Girls
report using digital environments for writing and communication and the analysis focuses
on the relationship between users in the settings of home and school, arguably the two
most important socialization institutions. However, the authors also acknowledge and
explore the personality of the girls who were seen, in their unique ways, to filter their
social experiences. Two detailed case studies show the disparity in digital writing practices
amongst girls and the operation of socialization and personal factors. While demonstrating
patterns of similarity and difference, the authors also suggest the influence of social and
personal variables. This article, while descriptive, also suggests gender differences
attributable to social and personal factors.

2. Research Identifying Factors Influencing Gender Differences

The article by Dimitrios and Vassiliki illustrates the considerable variability in literacy
practice within a gender group and calls attention to socio-economic factors in explaining
this. The fourth article in this special issue takes a different perspective and contributes
to our understanding of cognitive factors associated with gender differences. The paper
reports research conducted by Lorna Bourke and Anne-Marie Adams, based in schools in
the northwestern United Kingdom. They measured cognitive and linguistic factors that
might influence young children’s writing. The performance of children aged 4-5 years on
an extensive range of language and cognitive measures, including the volume and range of
vocabulary in the children’s writing, showed that approximately 15 percent of the
variation in children’s performance on the national writing assessment profiles can be
accounted for by gender.
This research is important in a field that has largely focused on socio-cultural
rationales for gender differences in writing and teachers’ beliefs and practices regarding
male and female students’ writing. There have been suggestions, for example, that how
writing is commonly assessed may underestimate the performance of school-aged boys.
There is evidence that elementary and middle-school girls’ narrative writing may be
privileged in assessments (Peterson, 1998) and that their writing is more aligned with the
approved literary canon than that of boys. In their descriptions of boys’ and girls’ writing,
sixth-grade Canadian teachers identified girls’ writing as more fully developed with greater
detail than boys’ writing. They perceived girls as being more likely to use conventions
correctly and willing to revise and edit their writing than boys.
It was not only the elementary and middle-school teachers but also their students who
revealed a fairly uniform perception that girls’ writing is more likely to conform to the
criteria assessed on many scoring schemes than boys’ writing. Furthermore, boys tend to
choose content that could alienate assessors (Myhill, 2001). Consistent with this
hypothesis, Peterson (2000) found that girls tend to see themselves as being successful
both in their use of writing conventions and in writing descriptions. Boys, in contrast,
tend to identify audience appeal and creativity as their writing strengths.
These perceptions of gender differences in students’ writing and their writing motivation
and commitment to their writing were also reflected in grade six teachers’ feedback to girls
and boys on their writing (Peterson, Kennedy & Childs, 2004). Although there were no
significant differences in scores and no trends favoring girls in participating teachers’
scoring of two narratives and two persuasive papers, teachers wrote more comments
about mechanical, grammatical, lexical, or syntactic changes to boys than to girls. They
wrote relatively equal numbers of comments requesting students to make higher-order
revisions and praising the writing to both girls and boys. Teachers’ gender perceptions
appear to have a developmental dimension that largely parallels the gender differences
shown in the cross-sectional data of writing performance across school years (Parr, 2010).
The elementary and middle-school teachers’ perceptions contrast with those of post-
secondary writing teachers who valued the more linear, impersonal writing style that they
attributed to male students’ persuasive writing over the contextual, more emotional style
of female students’ writing (Barnes, 1990; Earl-Novell, 2001; Haswell & Haswell, 1995;
Roulis, 1995).
It has also been suggested that boys reject written texts that are ‘‘schoolish’’ and are
divorced from texts that they read, write and view at home (Cavazos-Kottke, 2005).
Fourth- and eighth-grade students showed, in their writing choices and small group
conversations, that their choices of narrative writing topics were constrained by the range
of discourses available to them as girls or boys (Peterson, 2001; 2002). The
poststructuralist theory explains these gendered choices as taking up ‘‘subjectivity [that]
is more readily recognizable and acceptable when the subject position offered is
compatible with many other dominant and powerful discourses’’ (Gilbert & Taylor, 1991,
p. 42). Boys, in particular, feel uncomfortable writing about the topics and composing text
forms that dominant discourses represent as feminine. However, both boys and girls
attempt to demonstrate to their peers that they are aware of and capable of performing
masculinity and femininity in recognizable and acceptable ways. Peers, in turn, show
approval or disapproval in their responses to what they consider to be gender-appropriate
(Peterson, 2002).
Boys may simply choose not to engage in the kinds of literate activity privileged in
schools, according to Smith & Wilhelm (2009). In their study, boys were shown to be
engaged in numerous literate activities but largely outside of school. However, this applies
to girls, as well as to boys. The contexts of instruction in reading and writing, in adopting
too narrow a definition of what counts as literacy (Alvermann, 2006), are problematic for
many students in that they are far removed from students’ outside school literacies
(Cavazos-Kottke, 2005) and thus, do not maximize learning for all students by making
appropriate links between and among contexts.

3. Interventions Addressing Differential Writing Performance

In this final section, we add to Jones’s mapping of the landscape of gender and writing
examples of research that attempts to address differential performance in writing. This
research includes interventions aimed at particular groups (of which boys may be one)
that are represented disproportionally in the lowest centiles in terms of writing
achievement. The interventions take several forms. They encompass efforts to mitigate the
influence of students’ and teachers’ gender expectations on writing and writing
assessment; efforts to strengthen students’ control of their learning through being clear
about learning and performance expectations and the creating of specific opportunities for
students to write in ways that challenge traditional gender positions. Such work suggests
potential directions for future gender and writing research.
One potential way to close the gender gap is to challenge inaccurate expectations that
teachers may hold about the performance of groups of their students, according to
Younger and Warrington (2007). Valid evidence of performance serves this function and
also enables teaching to be honed to meet specific learning needs. Ensuring that teachers
could interpret and use evidence of their students’ writing performance to enable teaching
to learning needs, that is to address gaps between current and desired performance, was a
major aim in a national Literacy Professional Development project in New Zealand. This
project, which involved three cohorts of schools each of two years, aimed at raising
achievement in writing (or reading) and was targeted at the lowest 20 percent of students.
For writing, boys were represented in this group at double the rate of girls; in each cohort
they began the project, on average, scoring significantly below girls. The teachers on the
project, through professional learning, became more skilled at interpreting data about
their students (Parr & Timperley, 2008) and in obtaining an accurate picture of their
strengths and weaknesses, providing hard evidence to challenge any misconceptions.
Feedback on classroom practice aimed to challenge the basis for teacher practice and
beliefs in terms of the evidence on which they were based (Timperley, Parr & Berantes,
2009). Teachers built their knowledge about teaching writing which, in turn, translated
into more explicit teaching, including sharing specific learning aims for writing and
providing more detailed, quality feedback facilitating the transfer of responsibility for
learning to the student and the level of this knowledge related significantly to the extent of
progress of the students (Parr & Timperley, 2010; Timperley & Parr, 2009). The project
achieved average improvements in writing performance well beyond normative
expectations. These gains were particularly marked for the students in the lowest 20
percent whose rate of gain was between four and six times greater than the national
average over two years. With a few exceptions (boys in the very lowest socio-economic
schools and, in one cohort, boys in a particular year of schooling) in all cohorts both boys
and girls, on average, reached national expectations (Timperley, Parr & Meissel, 2010).
The trajectory of progress for both boys and girls was accelerated, however, the difference
between boys and girls remained and was only slightly attenuated. While the changes in
teaching practice worked very well for boys, particularly previously low progress boys, they
also were effective for girls.
While interventions that may act to raise boys’ achievement in writing are still limited in
number and scope, research in the theory of motivation regarding situational interest
(Hidi & Harackiewicz, 2000) and the classroom features that may be related to situational
interest indicates potential ways to promote learning for all (Smith & Wilhelm, 2002).
Although Daly (2002) argues that we over-generalize the belief that boys are more
disposed to non-fiction texts, there is some support for a narrowing of the gender gap in
performance according to the purpose for writing (Parr, 2010). The gap between the
performance of boys and girls narrows for transactional writing purposes like writing to
report, to explain, to persuade, and to instruct.
Drawing on poststructuralist and sociocultural theories, some researchers have
attempted to create opportunities for students to write in ways that challenge traditional
gender positions. In two contexts, researchers initiated after-school writing clubs where
adolescent girls could explore powerful gender identities in their writing (Harper, 1998;
Luce-Kapler, 1999). Two studies, Marsh (1998) and Strough and Diriwachter (2000)
initiated collaborative writing activities that led students to try out alternatives to gender
stereotypes in their writing. This also illustrates that students can take up
nonstereotypical gender positions in writing that takes place within classrooms.

4. Contributions to Conversations on Gender and Literacy

In this introduction to a special issue of the Journal of Writing Research, we have

reviewed research and highlighted key issues that have been taken up across four decades
of research on gender and writing. We identified the impetus for much of the research (e.
g., gender disparities in large-scale assessments of writing) and discussed themes arising
in the research: gender patterns in what and how students write, cognitive and socio-
cultural factors influencing gender differences in student writing, and attempts to address
gender disparities in student writing.
Devoting this special issue of the Journal of Writing Research to gender and writing
provides some needed attention to writing when considering gender and literacy.
Contributing researchers, and we as editors, hope that the interdisciplinary research
discussed in this special issue enriches and extends theoretical, practice-oriented, and
policy-oriented conversations examining gender and literacy.

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Give at least 10 ways on how students can write a gender-fair research report

1. How do you explain the process of writing a gender-fair research report?

2. How does the result of this study affect your gender-literacy enhancement in an
individual?