MODULE 2: ICT POLICIES AND ISSUES: IMPLICATIONS TO TECHNOLOGY AND LEARNING

Lesson 1: Policies and Issues on Internet and Implications to Teaching and Learning

Definition of ICT Policy

ICT policy includes principles and guidelines in the use of ICT which cover three main areas: telecommunication
(telephone), broadcasting (radio and television) and Internet.

The New ICT Technologies

1. Information Technology – includes the use of computers. What are needed will be computer hardware and
peripherals, software and for the user, computer literacy

2. Telecommunication technologies – include telephones (with fax) and the broadcasting of radio and television often
through satellites. Telephone system, radio and TV broadcasting are needed in this category

3. Networking technologies - Internet – this includes mobile telephone, cable, DSL, satellite and other broadband
connectivity.

The DICT Roadmap

 The DICT (Department of Information and Communication Technology) has formulated a roadmap to guide all
agencies in the utilization, regulation and enhancement of ICT. Each project has a corresponding policy
statements and guidelines.
 The ICT for Education (ICT4E) is a program under the DICT that supports all the efforts of the education sector in
incorporating the use of ICT as well as in determining and gaining access to the infrastructure (hardware,
software, telecommunications facilities and others) which are necessary to use and deploy learning technologies
at all levels of education.

Policy recommendation programs to education teaching-learning:

1. ICT in Education Masterplan for all levels, including a National Roadmap for Faculty Development in ICT in Education.
A National Framework Plan for ICTs in Basic Education was developed.

2. Content and application development through the Open Content in Education Initiative (OCEI) which converts DepEd
materials into interactive multi-media content, develop applications used in schools and conduct students and teachers
competitions to promote the development of education-related web content

3. PheDNET, is a “walled” garden that hosts educational learning and teaching materials and applications for use by
Filipino students, their parents and teachers. All public high schools will be part of this network with only DepEd-
approved multi-media applications, materials and mirrored internet sites accessible from school’s PCs

4. Established Community eLearning Centers called eSkwela for out-of-school youth (OSY) providing them with ICT-
enhanced alternative education opportunities

5. eQuality Program for tertiary education through partnerships with state universities and colleges (SUCs) to improve
quality of IT education and the use of ICT in education in the country, particularly outside of Metro Manila

6. Digital Media Arts Program which builds digital media skills for government using Open Source technologies.
Particular beneficiary agencies include the Philippine Information Agency and the other government media
organizations, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, National Commission for Culture and Arts and other government
art agencies, State Universities and Colleges and local government units.

7. ICT skills strategic plan which develops an inter-agency approach to identifying strategic and policy and program
recommendations to address ICT skills demand-supply type.
All the seven programs were guided by the roadmap that embeds policy statements that relate to education specifically
in the enhancement of human development for teaching and learning.

Some Issues on ICT and Internet Policy and Regulations

Global Issues: Access and Civil Liberties

 Civil Liberties – refer to human rights and freedom. These include freedom of expression, the right to privacy,
the right to communicate and intellectual property rights.
 Access to the Use of Internet and ICT. Access means the possibility for everyone to use the internet and other
media. Some countries have easy access to internet but in some countries, internet is not accessible.
 Infringement to Civil Liberties or Human Rights

Issue No. 1: Freedom of Expression and Censorship

Under international human right conventions, all people are guaranteed the rights for free expression. However, with
the shift from communicating through letter, newspapers and public meetings the electronic communications and on-
line networking, a need to look into how these new means modifies the understanding of freedom of expression and
censorship.

The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience
and religion, likewise the right to freedom of opinion and expression. However, there are practices that violate these
provisions in the use of internet.

Issue No. 2: Privacy and Security

Examples of types of privacy:

1. Personal privacy is the right of individuals not to have their homes, private life or personal life interfered with.

2. Privacy of communication refers to the protection from interference with communication over the phone or internet.
Respect for privacy of communication is an essential prerequisite for the maintenance of human relationship via
technological communications media.

3. Information privacy is related to the use of computers and communication system which are able to hold and process
information about large numbers of people at a high speed. It is important to ensure that information will only be used
for purposes for which it was gathered and will not be disclosed to others without consent of the individuals.

Issue no. 3: Surveillance and Data Retention

 In the direct surveillance, there is no direct contact between the agent and the subject of surveillance but
evidence of activities can be traced.
 Dataveillance is the use of personal information to monitor a person’s activities. It is the new and powerful form
of surveillance.
 Data Retention is the storage and use of information from communication systems.
 There is very little that can be done to prevent surveillance but what can be done is to change the methods of
working to make surveillance difficult. This is called “counter surveillance” or “information security” which refers
to computers and electronic communication.

Issue No. 4: E-pollutants from E-waste

 Large amount of e-waste is generated by ICT. These are:

o Terminal equipment used for computing - PC, laptops
o Broadcasting - television and radio sets
o Telephony - fixed and mobile phones
o Peripherals – fax machines, printers and scanners
  The accumulated e-waste us due to rapid turnover of equipment due to rapid improvement of software.
 Utmost management is required when crushing material waste because these are toxic materials
 A very dismal state is that there is a significant amount of electronic waste that has been shipped from industrial
countries to developing countries, using less environmentally responsible procedure.
 Remedies include standardization and regulatory measures to increase the life cycle of equipment before they
become obsolete.
 Vendors who are selling toxic materials and recycling them are required to exert efficient extraction procedures.
 If this is not controlled, e-waste will tremendously affect climate change, damage human lives, and overload the
capacity of the earth in carrying solid waste.

Implications to Teachers and Teaching

1. Guide the teachers on what they should teach that relate to ICT, and how to teach it. Since ICT development comes so
rapid and fast, teachers might be overwhelmed by its rapid speed. Temperance in its use is a caution that should be
looked at.

2. Technology should never replace any human teacher. The tools are support instructional materials for the teachers
which are available for use. The human touch of the teacher is still a vital component in teaching. Teachers should
always be reminded that there are always limitations in the use of the different gadget and tools.

3. There are rules and regulations that govern the use of technology. Caution should be observed to protect individual
privacy. As teachers, you must be aware that the use of technology may jeopardize your privacy and security.

4. All issues and many more shall be part of the teaching content as each teacher will be encouraged to use technology
in teaching.

Implications to Learners and Learning

 Although learners are more advanced in the 21st century, they still need guidance on how to use and regulate
technology.
 Learners should not only know the benefits of technology but should also know how they can be protected from
the hazards that technology brings to their lives
 Learners should take advantage of the potential of learning support they can derive such as the development of
higher order thinking skills, the development of learning communities through collaboration, the enhancement
of skills to manage the vast resources as 21st century learners.

Lesson 2: Safety Issues on the Use of ICT including e-Safety Rules

Safety Issues on the Use of ICT including e-Safety Rules Using technology is not a risk by itself, but how it is used
will be vulnerable to risks. When improperly used, it will pose danger to the users in school and at home.

What are the safety issues that are needed to be addressed by safety policy and guidelines? As future teachers,
do you need to know all of these?

Some Risk in the Use of ICT and e-Networking

Technology is a phenomenon that seems to be uncontrollable. Despite the so many benefits for teaching and
learning, there are also negative effects or influence on learners. Hence, as future teachers, you have to be aware of
how to safeguard learners in the school communities where they spend most of their waking hours and also in their
homes or facilities that provide opportunities to use digital technologies like Internet Cafes, Safeguard and protection
should be primordial role of parents, teachers and schools. There are so many risks that we have to be aware of in the
use of digital technologies. These may include the following:

1. Exposure to inappropriate content, including on-line pornography, extremism (exposure to violence

associated with racist language);
 2. Lifestyle websites like self-harms and suicide sites, and hate sites;

3. Cyber-bullying in all forms, receiving sexually explicit images or messages;

4. Privacy issues including disclosure of personal information;

5. Health and well-being (amount of time spent online, internet gaming and many more);

6. Prolonged exposure to online technologies, particularly at an early age;

7. Addiction to gambling and gaming;

8. Theft and fraud from activities such as phishing;

9. Viruses, Trojans, spyware and other malware; and

10. Social pressure to maintain online networks via texting and social networking sites.

Minor Misuse of ICT

In school, some minor misuses made by learners include the following:

 Copying information into assignment and failing to acknowledge the source (plagiarism and copyright
infringement).
 Downloading materials not relevant to their studies.
 Misconduct associated with subject logins, such as using someone else’s password.
 Leaving a mobile phone turned on during class period.
 Unauthorized taking pictures or images with mobile phone camera, still or moving.

E-Safety

With all of the above concerns and many more, how do we confront all of these so as to protect our future generation?

E-safety takes care not only of internet technologies but also electronic communications via mobile phones,
game consoles and wireless technology. It highlights the need to educate children and young people about the benefits,
risks, and responsibilities of using information technology. Here are some issues of e-safety:

 E-safety helps safeguard children and young people in the digital world.
 E-safety emphasizes learning to understand and new technologies in a positive way.
 E-safety educates children about the risks as well as benefits so we can feel confident online; and
 E-safety supports young learners and adults to develop safer online behaviors, both in and out of school.

Network Management

 Safety in the use of Network in Schools

o Make clear that no one should log on as another user.
o Require all users to always log off when they have finished working.
o Maintain equipment to ensure health and safety.
o Provide students with access to content and resources through guided e- learning.
o Set up a clear disaster recovery system in place for critical data that include secure, remote back up of
critical data.
o Secure wireless network to appropriate standards suitable for educational use.
o Install all computer equipment professionally and meet health and safety standards.
o Review the school ICT system regularly with regard to health and safety security.
  Password Policy
o Only authorized users will have individual passwords. Users are not permitted to disclose their
passwords unless they got permission from the owner or from the management. The equipment that
keeps the personal information shall be locked when unattended to prevent unauthorized access.
Computers should be set to a time out if they become unused for a certain period of time.
 Personal Mobile phones and Mobile devices
o All mobile phones shall be kept away in a box away from the children or learners and access it only
allowed at break time or at the end of classes or when needed during class period.
 Cameras
o Taking pictures only from parents or caregivers and not from any other family member or friend while
the child attends class.
o Any picture taken of children shall be on cameras solely for the purpose.

Setting Up an Educational Technology Room

Schools that plan to dedicate a room where the students can access technologies for learning should include the
following basic safety rules:

1. Provide tilt-able tables. These tables can be tilted and adjusted to the height of the users.
2. Provide anti-glare screen filters.
3. Provide adjustable chairs.
4. Provide foot support.
5. Make sure lighting is suitable.
6. Make sure work stations are not cramped.
7. Plan work at a computer so that there are frequent breaks.

More specifically, safety rules that can reduce risk of accidents in the working stations should include:

1. No trailing wires across or around the room which people can trip on.
2. Electrical sockets should not be overloaded.
3. Electrical equipment should be safety-tested at least once a year.
4. There should be adequate space around desk for people to move.
5. Bags and obstacles should be stored out of the way.
6. Food and drinks should not be placed near machines.
7. Heating and ventilation should be suitable for the working environment.
8. Fire extinguishers should be available.
9. Fire exits should be clearly marked and free from clutter.

There are more issues, policies and rules. What have been presented in the lesson may be the minimum that
you should learn. As you explore some more and engage in the different aspects of Technology for Teaching and
Learning, you will find more details.