LESSON The 21st Century and The

2 Rise of New Literacies

TIME FRAME: One (1) Week
OBJECTIVES:
• Comprehend an essay about the changes of Philippine
society along the 21st century.
• Implicate the importance of New Literacies in 21st-
century education.
• Write an essay about the positive and negative effects of
technologies in the acquisition of new literacies.

Hurray! You are now in Lesson 2 of Module 1. This contains discussion about
the 21st Century and The rise of New literacies. In this lesson, you will learn some
changes of the approaches applied to education in the 21st Century. Moreover, you will
learn that students in these generations are equipped with skills. As future educators it
is now a great challenge for you to make yourselves knowledgeable of these new
literacies. Enjoy reading!

Let’s Read This!

Direction: Before proceeding to the rest of this lesson, read the essay below and answer
the follow-up questions thereafter.
Mrs. Rosalia Santos, a primary school teacher in the Philippines, is presently taking up
graduate studies in education. For her assignment, her professor asked her to write an
essay on the changes in Philippine society in the past four decades. Read her short essay
below.

The Changes in Philippine Society- From the 1970s to the 21st Century

by Mrs. Rosalia Santos

Philippine society has been characterized by massive changes over the period
of 1970 to the present. Some of these changes were slow to occur while some were fast
and drastic. In the area of politics, the last four decades have seen changes in the
leadership of the government. From the Martial Law era of President Marcos in the
1970s to the early 1980s, to the Aquino, Ramos, Estrada, Arroyo, and now, Aquino
administration, politics has inevitably shaped the way Filipinos live. There was the
“People Power Revolution” in 1986 which toppled the Marcos regime and catapulted
Corazon Aquino to power.
With this political change, the Philippine economy showed improvements
including a rise in the number of the middle class and an increase in the number of
Filipinos working abroad. These political and economic changes, on the other hand,
led to social changes. Part of the social changes is the changing structure of the home
as family members’ roles shift and mobility of individuals and families increases.
Values have changed, too. There is a lot of influence being felt from Western
societies. Filipinos have learned to adapt to new ways of life such as being more open
to modern ways of living.
Technology also created changes in the way people communicate all over the
country and beyond. Cellular phones, computers and mass media are becoming more
and more popular and accessible.
The environment has suffered from the lifestyle changes of the Filipinos.
Pollution and other environmental problems have increased but there is a growing
awareness among government officials and among the general population to address
these problems.
Overall, the 21st century has brought about several changes in the Philippine
society – some are positive while others are negative. The challenge remains for us
Filipinos to address the problems that come with the changing times and to work
together towards a better future.

After reading Mrs. Santos’ essay, reflect on the following questions:

1. What are some of the changes in Philippine society described by Mrs.
Santos?
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2. What would be the possible effects of these changes on 21st century

education in the Philippines?
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 ANSWER IT!

Direction: Please read the questions below and write your answer in the spaces
provided. Your answers must be in a minimum of 3 sentences.
1. Based on the essay of Mrs. Santos, she stated that technologies brought changes
to our society today. What do you think are the changes brought by these
technologies to 21st-century learners when it comes to literacy?
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2. According to Mrs. Santos “21st century has brought about several changes in
the Philippine society – some are positive while others are negative.” What do
you think are the positive and negative changes brought by the 21st Century to
the Philippine society specifically in our educational system?
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3. How these changes in 21st century affect the literacy of students in today’s
generation?
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 Let’s Shape It!

THE 21ST CENTURY

A 21st Century Education
A 21st-century education is not a bunch of students sitting quietly at desks, in
neat rows, writing down every word that the teacher says or writes on the blackboard
(or smartboard). It’s not teaching to the test, telling students what they need to
memorize to get an A+, assuming every child is or should be on the same path, or
measuring schools or teachers solely by average ACT scores and college acceptance
rates.
A 21st-century education is about giving students the skills they need to succeed
in this new world and helping them grow the confidence to practice those skills. With
so much information readily available to them, 21st-century skills focus more on
making sense of that information, sharing and using it in smart ways.
The role of educators in the 21st century should be helping every student learn
how to learn. It’s inspiring creativity, encouraging collaboration, expecting and
rewarding critical thinking, and teaching children not only how to communicate, but
also the power of effective communication. These are skills students need to develop
in order to thrive in today’s and tomorrow’s dynamic workplace.

The 21st Century Students

Generation Z – born between 1995 and 2009 – most do not remember life
without the internet, and have had technology like smartphones, iPods, smartboards and
other devices available throughout most of their schooling.
Generation Alpha – born since 2010 – they are younger than smartphones, the
iPad, 3D television, Instagram, and music streaming apps like Spotify. This is the first
generation likely to see in the 22nd century in large numbers.
Growing up with this level of technology means growing up with a completely
unprecedented amount of information at your fingertips. Some kids have never been
more than a few seconds away from the answers to their questions, with everything just
a quick search away. They can teach themselves about any topic they are interested in
without even leaving their bedroom. The current cohort of students come from
Generation Z and Generation Alpha. These two generations have grown up with
advanced technology as a given in their homes and classrooms. They are digital natives,
as comfortable using apps and code as their grandparents were flipping pages.
Generations Z and Alpha are also the most internationally connected in history.
They encounter people online from all over the world, and can easily make friends on
the other side of the planet before they have even left their home state. Schools and
parents are also increasingly offering children and young people the opportunity to
travel, creating a truly borderless experience of learning.
 The students in our schools today are intelligent, independent and extremely
capable. They are skilled with technology and comfortable with global and intercultural
communication. We can expect that future generations are going to have even more
experience in these areas.

What Are The 21st Century Skills?

21st Century skills are 12 abilities that today’s students need to succeed in
their careers during the Information Age.
The twelve 21st Century skills are Critical thinking, Creativity, Collaboration,
Communication, Information literacy, Media literacy, Technology literacy,
Flexibility, Leadership, Initiative, Productivity and Social skills.
These skills are intended to help students keep up with the lightning-pace of
today’s modern markets. Each skill is unique in how it helps students, but they all
have one quality in common. They’re essential in the age of the Internet.
Each 21st Century skill is broken into one of three categories:
Learning skills (the four C’s) teaches students about the mental processes
required to adapt and improve upon a modern work environment.
Literacy skills (IMT) focuses on how students can discern facts, publishing
outlets, and the technology behind them. There’s a strong focus on determining
trustworthy sources and factual information to separate it from the misinformation that
floods the Internet.
Life skills (FLIPS) take a look at intangible elements of a student’s everyday
life. These intangibles focus on both personal and professional qualities.
Altogether, these categories cover all 12 21st Century skills that contribute to a
student’s future career.

THE RISE OF NEW LITERACIES

“New literacies” that arise in the 21st century are the Arts and Creativity,
Ecoliteracy, Cyberliteracy/Digital Literacy, Financial Literacy, Media Literacy,
Social/Emotional Literacies, Globalization and Multicultural Literacy.

21st Century Literacies

21st Century New Description
Literacies
This literacy can be manifested in creative ways of
The Arts and Creativity problem-solving and expressed through the production
of various artworks. Teachers and students need to be
more adept in the arts and manifest creativity in various
activities.
 Ecoliteracy This entails acquiring knowledge about climate change,
pollution, loss of natural habitats and biodiversity as well
as the impacts of environmental problems on human
lives. Moreover, solutions on how these environmental
problems could be addressed must also be practiced.
Teachers and students need to develop an awareness of
the environment.
Cyberliteracy/Digital This competency is based on the reality that societies and
Literacy (Information workplaces have now become more information-driven.
and ICT Knowledge) Workplaces of the 21st century rely heavily on electronic
(digital) forms of data storage and management as well as
in the area of communications. Teachers and students
need to develop familiarity and skills in the use of
computers, the internet and other information
technologies.
Financial Literacy Teachers and students are expected to be knowledgeable
about the basics of economics and financial management.
This way, you as a teacher, can extend the skill into
livelihood activities, entrepreneurship, and wise handling
of personal finances.
Media Literacy Teachers and students are expected to be knowledgeable
and skilled in the area of communications particularly the
media. Teachers and students must learn how to discern
news and information based on the form and content as to
how this information is transmitted via various forms of
media.
Social/Emotional You and your students need to acquire social skills that
Literacies are attuned to the norms of your current society.
Emotional intelligence must also be developed to be able
to effectively manage the stresses of a fast-paced 21st-
century society.
Globalization and You and your students need to develop a culture of
Multicultural Literacy respect for cultural diversity. There is value in having a
perspective as a global citizen whose local actions can
have an impact on the wider global arena. You also have
to understand how world events may also affect you and
your community at the local level.

The rise of these “new literacies” is necessary to wield these new technologies
effectively place new demands on all of us – not just on students. We are all expected
to move much more quickly to identify problems, for example; to know where to find
information to help us address those problems – often on our own; to evaluate and
synthesize information from many sources in order to try to solve those problems; to
communicate with others about problems and potential solutions, and to monitor the
solutions we’ve found and stay up-to-date with new issues as they arise.
 Essay Writing
Direction: Create an essay following the guide question hereunder. Write your
essay in a minimum of 4 paragraphs with not less than 5 sentences. Use the space
provided below.
• The positive and negative effects of technologies to the learners and teachers as
a tool in acquiring the 21st century literacies.

Congratulations! You have accomplished the task and activities of Lesson 2.

You have successfully added additional meaningful knowledge in studying this course.
Keep it up and have fun learning the next module!