Using Credit • concept of credit and cost of using credit
• why people use credit and the sources of credit
• why interest rates vary across borrowers
• basic calculations related to borrowing (principal, interest, compound
interest)
• credit reports and credit scores
• behaviors that contribute to strong credit reports and scores
• impact of credit reports and scores on consumers
• consumer protection laws
Financial Investing • Concept of financial investment
• Variety of possible financial investments
• Calculate rates of return
• Relevance and calculation of real and after -tax rates of return
• How market cause rates of return to change in response to variation
in risk and maturity
• How diversification can reduce risk
• How financial markets react to changes in market conditions and
information
Protecting and • Concepts of financial risk and loss
Insuring • Insurance (transfer of risk through risk pooling)
• Managing risk
• Identify theft
• Life insurance products
• How to protect oneself against identity theft
The Benefits of Financial Literacy
One's level of financial literacy affects one's quality of life significantly. It determines
one's ability to provide basic needs, attitude toward money and investment, as well as one's
contribution to the community. Financial literacy enables people to understand and apply
knowledge and skills to achieve a lifestyle that is financially balanced, sustainable, ethical, and
responsible.
Increased personal financial literacy affects one ‘s financial behavior. These changes in
behavior pay dividends to society as well. People who work, spend, save, borrow, invest, and
manage risk wisely are less likely to require a government rescue. Financial literacy does not totally
eliminate the need for a social safety net because even the most prudent individual can encounter
financial difficulties. But taking responsibility for one's financial life cultivates proper decision-
making skills and discipline. Most of the responsibility for managing financial| matters rests with
the individual. That responsibility is easier for adult’s to bear when they have learned the basics of
personal finance in their youth.
Financial Literacy in the Philippines
In his article “State of Financial Education in the Philippines," Go (2017) indicates several
findings of researches with regards to the state of financial literacy in the country including the
following:
• World Bank study in 2014 estimated 20 million Filipinos saved money but only half had bank
accounts.
• Asian Development Bank (ADB) study in 2015 revealed that PH does not have a national strategy
for financial education and literacy.
• In 2016, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) released the national strategy for financial inclusion,
stating that while institutions strive to broaden financial services, financial literacy should also
complement such initiatives.
• As per Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Ratings services survey last year, only 25% of Filipinos are
financially literate. This means that about 75 million Filipinos have no idea about inflation, risk
diversification, insurance, compound interest, and bank savings.
• Ten years after discovery of the stock market, still less than one percent of PH population is
invested in it.
• More than 80 percent of the working middle class have no formal financial plan.
Because of these findings, public and private sectors alike have recognized the need to
strengthen financial education in the country. Last November 27-28, 2018, more than 1,000
leaders, decision-makers, influencers, and representatives from public and private institutions, civic
society, and the academe gathered for the first ever Financial Education Stakeholders Expo
organized by BSP. The Expo is designed to build an organized network of players that share the
vision of a financially literate citizenry and cohesively implement a variety of initiatives to, achieve
this vision. This is in line with the BSP advocacy for financial education and supports the BSP
mandates of maintaining price stability, financial stability, and efficient payments system. It is the
BSP’s conviction that a financially educated Filipino is an empowered Filipino who is able to make
wise financial decisions that positively impact personal financial circumstances, and, consequently,
contribute to inclusive and sustained economic development.
The Expo supports Republic Act No. 10922 which designates second week of November
as Economic and Financial Literacy Week. It is also aligned with the objectives of the Philippine
National Strategy for Financial inclusion, particularly the pillar on Financial Education and
Consumer Protection.
Developing Personal Financial literacy
One's attitude about money is heavily influenced by the parents' attitude and behavior about
money. The attitudes you formed early in life probably affect how you save, spend, and invest today.
Do you behave similarly or differently from your parents about handling money? There are six
major characteristics types in how people view money (Incharge. 2017).
 Frugal: Frugal people seek financial security by living below their means and saving Ecological Literacy
money. They rarely buy luxurious items; they save money instead. They save money because they
Target Outcomes
believe that money will offer protection from unprecedented events and expenses.

Pleasure: Pleasure seekers use money to bring pleasure to themselves and to others. At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
They are more likely to spend than to save. They often live beyond their means and spend more 1. give the definition of ecological literacy;
than they earn. If they are not careful and do not change, they may toll into deep debt.
2. identify characteristics of ecoliterate person;
Status: Some people use money to express their social status. They like to purchase and
show off" their branded items. 3. determine how ecoliteracy can be integrated in the school curriculum; and

Indifference: Some people place very little importance on having money and would 4. share insights and experiences learned in participating in an environmental activity.
rather grow their own food and craft their own clothes. It is as if having too much money makes
Ecological literacy refers to an individual’s
them nervous and uncomfortable.
understanding not only at ecological concepts, but
Powerful: Powerful people use money to express power or control over others. also of his or her place in the ecosystem (Meenq &
Alison, 2009). The term ecological literacy was first
Self-worth: People who spend money for seIf-worth value how much they accumulate introduced by David Orr 1989. In his essay “Ecological
and tend to judge others based on the amount of money they have. Literacy. " He indicated that knowing, caring and
practical competence form the foundation for
Spending Patterns
ecological literacy. He pointed out that the root of
Are you prudent or have you been accused of spending money lavishly? Or are you environmental crisis is the individual's inability to
somewhere in between? Individuals have different spending patterns. Before one can come up think about, “ecological patterns, systems of
with a financial improvement plan, one needs to analyze his/her spending habits. There are two causation, and long-term effects of human actions"
common spending patterns: habitual spending and impulsive spending. Habitual spending occurs (Orr, 1994). Thus, he emphasized the importance of
when one spends out of a habit, when one buys some item daily, weekly, or monthly. Daily items experience in one’s natural environment that can
may include water, rice, and cup of coffee. Week items may be grocery items. Monthly items are enable humans to shift perspective from one of an
the electricity and Internet bills. Impulsive spending occurs when one mindlessly purchases items economic emphasis to one of balance amongst
that he or she does not need. Many people are often enticed by monthly sales of the malls with economics, ecology, and cultures.
the attitude that they may lose the items the following day.

Fixed vs. Variable Expenses

Fixed expenses remain the same year-round. Car payment is on example. Variable
expenses occur regularly but the amount you pay varies. Beam and gas bills are examples of these.
Needs vs Wants
Financial discipline starts with an ability to recognize whether expenses are needs or
wants, and followed by ability to prioritize needs over wants. Needs are essential to our survival.
Wants are things that you would like to have but can live without, such as new clothes or a new
cellphone model. You want them but do not necessarily need them. Too many wants can ruin a
budget.
Who is an ecoliterate individual? According to Dr. Tom Puk (2002) of Lakehead University
characterized an ecologically literate person of the 2lst century as "the responsible, lifelong learner
who strives to improve the human condition and the environment within the context of self, human
groups, the biosphere, and the ecosphere." The ecologically literate person in order to achieve the
aforementioned ultimate goal should become:
• an inquirer, who actively secures the basic skills and knowledge in order to carry out ecological
responsibilities. This also enables her to reach her own potential and place in the physical and
natural environment;

• a reflective learner, who understands the value and limitations of human knowledge, the power
and limitations of the natural world, the role of intuition in real life pursuits, and the role of self as
it is manifested in one's personal narrative;
• intelligently self-directed, who engages in self-appraisal, sets new learning objectives, develops
plan to achieve those objectives, carries out those plans in a flexible inquiry-directed manner, and
reflects on the whole process;
• morally responsible, who governs actions with precepts (responsibility, seeking justice and
equality for all) that maintain harmonious relationships;
• ecologically responsible, who embodies ecological ideals in daily life: and
• seek self-transcendence, who moves beyond the limitations of personal ego by identifying with
human groups (past and future), flora and fauna, ecosphere, that
Integrating Ecololiteracy in the School Curriculum
The Center for Ecoliteracy promotes a variety of teaching strategies, based on practices
matched to students' levels of development and on brain-based research, to foster the knowledge,
skills, and values essential to sustainable living. We recognize that students learn best when
teaching strategies are varied to include hands-on activities, time for reflection and thoughtful
discussion, a mix of indoor and outdoor environments, and opportunities to participate in
interdisciplinary projects.
1. Place-based Learning
Place-based learning begins with asking questions such as, "Where am I? What is the
natural and social history of this place? How does this place fit into the larger world?" Successful
place-based programs involve students as participants in the life of their communities. Successful
projects demonstrate many of the following characteristics:
✓ Learning takes students out of the classroom and into the community and natural environment
✓ Projects have consequences; students' contributions make a difference to environmental quality
and to the well-being of communities
✓ Place-based projects are integrated back into classroom lessons
✓ Students want to learn in order to apply their knowledge to solving real problems
✓ Students play an active role in defining and shaping projects
✓ Students collaborate with local citizens, organizations, agencies, businesses, and government.
Working alongside community members, students help make plans that shape the future of their
social, physical, and economic environments
✓ Students are encouraged to view their community as an ecosystem and to understand the
relationships and processes necessary to support healthy living
✓ By mapping their school and its surrounding community, students create visual representations
of the systems nested within larger systems that constitute their local place in its wholeness
There is a growing body of research on the benefits of place-based learning. Among
them: higher test scores, better grade-point averages, improved classroom behavior, increased self-
esteem and problem-solving abilities, and higher-level thinking skills.
2. Project-based Learning
While many teachers involve students in projects after exposing them to traditional
instruction, project-based learning is not an extension or add-on but is central to the curriculum.
Projects vary in length — from a couple of weeks to an entire school year — and require students
to use a variety of resources, including the community, technology, outside experts, written
resources, and the Web, as well as each other. Rather than being the "expert," the teacher acts as
a facilitator to learning.
Research shows that project-based learning increases critical thinking skills and fosters
positive attitudes toward subjects such as mathematics and superior performance with conceptual
questions and applied problems.
Furthermore, elementary teachers who have used project-based learning identify several
positive benefits, including better attitudes toward learning, better work habits, improved
problem-solving capabilities, and more self-esteem.
3. Socratic Inquiry
Through this process, students uncover their beliefs, misconceptions, and values, and
eventually clarify their thoughts related to the topic under discussion.
Through engaging in Socratic discussions, students can become more adept at critical
thinking, improve their listening skills, learn to better articulate their thoughts and ideas, and
become more tolerant of diverse opinions.
In Socratic inquiry, the role of the teacher shifts from direct instruction to facilitating
discussion. Through skilled questioning, the teacher asks students to clarify their statements,
identify weaknesses in their arguments, and provide evidence for their reasoning.
4. Experiential Learning
Experiential learning promotes involvement in the real world and defines the teacher's
role as a facilitator of learning. The process of learning takes precedence over the behavioral
outcomes, and is based on the premise that learning is a continuous process, with experience at
its foundation.
When students participate in experiential learning, they frequently follow what is known
as "the learning cycle." This is a process, based on constructivist theory, which starts with
unstructured exploration, followed by what developmental theorists call concept formation and
concept application.
Experiential learning is vital to schooling for sustainability. Only through direct contact with the
natural world will students develop an in-depth understanding of fundamental ecological
principles. By working with others to solve real-world problems, they also develop skills at the heart
of sustainable living.
The Center for Ecoliteracy promotes experiential learning through our emphasis on
school gardens, food and cooking, civic engagement, and the schoolyard as a learning laboratory.
5. Interdisciplinary Learning
Interdisciplinary learning emphasizes connections between traditionally discrete
disciplines such as math, science, history, and language arts, rather than limiting learning to one
content area at a time.
When teaching and learning are organized around themes, problems, or issues, students
seek knowledge and skills from a variety of disciplines to provide an expanded and more complex
understanding of the topics they are studying.
Digital literacy
Target Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
1. define digital/cyber literacy and cyber security;
2. elaborate cyber citizenship;
3. determine netiquette and safety use of digital media;
4. identify common computer threats and corresponding fixing solutions;
5. elucidate cyberbullying and cybercrimes;
6. examine internet exploration, source citation, research and data gathering protocols and website
evaluation; and
7. cite how digital/cyberliteracy may be integrated with teaching learning.
Abstract
Technology has been part of everyone’s life, be it at home, in school, or anywhere with
every facet of our undertaking. However, in many instances, we may not be aware that we have
been misusing or abusing it or in another way around, we may find ourselves being used by other
people with their malicious motives using digital tools. Therefore, we may end up being liable or a
victim of such irresponsible kind of technological processing and utilization. It is in this case that
we must gain further understanding and application of digital/cyber literacy, be it on personal or
professional merit.
Digital Literacy
According to Wikipedia, digital literacy is the set of competencies required for full
participation in society that includes knowledge, skills, and behaviors involving the effect use of
digital devices for purposes of communication, expression, collaboration and advocacy.
Simply, it is the ability of an individual to engage with the digital environment and operate
technologies safely by knowing what to do and what not to do and how to avoid unnecessary risks.
Digital literacy is an individual’s ability to access both information and methods of
communication through technological tools, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop
PCs. While digital literacy is initially focused on digital skills and stand-alone computers, its focus
has shifted to network devices, including the Internet and the use of social media.
Cybersecurity (How will you increase cyber security?)
Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital
attacks (Cisco, n.d.). These cyberattacks are usually aimed at accessing, changing, or destroying
sensitive information; extorting money from users; or interrupting normal business processes.
 Implementing effective cybersecurity measures is challenging because there are more 4. Use the Internet purposefully to learn more about anything you are interested in, to help you
devices than people, and attackers are becoming more innovative. Here are some tips on how to research relevant and needed data or information and to stay connected with friends throughout
protect yourself against cyber threats. the world.

1. Monitor behavior on social networks. Before posting or uploading something online, try to 5. Make sure you verify an information before you share it or use it in a project and check on
realize: (a) Does this need to be public?; and (b) Is it worth the risk? Remember, not only what we accuracy and truth in the information you search on the web.
share online is available to friends and family, but also to cybercriminals.
6. Give out certain information only.
2. Keep devices safe. Protect your technology tools by installing Anti-virus software, a configuration
7. Don’t answer questions that make you uncomfortable.
of settings on the devices and by completing software updates.

3. Understand how best to use passwords. Passwords need to be complex and hard to guess, but 8. Always make sure you have told a reliable adult if you decide to meet someone you knew through
the Internet.
can still be remembered. One strategy is “passphrase” or a password that comes from the manager
app to help keep track of all the passwords called “KeePass” which is free of charge. Importantly, 9. Always be aware of copyright laws and give credit to whom an article or a part of it is due.
do not use the same password for all accounts.
10. Use only the computers that you are allowed to use. Avoid hacking.
4. Handle unsafe content. Know exactly how to respond or react to unsafe situations online, such
as (1) suspicious emails; (2) pop-ups claiming that your computer is infected; and (3) BitTorrent Importance of Cyber Citizenship
sites.
1. It keeps the Internet free from hurtful statements.
5. Consider safety for the future. Take individual responsibility in using devices with an utmost care
2. It creates a culture of more reliable information.
and critical thinking when online (https://www.esentire.com).
3. It gives provisions for people to be given credit for what they have created.
Cyber Citizenship
4. More criminals or bullies can be caught when kids are honest and talk to adults.
Citizenship is an old value that is now applied to a new medium, the Internet. Cyber
citizenship refers to being responsible when about using the Internet. Doing online when no is 5. It keeps information private.
looking speaks a lot about one’s character and morals. The power of this digital world is associated
with responsibilities and consequences. Therefore, we can explore and navigate all information Proper Netiquette
available online however, we should observe cyber citizenship or manners and etiquette on this
Follow these simple rules to ensure that you make wise choices when sending messages
Web.
online.
Ways on How to be a Good Cyber Citizen
1. Make sure you have the correct address (with proper spelling), correct link and you are sending
The enlisted ways of becoming a good cyber citizen would guide everyone on his/her the information to the right person when doing it online.
digital operations and information processing and would prevent anyone from further
2. Check information before sending or posting any message and avoid false statements and
consequences, distractions, moral damages and risks.
information on the web or forwarding junk mail or chain letters to family or friends.
1. Be careful and critical for whatever you post online that could be visible to the public even if on
3. Re-read what you wrote to make sure it is what you want to say and the other person would
a “private” page through tagging by a friend.
interpret it the same way.
2. If you have a problem with someone, go to that person or an adult to help work it out, instead
4. Keep your comments clean and don’t confront others online or say anything that could be hurtful
of posting your expression online.
to them.
3. Use the Internet to help you with schoolwork, but give credit to the sources you use and critically
5. Keep your personal and friends’ information private and don’t forward information that was just
analyze everything you search online.
given to you without his/her permission.

6. Watch out for spam and other fraud e-mails and never reply to them.
7. If you are going to write something personal or private, link twice because messages can get
misdelivered.
8. Adults should monitor kids’ messages, especially when they are sending e-mails to others
without permission. (https://www.cybercitizenship.org/ethics/ethics.html)
The Ten Commandments of Teacher Cyber Citizenship
At some point, misuse and abuse of technology may also happen in schools involving
teachers with their students, colleagues and others. The following are reminders to teachers
regarding the use of media tools.
1. Thou shall not post any personal matter, confidential information and obscene pictures and
messages online that can be accessed by students and parents.
2. Thou shall not respond or thread to any personal message created by students online other than
those school-related.
3. Thou shall not lend or let students access your cellphone.
4. Thou shall not give your email password to students.
5. Thou shall not use concepts and information from texts and references without the author’s
citation.
6. Thou shall not post to any social media account, for whatever purposes, the pictures of students
without their or their parents’ consent.
7. Thou shall not express sentiments, disappointments and disagreements against superiors,
colleagues, students and their parents using their social media accounts.
8. Thou shall not use data form Internet sources in any documents like lesson plans, researches and
requirements without the consent of the author.
9. Thou shall not give any personal data or other’s information to anyone unless for specific
purposes and given the consent.
10. Thou shall not post any student data publicly online including academic rankings,school
records, class outputs and record of grades. De Leon (2019)
Internet Safety
Internet safety, online safety or cyber safety means trying to be safe on the Internet. It is
maximizing the user’s personal safety and security risks to private information and property
associated with using the Internet, including self-protection from computer crime. As the number
of Internet users continues to grow worldwide, issues and concerns also continuously exist.
Information security. Sensitive information, such as personal information, identity and
passwords are often associated with personal property and privacy and may present security
concerns if leaked. Unauthorized access and usage of private information may result in
consequences, such as identity and property theft.
Common causes of information security breaches include:
1. Phishing. It is a common type of scam, of which the scammers disguise as a trustworthy source
in an attempt to obtain private information, such as passwords, credit card information, etc.
through the use of fake websites that look identical and legitimate.
2. Internet scams. These are schemes that deceive the users in various ways in an attempt to take
advantage of them.
3. Malware. It is a malicious software (particularly spyware) disguised to collect and transmit
private information, such as password without the user’s consent or knowledge, of which it is
impossible to determine whether a file is infected.
Personal safety and threats. The growth of the Internet gave rise to many important
services accessible to anyone with a connection, such as digital communication. While it allows
communication with others, it is also being grabbed by malicious users for bad intent. The following
are common threats to personal safety.
1. Cyberstalking. It is the use of the Internet or other electronic means to stalk or harass an
individual, group or organization through false accusations, defamation, slander and libel,
intentional monitoring, identity theft, threats, vandalism, solicitation foe sex, or gathering
information that may be used to threaten, embarrass or harass.
2. Cyberbullying. It is the use of electronic means, such as instant messaging, social media, e-mail
and other forms of online communication with the intent to abuse, intimidate, or overpower an
individual or group.
3. Online predation. It is the act of engaging an underage minor into inappropriate sexual
relationships through the Internet. Online predators may attempt to initiate and seduce minors
into relationships through the use of chat rooms or Internet forums. The behavior characteristics
are categorized into three groups: A) Manipulative – typically a child molester; B) Opportunist –
typically a rapist; and C) Coercive – being a mixture of both rapists and child molesters.
4. Obscene/offensive content. Various websites on the Internet contain material that may deem
offensive, distasteful or explicit, which may often not be of the user’s liking. Such websites may
include the Internet, shock sites, hate speech or otherwise, and inflammatory content. Such
content may manifest in many ways, such as pop-up ads and unsuspecting links.
5. Sextortion. It is the use of webcams for flirting and cybersex. Often, this involves a cybercriminal
posing as someone else, such as an attractive person initiating communication of a sexual nature
with the victim. The video is recorded by the cybercriminal to demand money or other services,
threaten to publicly release the video and send to family members and friends of the victim if they
do not comply.(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_safety)
Computer Threats and Fixing Solutions
The realm of Information Technology (IT) security professionals and computer security
has become an issue and concern for many people (Honan, 2014).
 A threat, in the context of computer security, refers to anything that has the potential to
cause serious harm to a computer system. It is something that may or may not happen, but has the
potential to cause serious damage and can lead to attacks on computer systems and networks
(https://www.techopedia.com).
Cybercrime is now becoming alarming in the life of every individual and the organization
as they intend to steal information that they can sell or trade, such as financial details, credit card
information, personal details, or any other information using computer networks.
Likewise, while email has been the main method for the spread of computer viruses, it
can also enter a network by the USB device, Internet download, visiting an infected website, instant
messaging or messaging in social media platforms, file transfer and file-sharing programs, or by
remote users connecting directly to the corporate network with an infected PC. Once a computer
virus gets into a network, it can spread from computer to computer in multiple ways.
Given the numerous ways a computer virus can spread, the following are ways on how to ensure
that computer networks can be protected.
1. Install anti-virus software. Ensure that reputable anti-virus software is installed on all
computers, including all servers, PCs and laptops.
2. Ensure that the anti-virus software is up-to-date. New computer viruses are being released daily
and so it is essential that computers are protected by keeping the anti- virus software-up-to-date.
3. Employ a firewall to protect networks. As computer viruses can spread by means other than
email, it is important that unwanted traffic is blocked from entering the network by using a firewall.
4. Filter all email traffic. Example of emails with certain file attachments commonly used by
computer viruses to spread themselves, such as .EXE, .COM and .SCR files. These should be
prevented from entering the network.
5. Educate all users to be careful of suspicious e-mails. Ensure that all users know to never open
an attachment or to click on a link in an email they are not expecting.
6. Scan Internet downloads. Ensure that all files downloaded from the Internet are scanned against
computer viruses from one central point on the network.
7. Do not run programs of unknown origin. It is important to use a trusted source for software
requirements to be installed and ensure it can be accounted for.
8. Implement a vulnerability management system. It is important to regularly review network and
the applications running on it for new vulnerabilities and a plan on how to manage them, either by
patching or upgrading them using tools, such as firewalls or Intrusion Detection Systems that
should be put in place.
9. Make regular backups of critical data. There is a need to keep important files on removable
media, such as portable drives or tape for back-up in the event that the network is infected with a
computer virus.
10. Develop an Information Security Policy. The creation and publication of an Information
Security Policy is key to ensuring that information security receives the profile it requires in order
to secure the systems and data.
11. Monitor logs and systems. Regular monitoring of network and system logs can assist in the
early identification of a computer virus infecting the network or other attacks by criminals.
12. Develop an Incident Response Plan. The incident response pian outlines the roles and
responsibilities of people in the event of a computer virus infecting the network or any other type
of security breach.
13. Restrict end-user access to the systems. Where possible, end users are prohibited from access
to the system so that the virus will also be restricted. (https://bhconsulting.ie/computer-security-
threats-solutions/)
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying, cyberharassment or online bullying is a form of bullying or harassment
using electronic means usually among minors in a school setting and has become increasingly
common, especially among teenagers.
It is an aggressive, intentional act or behavior that is carried out by a group or an
individual using electronic forms of contact, repeatedly against a victim who cannot easily defend
him or herself. The National Crime Prevention Council defines it as a process of using the Internet,
cell phones or other devices to send or post texts or images that intend to hurt or embarrass
another person. It may also include public actions, such as repeated threats, sexual remarks,
pejorative labels or defamatory false accusations, ganging up on a victim by making the person the
subject of ridicule in online forums, hacking into or vandalizing sites about a person, and posting
false statements to discredit the targeted person.
Cyberbullying is similar to traditional bullying, it is just that victims may not know the
identity of their bully and the reason for bullying them. Cyberbullies may disclose victims’ personal
data on websites or forums—called doxing, or may use impersonation, and create fake accounts,
comments or sites for the purpose of publishing material in their names. This can leave the
cyberbully anonymous and difficult to be caught or apprehended for his/her behavior.
Cyberbullying types. There are various types of cyberbullying and research has revealed
serious profound consequences of victims.
1. Internet trolling is a common form of bullying over the Internet in an online community to elicit
a reaction, disruption or intentionally provoke and offend others.
2. Cyberstalking is another form of bullying or harassment that uses electronic communication to
stalk a victim and pose a credible threat to harass him/her. Implications of bullying in schools.
Schools should initiate various anti-bullying programs and campaigns to protect students from
being threatened or victimized by such offense. More so, teachers should be oriented and trained
in handling bullying cases and executing teaching strategies to address and reduce bullying cases
in class.
Also, schools should conduct student empowerment activities that can be engaged in by students,
including the bullies to divert their attention and energy into something worthwhile and
engagements that they can be busy about.
Cybercrime
Avast defines cybercrime as any criminal activity carried out using computers or the
Internet. Cybercrime uses tools like phishing, viruses, spyware, ransomware and social engineering
to break the law (https:// www.avast.com/c-cybercrime).
On the other hand, cybercrime is defined by Techopedia as a crime with the computer as
the object of the crime (i.e. hacking, phishing, spamming) or is used as a tool to commit an offense
(i.e. child pornography, hate crimes). Cybercriminals may use computer technology to access
personal and confidential information or use the internet for exploitative or malicious purposes.
There is a wide variety of cybercrimes, which can broadly be placed into two categories:
one-off crimes, such as _ installing 4 virus that steals your personal data; and ongoing crimes, such
as cyberbullying, extortion, distributing child pornography or organizing terrorist attacks
(https://www.avast.com/c-cybercrime).
Cybercrime may also be referred to as computer crime practiced by those who have
technological skills and use the Internet to achieve their bad motive. Cybercriminals employ their
diverse skill to access bank accounts, steal identities, blackmail, defraud, stalk, and harass or use a
compromised computer to attack their victims. Criminals can also use computers for
communication and document or data storage and those, who perform these illegal activities, are
often referred to as hackers.
On the other hand, malware downloaded from the computer may slow it down and
prompt it to give error messages. Likewise, phishing attacks usually involve receiving emails from
unknown sources while trying to trick someone into giving up his/her passwords or personal data.
Keyloggers leave their own telltale signs, like strange icons, or duplicating the messages.
Techopedia cites common types of cybercrime that include online bank information
theft, identity theft, online predatory crimes, unauthorized computer access, and the most serious
one like cyberterrorism. Cybercrime encompasses a wide range of activities that can be categorized
as: (1) crimes that target computer networks or devices, including viruses and denial-of-service
(DoS) attacks; and (2) crimes that use computer networks to advance other criminal activities,
including cyberstalking, phishing and fraud or identity theft.
(https://www.techopedia.com/definition/2387/cybercrime)
Exploring the Internet: Researching and Evaluating the Web
The Internet is a global communication network that allows computers to exchange and
share information worldwide. It makes possible for people around the world to connect and share
ideas across time zones and geographic locations. However, because cyberspace is such a large
realm, sometimes it is difficult to find the needed information. So, the most effective way to explore
the Internet is to have strategies in place for doing research on the Web and for evaluating the
websites.
Commonly, this is important among schools in doing researches and other related works.
Therefore, this aspect needs to be explored by teachers and students in doing their works.
Surfing the Web. The following are the three key factors in Surfing the web.
1. Most surfing sessions start with the user-targeted keywords about the subject into a search
engine.
2. Good strategies for searching the Web include writing research questions; extracting keywords
from the questions and typing them into a search engine using synonyms if the keywords do not
bring up desired results; keeping track of keywords sde nqw]a\\\\and synonyms used; and
recording the results of search.
3. Always be cautious about the information shared online and in visiting websites. Assessing
credibility. Different websites accessible on the Web can make the job of researchers very
challenging. Carefully evaluate the information searched online. Consider the credibility, or
trustworthiness and reliability of the content before taking it.
There are two types of websites: informational and commercial. Informational
websites usually strive to offer credible content to users, while commercial websites present
inaccurate information in order to see something.
Checklist of credibility criteria. The first step in evaluating the credibility of websites is
to review several important aspects of the site.
1.Author. Check the credentials of the author, the company or the expert and determine the
qualifications to provide information on the subject being researched. Some websites do not list
specific authors, but the credibility of the company can be explored by reviewing the sit’s “About”
page, if available.
2. Date. Look for copyright information at the bottom of a website’s home page. If the site is more
than a few years old and it has not been updated regularly, look for more up-to-date information.
3. Purpose. Analyze the goals of the website to determine if it is an informational or an
advertisement site.
4. Contact. Most credible websites list down contact information, such as telephone number, email
address, or mailing address so that user may get in touch if they have questions.
5. Fact vs. Opinion. When doing research for a school paper, go to sites that present factual
information provided by experts, rather than opinions. Be on the lookout for the biases, too. If the
author is biased, so as the information on the site.
6. URL. The URL may look like ending in .edu (for education), .gov (for government), .org (for
organization), .com (for commercial sites), or .net (for network sites). Different websites have
different URLs. To help determine a site’s credibility, determine I that is a personal website or blog,
a government website, or other type of website.
Common credible URLS. One way of determining the credibility of a website is through the URLS.
Although a website’s URL gives clues as to credibility, there is stillba need to evaluate it carefully.
1. When encountering a URL, look at the letters that appear after the :dot” (i.e.
www.whitehouse.gov.) and that is called top-level domain. Thus, the URL’s top-level domain helps
in determining a site’s credibility.
2. Websites ending in .gov are government-related websites, which generally, can be trusted to
provide credible statistical information, articles on many different topics and government news.
3. Websites ending in .edu are the websites o educational institutions, such as colleges and
universities that usually offer a variety of credible data, especially about the school’s operations
and research. Since students may create websites with an .edu top- level domain, but they may
contain inaccurate or biased information.
4. Websites ending in .org are the websites of organizations. While many organizations, especially
nonprofit ones, provide credible information, they may sometimes have advertising intent. Since
some organizations show bias in their provided information, so evaluate .org sites carefully.
Recognition of information sources. Similar to the information in print sources, the use
of online sources must be given credit to the authors. This can be done by applying proper
referencing and citation procedures that would get rid of risks, consequences and legal implications
because of the copyright issue, which means that the ideas and words used belong to the author.
Citation. Each entry in the bibliography is called a citation. Proper citation must be
applied or included for every source used, whether it is a website, a newspaper, or a book. Online
sources are cited differently because they are different from traditional print sources. There are
different formats used to cite the sources.
Author/Source Year Article Title
Transparency International (2014). Corruption perceptions index 2014: Results.
Retrieved from https://www.transparency.org/cpi2014/results, July 17, 2019
Website URL Retrieval Date
(To note: the easiest way to create citation of sources is to go to
www.citationmachine.net. This website generates citations that can be copied and pasted into the
Works Cited page.)
Data privacy implication. The implementation of data privacy in the country isbecoming
stronger and powerful, especially in utilizing data for research and other forms of report and paper
works. This has also corresponding legal implications once not processed immediately and
properly. It involves uploading of pictures, designs, graphics, concepts/ideas, frameworks, art work,
data, and other information that are copyrighted without the consent of the author or the source.
These are commonly observed in schools.
The following are practical techniques in responding to data privacy issues.
1. When getting data, put proper citation and source acknowledgment (e.g. Source: National
Statistics Office, 2019).
2. When using needed pictures downloaded from the Internet, put acknowledgment (e.g. Photo
credits to Philpost, 2019). But if possible to have personal pictures taken with your original concept.
Although, there is still a need to seek the consent of those in the pictures.
3. If data, concepts and information are copyrighted, ask for the consent of the author, and wait
for his/her response.
4. However, if the data and information are for public domain, just acknowledging/citing the author
or the source will do.
5. If the author doesn’t really want anyone to utilize his/her data file or article, learn the value of
respect, anyway that is his/her property. The author’s disapproval usually manifests through
difficulty in downloading the file, some tricky signs that appear on screen, or direct statement or
notice of disapproval contained in the file.
Research and data collection protocols. When researching and collecting data from the
Web, avoid plagiarism, which is the act of taking someone else’s work and presenting it as your
own (Turnitin.com).
Plagiarism is unethical, and it can bring you in trouble. Sometimes, students don’t mean
to plagiarize, but they end up doing it accidentally because they are unaware or unclear about it.
The following are 10 types of plagiarism that teachers, researchers and students should know.
1. Clone Plagiarism. It is also called identical copying or copying another work (word- for-word)
without any change and claim as his/her own work.
2. Remix Plagiarism. It refers to collecting information from various sources and mixing all together
as a single document then, claiming the work as their own work.
3. Ctrl+C Plagiarism. This is when a significant portion of text copied from any single source without
any alteration in a written document.
4. Hybrid Plagiarism. Here, perfectly cited source documents are copied and arranged as a new
document without citation.
5. Find-Replace Plagiarism. This is changing the most common keywords and phrases in the copied
content but not making any changes in the essential document.
6. Recycle Plagiarism. Also called self-plagiarism, it refers to the act of borrowing from one’s own
previous document without proper citation.
7. Mashup Plagiarism. It is when the written document is copied from more than one source and
all are mixed together without proper citation.
8. 404 Error Plagiarism. Here, a person creates a document by copying from various sources
prepared as a single document with the citation but inaccurate or leads to non- existing resources.
9. Aggregator Plagiarism. Here, the written document includes proper citation but it does not
contain original work.
10. Re-Tweet Plagiarism. Here, all written documents look perfect with properly cited mark but
still, the document resembles somewhere the original text’s structure or wordings.
Tips to Avoid Plagiarism
Turnitin.com suggests some techniques to avoid plagiarism that teachers, researchers
and students should know.
1. Read and understand the original document several times before start explaining about it.
2. Do not copy any word or sentence from the original document.
3. Give proper citation to all sources (book, journal, website, video, etc.).
4. In case of citing online sources, include the retrieval date and appropriate URL in the reference.
5. Common phrases and definitions need to be quoted and cited without any modification.
6. Make a practice to include the “references” section whenever you write an academic document.
7. Cross verify all your citations before submitting your document.
8. Resort to available plagiarism software to ensure the originality of the written document.
How to Evaluate a Website
Morris (2018) suggests ways on evaluating a website as reference in research.
1. Open the site. When looking through Google search results, open sites in new tabs, leave search
results in a tab for easy access later (e.g. right-click on the title and click “Open link in new tab”).
2. Skim read. Determine whether you can read and understand the text. If it is too complicated or
difficult to understand, find another website that may provide the information you need.
3. Look for the answer to your question. Find out if the information in the site actually answers
your question. You can use a search box, navigation menu, or pull up your own search box by
pressing Control/Command F and type in the keywords you are searching for.
4. Consider the credibility of the author or website. You need to consider the credibility of the
author or website by considering the following: (1) Domain – domains that include .gov or .edu are
trustworthy sources; (2) Author’s information – look at the author’s bio or About page regarding
the qualification of the author; (3) Design – avoid sites that are cluttered and difficult to navigate;
and (4) Sources – trustworthy articles usually link to other sources or cite where their facts come
from.
5. Consider the purpose of the site. Think about the purpose of the site and whether it meets your
needs.
6. Look for the date. Consider whether the information is current enough for your topic. You can
look for the date when the article was written or last updated. Sometimes, URLs also include dates.
(http://www. Kathleenamorris.com/)
Integrating Digital/Cyber Literacy into the Curriculum
The following are suggested activities to integrate digital literacy, higher-order thinking
and construction of meaning in the classroom.
1. Use an interactive whiteboard to design and deliver lessons. Use Promethean and Smart
Notebook with teacher-created lessons if you are not yet capable of designing your own.
2. Allow students to maintain blogs, wikis, web pages related to their learning.
3. Engage in email/video chat exchanges with students.
4. Utilize storytelling media to allow students to create and publish stories.
5. Set-up a blog site, Facebook page, Yahoo or Google group and post weekly discussion questions
for students to respond.
6. Use video cameras to dramatize stories, record scientific experiments and expose students to
video editing software to create video production of learning.
7. Engage students in discussions about how and why various media work well to showcase
learning and why others do not.
8. Thinking critically about the medium use to present a message is as important as the message
itself.
9. Require E-Portfolio that would compile their outputs, projects, messages and photo-documents
of group activities and investigations online.
10. Allow students to use digital tools, such as mobile phones, Ipad and netbooks for Google search,
dictionary Apps, Youtube, Podcast and Spotify applications in class to complement their learning,
especially during group works and concept reporting. Impact of integrating digital literacy in the
classroom on teachers, families and friends.
Integrating digital literacy in the classroom can bring a positive impact on students’ learning as
evidenced by the following:
1. It motivates students in their learning due to their enjoyment and ease of use with various
technological mediums.
2. It reaches students of various learning styles and multiple intelligences.
3. It allows students to create and design their own unique products reflective of their personalities
and learning needs/styles.
4. It encourages students to manipulate media in constructing their own meaning.
5. It enables students to share their learning with teachers, families and friends.
6. It gives students the chance to explore technological media that inevitably increase the job skills
needed in the workforce.
(https:purposefultechnology.weebly.com/how-can-we-embed-digital-literacy-in-the-
classroom.html
Artistic and Creative Literacy
Target Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
1. define arts and creative literacy;
2. identify the seven habits of highly creative people;
3. compare and contrast visual and verbal creativity;
4. discuss aesthetics and three approaches from a philosophical perspective; and
5. cite ways on how to integrate arts and creative literacy in the curriculum.
Abstract
Teachers need to be creative by all means because teaching entails critical thinking and
creativity not only in presenting lessons but perhaps in all facets of instructional endeavor.
Therefore, students’ creativity 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 own creativity and that of their students.
Arts and Creative Literacy
Creativity
• is the process of having original ideas that have value.
• the ability to see the world in new ways.
• 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).
• the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into reality.
• 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)
• 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 and not merely a function of the mind, but
also a function of five key behaviors that optimize 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; (5) experimenting or constructing interactive experiences and provoking responses
to see what insights emerge (https://www.creativityatwork.com/2014/02/17/what-is-creativity/).
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 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 on 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.
Visual Literacy
• refers to interpreting and creating visual images and usually about communication and
interaction.
• 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, communication 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.
Verbal Creativity
• In view 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
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 trainings 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 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.
Aesthetics
• Britanica defines aesthetics, also spelled esthetics, as the 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.
• 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 application and too subjective
in meaning.
Three Approaches to Aesthetics 6. Scheduling – Project-based curriculum and performance-based assessment need ample time
and proper scheduling in either structured or unstructured manner.
Britanica 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. 7. Student-centered and personalized learning – Provide students freedom to choose on what
they will learn, how they will learn it and how they will demonstrate what they have learned.
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 reflects the view that problems of 8. Incorporate arts – Integrate seamlessly music, art, drama and dance into the curriculum to
aesthetics exist because the world contains special objects toward which people react selectively develop creativity.
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.
9. Integration of technologies – Encourage students to create and utilize blogs and websites,
Glogster, VoiceThread, student publishing, video game design, coding, filmmaking, photography,
global collaborative classroom projects using Google Hangouts, etc.

1. Physical environment – Design a physical environment to support creativity, such as castle- 10. Preparing the body and brain for creativity – Creative activities that induce body- mind
designed school building, well-architecturally designed edifice, roofs and ceilings, creative murals, integration, such as yoga, ballet, jazz, Zumba, calisthenics, etc.
beautiful landscape, colorful blocks and benches in the math and science garden, structured music
and arts 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 assessment 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.