Romy O. delos Santos Jr.

, LPT, MIE
Teacher
Lesson 3

ICT Policies and Safety

Issues in Teaching and
Learning
Introduction:
Globalization is a reality and ICT has become a
fundamental part of the process. A networked society
is one which the entire planet is organized around
telecommunicated networks of computers.
The powerful issue of network has broken
boundaries, provided opportunities for inclusion and
collaboration.
However, there will also be a struggle for those who
do not have access or those who are excluded
marginalized and powerless.
Thus a need to establish policies in the use of ICT is
imperative.
• As the Department of Information, Communication
and Technology (DICT) says: “The future has
arrived. Now we have to ensure that we have a
place in it.”
• New technologies have become central to the lives
of every individual in this planet. Whether you are
talking on the phone, sending an electronic mail,
going to the bank, using the library, watching news
on television, going to the doctor, catching a flight,
or seeing a movie, you are using ICT. Almost
everything that we do in the modern world is
influenced by the new technologies.
• Would your life as a teacher be also
influenced by the new technologies?
• Should we live our lives to be
controlled by technology or should
we control the utilization of
technology in our lives? How?
• One way ‘of enticing and regulating the use
of ICT is to formulate and implement policies
to guide appropriate decisions.
Definition of ICT Policy
• The Oxford English Dictionary has defined “policy” as a
course of action, adopted and pursued by a
government, party, ruler, statesman. It is any course of
action adopted as expedient or advantageous. Its
operational definition of policy is a plan of action to
guide decisions and achieve outcomes.
• Thus, ICT Policies are needed to put a roadmap or
course of actions to be pursued and adopted by
various governments, organizations, entities involving
ICT. These include principles and guidelines in the use
of ICT which cover three main fleas:
telecommunications (telephone), broadcasting (radio
and television) and Internet.
The New ICT Technologies
More recent technological innovations increased
the reach end speed of communications which
can be grouped into three categories:

1. Information Technology - includes the use

of computers, which has become indispensable
in modem societies to process data and save
time and effort. What are needed will be
computer hardware and peripherals, software
and for the user, computer literacy.
 The New ICT Technologies

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 - The best known of networking

technologies is Internet, but has extended to mobile
phone technology, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP)
satellite communications and other forms of
communications are still in their infancy. In addition, to
Internet, this category also includes mobile telephone,
cable, DSL, satellite and other broadband connectivity.
The New ICT Technologies
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 - The best known of

networking technologies is Internet, but has
extended to mobile phone technology, Voice Over
Internet Protocol (VOIP) satellite communications
and other forms of communications are still in their
infancy. In addition, to Internet, this category also
includes mobile telephone, cable, DSL, satellite and
The DICT Roadmap
• In our country, the Department of Information and
Communication Technology (DICT) has formulated a
roadmap to guide all agencies in the utilization,
regulation and enhancement of ICT. Each project has
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.
Among the policy recommended programs that have
applications to education teaching-learning are:

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
Among the policy recommended programs that
have applications to education teaching-learning
are:

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 eLeaning Centers called

eSkwela for out-of-school youth (OSY) providing them
Among the policy recommended programs that have
applications to education teaching-learning are:
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.
Among the policy recommended programs that have
applications to education teaching-learning are:

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 are two sets of issues in ICT
Policy which are crucial to the modern society. The
other concern is civil liberties which 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. In richer countries, basic
access to internet is almost available to all with
faster broadband connections. There are still
counties where access to internet is still a
challenge.
Infringement to Civil Liberties or Human Rights. What are
specific internet issues on internet policy that have
relationship to civil liberties or human rights? Let's study
the examples that follow.

Issue No. 1: Freedom of Expression and Censorship

• Under international human rights conventions,
all people are guaranteed the rights for free
expression.
• However, with the shift from communicating
through letter, newspapers and public meetings
to electronic communications and on-line
networking, a need to look into how these new
means modifies the understanding of freedom
of expression and censorship.
 Issue No. 1: 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.
Some examples are the following:
1. Individual rights are given up in order to have access to
electronic networks. Microsoft Network's (MSN's contracts
provide protection of individuals like "upload, or otherwise
make available files that contain images, photographs or
other materials protected by intellectual property laws,
including but not limiting to copyright or trademark laws,
unless you own or control the rights thereto or have
received all necessary consents to do the same." However,
Microsoft reserves the rights, in its sole discretion, to
terminate access to any or all MSN sites or services.
 Issue No. 1: Freedom of Expression and Censorship

2. Censorship restricts the transmission of information by

blocking it or filtering the information.
Blocking is preventing access to whole areas of internet
based upon the “blacklist” of certain internet address,
location or email address while filtering is sifting the
packets of data or messages as they move across
computer networks and eliminating those considered
“undesirable” materials.
The selection of sites that are blocked or filtered has been
considered as an issue.

Warning!
“When you are surfing the web, you may think you are
anonymous, but there are various ways that information about
you or your activities can be collected without your consent.”
 Issue No. 1: Freedom of Expression and Censorship

2. Censorship restricts the transmission of information by

blocking it or filtering the information. Blocking is
preventing access to whole areas of internet based upon
the “blacklist” of certain internet address, location or email
address while filtering is sifting the packets of data or
messages as they move across computer networks and
eliminating those considered “undesirable” materials. The
selection of sites that are blocked or filtered has been
considered as an issue.
3. Defamation actions may be used to silence critics. This
action deters the freedom of expression.
Warning!
“When you are surfing the web, you may think you are
anonymous, but there are various ways that information about
you or your activities can be collected without your consent.”
Issue No. 2: Privacy and Security

Privacy policies are an issue. Most commercial

sites have a privacy policy. When someone uses a
site and clicks "I agree" button, it is as if you have
turned over private information to any authority
that may access it.
There are several types of privacy as shown by
the following examples:
1. For most, privacy means "personal privacy" the
right of individuals not to have their home,
private life or personal life interfered with.
Issue No. 2: Privacy and Security
2. Privacy of communication refers to the protection
from interference with communication over the
phone or internet. Respect for privacy of
communications 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 communications 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
The use of electronic communications has enhanced the
development of indirect surveillance. In the indirect
surveillance, there is no direct contact between the agent
and the subject of surveillance but evidence of activities
can be traced. The new and powerful form of indirect
surveillance is dataveillance.
Dataveillance is the use of personal information to
monitor a person's activities while data retention is the
storage and use of information from communication
systems.
There is very little that can be done to prevent surveillance.
What can be done is to change the methods of working to
make surveillance difficult. This is called "counter
surveillance" or "information security" if it 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 in
particular, terminal equipment used for computing (PCs,
laptops), broadcasting (television and radiosets), telephony
(fixed and mobile phones), and peripherals (fax machines,
printers and scanners).
The accumulated e-waste is due to rapid turnover of
equipment due to rapid improvement of software. While
material waste can be destroyed by crushing, toxic material
brought about by the different equipment requires utmost
management.
The quantities of e-waste are increasing in both developed
and developing countries. 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.
Issue No. 4: E-pollutants from E-waste

Remedies include standardization and regulatory

measures to increase the life cycle of equipment
before they become obsolete.
Efficient extraction of toxic components and
requiring the recycling by both consumers and
equipment vendors are selling must be required.
If not controlled then, e-waste will tremendously
affect climate change, damage human lives, and
overload the capacity of the earth in carrying
solid waste.
 Implications to Teaching and Learning
• How do the policy guidelines, projects and
issues relate to the teaching and learning?
• There are great implications of this lesson to
both the teachers who are teaching and the
learners who are learning. A few of these are as
follows:
For the 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.
 Implications to Teaching and Learning

2. Technology should never replace any human

teacher. The tools are support instructional
materials for the teachers which are available
for use.
The teacher should learn how to appropriately
use them. 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.
 Implications to Teaching and Learning

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 the issues and many more shall be part of

the teaching content as each teacher will be
encouraged to use technology in teaching.
 Implications to Teaching and Learning
For the Learners and Learning
The learners of the 21st Century are even more advanced
than some of the teachers. However, learners still need
guidance on how to use, regulate technology use.
As there are positive and negative effects of technology
use, learners should know the difference. Learners should
not only know the benefits of technology use, but they
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 leaning
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
and many more. Both the teachers and learners should be
mindful of the e-waste that are being thrown away to the
land and to the atmosphere
Lesson 3

Safety Issues on the Use

of ICT including
e-Safety Rules
Lesson Outcomes:

• identify and explain safety issues

on the use of ICT;
• list and apply e-safety rules in
the use of ICT.
• 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 Risks 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 the 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 the
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.
 Some Risks in the Use of ICT and e-Networking
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 on-line, internet
gaming and many more;
6. Prolonged exposure to on-line 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 misuse 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 of pictures or images with
mobile phone camera still or moving
 Minor Misuse of ICT
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
of electronic communications via mobile phones, games
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 the
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.
 Minor Misuse of ICT
Network Management
1. Safety in the Use of Network in Schools
1.1. Make clear that no one should log on as another user.
1.2. Require all users to always log off when they have
finished working
1.3. Maintain equipment to ensure health and safety.
14. Provide students with access to content and resources
through e-learning.
1.5. Set up a clear disaster recovery system in place for
critical data include secure, remote back up of critical
data.
1.6. Secure wireless network to appropriate standards
suitable for educational use.
1.7. Install all computer equipment professionally and meet
health and standards.
1.8. Review the school ICT system regularly with reg meet
health and safety and security.
 Minor Misuse of ICT

2. Password Policy
2.1Only 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.
 Minor Misuse of ICT

3. Personal mobile phones and mobile

devices

3.1 All mobile phones shall be kept away in

a box away from the children or learners
and access is only allowed at breaktime
or at the end of classes or when needed
during the class period.
 Minor Misuse of ICT

4. Cameras
4. 1 Taking pictures only from parents or
caregivers and not from any other
family member or friend while the
4. Cameras

child attends class.

4.2. 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 tiltable 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.
 Activity
Survey of the e-Safety Rules in Schools.
a. Look and interview for the following persons through
online: 1 ICT Manager, 1 Student and 1 Teacher.
b. Ask the following questions for each:
i. Do you have an ICT facility in the school? What
composes this facility?
ii. Who are allowed to use the facility?
iii. What are policies, guidelines and rules in the use
of facility?
iv. What are the e-safety rules that need to be
followed by any user?
c. Record all the information. Separate the answers of
the ICT Manager, student and teacher.
d. What are common in their answers? What are
different?