HERCOR COLLEGE

Km. 1 Lawaan, Roxas City, Capiz

5800

Department: College of Education Course Code: EDUC202

Name of Instructor: Richele B. Dorado Schedule: __________
Course Descriptive Title: Building and Enhancing New Literacies Across the Curriculum Learning Module
Semester: 2nd Sem

Name of Student: ________________________________ ________ Course Code:_____________________

Name of Instructor:_______________________________________ Schedule:________________________
Course Descriptive Title: ___________________________________ Contact no.:________________________

Building and Enhancing New Literacies Across the Curriculum Learning Module

Course Description:
By the design of the course, we already imply strong connections of media to society, specifically to its power
structures – from media institutions, to big businesses, and even political blocks.

 Module Release:
 Submission of Evaluation Task: WEEK 11-12

INTRODUCTION

This week, you will study and understand the

increasing concern with enhancing "ecological literacy" in
society. The current literature on ecological literacy
emphasizes the role of scientific knowledge and ecological
thinking in identifying cause-effect relationships in socio-
environmental systems, in order to allow more enlightened
decision- making: therefore, its primary pedagogical goals
are cognitive and experimental. In this, it differs from the
broader concept of environmental literacy, which
incorporates civic literacy that pertains to changes in values
and behaviors, and thus also contains affective and moral pedagogical goals (McBride et al. 2013).
Also, engaging in quality arts education experiences provides students with an outlet for powerful creative
expression, communication, aesthetically rich understanding, and connection to the world around them. Being able to
critically read, write, and speak about art should not be the sole constituting factors for what counts as literacy in the
Arts (Shenfield, 2015).

Along with these concepts, you will encounter activities that will gauge and evaluate your learning and
comprehension regarding the subject matter. Materials for your references are also available and attached in this
module. For this week, you are expected to gear yourself with the basic understanding of the course in preparation for a
larger scope of commitment to learn Building and Enhancing New Literacies Across the Curriculum course.

1
 OBJECTIVES

At the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

1. Distinguish among environmental literacy, ecoliteracy, and ecological literacy.

2. Recognize individual and collective roles in protecting and rehabilitating the environment and ecosystem.
3. Characterize artistic literacy.
4. Identify approaches to developing/designing curriculum that cultivates the arts and creativity among learners.

DISCUSSION (Chapter 5: Ecological Literacy)

(Chapter 6: Artistic and Creative Literacy)

Ecological literacy refers to an individual's

understanding not only of ecological concepts, but also of his or
her place in the ecosystem (Meena & Alison, 2009). The term
ecological literacy was first introduced by David Orr in 1989 in
his essay "Ecological Literacy." He indicated that knowing,
caring, and practical competence form the foundation for
ecological literacy. He pointed out that the root of
environmental crisis is the individual's inability to think about
"ecological patterns, systems of causation, and long-term
effects of human actions" (Orr, 1994). Thus, he emphasized the
importance of experience in one's natural environment that can
enable humans to shift perspective from one of an economic emphasis to one of balance amongst economics, ecology,
and cultures.

Orr (1992) also argued that the ecologically literate person understands the dynamics of the environmental crisis,
which includes an understanding of how people have become so destructive. Therefore, identifying school students'
ecological literacy levels is a necessary step to investigate their behavior, attitudes, sensitivity, and behavioral intention.
In order to create awareness among students, it is important to foster correct knowledge to ensure positive approach to
the environment (Hares, Eskonheimo, Myllytaus, & Luukkanen, 2006). Kahyaoglu (2009) also stated that positive
attitudes and values toward the environment are occurred with a good knowledge. Developing environmentally
responsible behavior requires correct knowledge about climate change, the cause of global warming, carbon emissions,
and carbon footprint (Kuo & Chen, 2009).

There has been an increasing concern with enhancing "ecological literacy" in society. The current literature on
ecological literacy emphasizes the role of scientific knowledge and ecological thinking in identifying cause-effect
relationships in socio-environmental systems, in order to allow more enlightened decision- making: therefore, its
primary pedagogical goals are cognitive and experimental. In this, it differs from the broader concept of environmental
literacy, which incorporates civic literacy that pertains to changes in values and behaviors, and thus also contains
affective and moral pedagogical goals (McBride et al. 2013).

Ecological literacy is meant to enable conscious and participant citizens to make informed decisions or take
action on environmental issues (Jordan et al. 2009). Efforts in this direction include books by experienced ecologists for
the general public, of which two outstanding examples are Levin (2000) ad Slobodkin (2003).

2
Characterizing an Ecoliterate Person

Dr. Tom Puk (2002) of Lakehead University characterized an ecologically literate person of the 21st century as
"the responsible, lifelong leamer 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 transcend the individual life in scope and time.

The ecologically literate person of the 21st century has a positive view of life, grounded in the faith of
interconnectedness, and has the capacity to competently perform significant life work and related tasks. Such a view
enables her to look upon the human experience positively and all living things compassionately.

Environmental literacy, ecological literacy, and ecoliteracy

General conceptions Dominant Primary Pedagogical Example of

of environment educational approached strategies
objectives
Environmental Problem Field of Develop problem- Cognitive Case study, issue
literacy values solving skills, from analysis, problem-
diagnosis to action Pragmatic solving project

Develop a system of Affective/Moral Analysis and

ethics clarification of
values, criticism of
Adopt social values
environmentally
responsible
behaviors
Ecological Literacy Object of study Acquire knowledge Cognitive Observation,
system of ecological demonstration,
concepts and Experiential expirementation
principles
Case study,
Develop skills related environmental
to the scientific system analysis,

3
 method: observation construction of
and expirementation ecosystem models

Develop systems
thinking: analysis and
synthesis

Understand
environmental
realities in view of
informed decision-
making
Ecoliteracy Sahred resource for Promote and Cognitive Case study,
sustainable living contribute to marketing,
Gaia economic Pragmatic sustainable
development that consumption
addresses social Holistic activities, sustainable
equity and ecological living management
sustainability Intuitive/Creative project

Develop the many Immersion,

dimensions of one’s visualization, creative
being in interaction workshops
with all aspects of
the environment

Develop an organic
understanding of the
world and
participatory action
in and with the
environment

Greening Initiatives in Colleges and Universities

Increased awareness of environmental degradation and concern for its rehabilitation have prompted colleges
and universities to green their campuses. A green campus is "a place where environmentally responsible practice and
education go hand-in-hand and where environmentally responsible tenets are borne out by example" (NEIWPCC n.d.).
The green campus institution is a model environmental community where operational functions, business practices,
academic programs, and people are interlinked, providing educational and practical value to the institution, the region,
and the world.

Greening initiatives, although challenging and demanding, yield significant benefits in the long run:

 Environmental and economic sustainability. A system-wide culture of sustainability helps preserve and enhance
what the institution values today as well as for the future.

 Reputation as a leader through example. As colleges and universities offer courses in environmental
management, engineering, laws and regulations, and assessment, greening initiatives provide them
opportunities to practice what they preach and make their mark as environmental leaders. Colleges and

4
 universities need to examine their own organizations and implement on their own campuses what they and the
public expect their industry to do.

 Economic benefits. A routine, curriculum-based, environmental audit program that reveals waste and
inefficiency associated with campus activities, coupled with the identification of environment-friendly
alternatives, can yield significant cost savings for the institution.

 "Real-life" work experience for your students. Environmental audits and pollution prevention evaluations can
be integrated into the curriculum, providing students with hands-on investigative and problem-solving
experience that they can take with them when they enter the workforce. This experience not only makes your
students more marketable, it also provides them with the kinds of broad thinking skills that allow them to
succeed and thrive once they are employed.

 Improved quality of life in the campus. A Green Campus is a cleaner, safer, and healthier place to live and work.

Artistic and Creative Literacy

Artistic literacy is defined in the National Coalition for Core

Arts Standards: A Conceptual Framework for Arts Learning
(2014) as the knowledge and understanding required to
participate authentically in the arts. While individuals can learn
about dance, media, music, theater, and visual arts through
reading print texts, artistic literacy requires that they engage in
artistic creation processes directly through the use of materials
(e.g., charcoal or paint or clay, musical instruments or scores)
and in specific spaces (e.g., concert halls, stages, dance
rehearsal spaces, arts studios, and computer labs).

Researches have recognized that there are significant benefits of arts learning and engagement in schooling (Eisner,
2002: MENC. 1996: Perso, Nutton, Fraser, Silburn, & Tait, 2011). The arts have been shown to create environments and
conditions that result in improved academic, social, and behavioral outcomes for students, from early childhood through
the early and later years of schooling. However, due to the range of art forms and the diversity and complexity of
programs and research that have been implemented, it is difficult to generalize findings concerning the strength of the
relationships between the arts and learning and the causal mechanisms underpinning these associations.

The flexibility of the forms comprising the arts positions students to embody a range of literate practices to:

 use their minds in verbal and nonverbal ways;

 communicate complex ideas in a variety of forms;

 understand words, sounds, or images:

 imagine new possibilities; and

 persevere to reach goals and make them happen.

Engaging in quality arts education experiences provides students with an outlet for powerful creative expression,
communication, aesthetically rich understanding, and connection to the world around them. Being able to critically read,
write, and speak about art should not be the sole constituting factors for what counts as literacy in the Arts (Shenfield,

5
2015). Considerably, more dialogue, discussion, and research are necessary to form a deeper picture of the Arts and
creativity more broadly. The cultivation of imagination and creativity and the formation of deeper theory surrounding
multimodality and multi-literacies in the Arts are paramount.

Elliot Eisner posited valuable lessons or benefits that education can learn from arts and he summarized these into
eight as follows:

1. Form and content cannot be separated. How something is said or done shapes the content of experience. In
education, how something is taught, how curricula are organized, and how schools are designed impact upon
what students will learn. These "side effects" may be the real main effects of practice.

2. Everything interacts; there is no content without form and no form without content. When the content of a
form is changed, so too, is the form altered. Form and content are like two sides of a coin.

3. Nuance matters. To the extent to which teaching is an art, attention to nuance is critical. It can also be said that
the aesthetic lives in the details that the maker can shape in the course of creation. How a word is spoken, how
a gesture is made, how a line is written, and how a melody is played, all affect the character of the whole. All
depend upon the modulation of the nuances that constitute the act.

4. Surprise is not to be seen as an intruder in the process of inquiry, but as a part of the rewards one reaps when
working artistically. No surprise, no discovery, no discovery, no progress. Educators should not resist surprise,
but create the conditions to make it happen. It is one of the most powerful sources of intrinsic satisfaction.

5. Slowing down perception is the most promising way to see what is actually there. It is true that we have certain
words to designate high levels of intelligence. We describe somebody as being swift. or bright, or sharp, or fast
on the pickup. Speed in its swift state is a descriptor for those we call smart. Yet, one of the qualities we ought
to be promoting in our schools is a slowing down of perception: the ability to take one's time, to smell the
flowers, to really perceive in the Deweyan sense, and not merely to recognize what one looks at.

6. The limits of language are not the limits of cognition. We know more than we can tell. In common terms, literacy
refers essentially to the ability to read and to write. But literacy can be re-conceptualized as the creation and use
of a form of representation that will enable one to create meaning meaning that will not take the impress of
language in its conventional form. In addition, literacy is associated with high-level forms of cognition. We tend
to think that in order to know, one has to be able to say. However, as Polanyi (1969) reminds us, we know more
than we can tell.

7. 'Somatic experience is one of the most important indicators that someone has gotten it right. Related to the
multiple ways in which we represent the world through our multiple forms of literacy is the way in which we
come to know the world through the entailments of our body. Sometimes one knows a process or an event
through one's skin.

8. Open-ended tasks permit the exercise of imagination, and an exercise of the imagination is one of the most
important of human aptitudes. It is imagination, not necessity, that is the mother of invention. Imagination is
the source of new possibilities. In the arts, imagination is a primary virtue. So, it should be in the teaching of
mathematics, in all of the sciences, in history, and, indeed, in virtually all that humans create. This achievement
would require for its realization a culture of schooling in which the imaginative aspects of the human condition
were made possible.

6
Characterizing Artistically Literate Individuals

How would you characterize an artistically literate student? Literature on art education and art standards in
education cited the following as common traits of artistically literate individuals:

 use a variety of artistic media, symbols, and metaphors to communicate their own ideas and respond to the
artistic communications of others;

 develop creative personal realization in at least one art form in which they continue active involvement as an
adult:

 cultivate culture, history, and other connections through diverse forms and genres of artwork;

 find joy, inspiration, peace, intellectual stimulation, and meaning when they participate in the arts: and

 seek artistic experiences and support the arts in their communities.

Issues in Teaching Creativity

In his famous TED talks on creativity and innovation, Sir Ken Robinson (Do schools kill creativity? 2006; How to
escape education's death valley?, 2013) stressed paradigms in the education system that hamper the development of
creative capacity among learners. He emphasized that schools stigmatize mistakes. This primarily prevents students
from trying and coming up with original ideas. He also reiterated the hierarchy of systems. Firstly, most useful subjects
such as Mathematics and languages for work are at the top while arts are at the bottom. Secondly, academic ability has
come to dominate our view of intelligence. Curriculum competencies, classroom experiences, and assessment are
geared toward the development of academic ability. Students are schooled in order to pass entrance exams in colleges
and universities later on. Because of this painful truth, Robinson challenged educators to:

 educate the well-being of learners and shift from the conventional leanings toward academic ability alone:

 give equal weight to the arts, the humanities, and to physical education; facilitate learning and work toward
stimulating curiosity among learners;

 awaken and develop powers of creativity among learners; and

 view intelligence as diverse, dynamic, and distinct, contrary to common belief that it should be academic ability-
geared.

Wrap Up

 Ecological literacy refers to an individual’s understanding not only of ecological concepts, but also of his or
her place in the ecosystem.
 Ecological literacy is a form of transformative education that requires shifts in three related areas: (1)
perception (seeing), (2) conception (knowing), and (3) action (doing).
 The ecological literate person of the 21st century has a positive view of life, grounded on the faith of
interconnectedness, and has the capacity to competently perform significant life, work, and related tasks.

 Creativity can be defined as the process of having original ideas that have value.
 All children have capacity for innovation and creativity.
 Schools should work toward educating the whole-being of the child.

7
 EVALUATION

Explain the following set of questions.

1. What environmental issues and concerns move you and provoke you to action? What efforts and practical steps
do you do to influence others to take action?

2. What personal greening initiatives would you propose to your own campus, community, and home?

3. Explain this quote from Picasso: All children are born artists. The problem is to remain as an artist as we grow up.

4. What are some best practices in teaching that create an active or student-centered learning environment?

5. Guided by the characteristics mentioned, can you name an artist from your family, school, or community? Make
a profile of this artist? (Be creative)

RUBRICS/PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
CRITERIA EXEMPLARY ACCEPTABLE DEVELOPING BEGINNING
10 8 6 4

Focus and Details There is one clear, There is one clear, There is one topic. The topic and main
well-focused topic. well-focused topic. Main ideas are ideas are not clear.
Main ideas are clear Main ideas are clear somewhat clear.
and are well but are not well
supported by detailed supported by detailed
and accurate information.
information.

Organization The introduction is The introduction The introduction There is no clear

inviting, states the states the main topic states the main topic. introduction,
main topic, and and provides an A conclusion is structure, or
provides an overview overview of the included. conclusion.
of the paper. paper. A conclusion is
Information is included.
relevant and
presented in a logical
order. The conclusion
is strong.

Sentence Stucture, All sentences are well Most sentences are Most sentences are Sentences sound
Grammar, constructed and have well-constructed and well constructed, but awkward, are
varied structure and have varied structure they have a similar distractingly
Mechanics, &
length. The author and length. The structure and/or repetitive, or are
Spelling
makes no errors in author makes a few length. The author difficult to
grammar, mechanics, errors in grammar, makes several errors understand. The
and/or spelling. mechanics, and/or in grammar, author makes
spelling, but they do mechanics, and/or numerous errors in
not interfere with spelling that interfere grammar, mechanics,
understanding. with understanding. and/or spelling that
interfered with
understanding.
DIRECTIONS TO SUBMIT (IF SUBMISSION IS THROUGH ONLINE )
Submit your work either Online thru this email/Google Class or personally at the scheduled date below in Microsoft Word 97-
2003, .docx or other word processing file. (Google Docs, Open Office are also acceptable.

8
Google Account:
Google Classroom:

DIRECTIONS TO SUBMIT (IF SUBMISSION IS THROUGH FACE -TO-FACE )

1. Bring your completed assignment in school (Riverside Campus).
2. Drop your completed assignment at the box (Educ 202 – Bulding and Enhancing New Literacies Across the Curriculum)
placed in front of COE Faculty Room.
3. Make sure to label your completed assignment with your name, course, year and section.

REFERENCES
Building and Enhancing New Literacies Across the Curriculum, First Edition 2019 | Alata, Elen Joy P. et al.