DIGITAL LITERACY REVIEWER
Digital Literacy in Wikipedia, digital literacy is the set of
competencies required for full participation in society
that includes knowledge, skills, and behaviors involving
the effective 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.
Cybersecurity
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.
WAYS TO PROTECT FROM CYBER THREATS
1. Monitor behavior on social networks. Before posting
or uploading something online, try to realize: (a) Does
this need to be public?; and (b) Is it worth the risk?
Remember, not only what we share online is available to
friends and family, but also to cybercriminals.
2. Keep devices safe. Protect your technology tools by
installing Anti-virus software, a configuration 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 can still be
remembered. One strategy is "passphrase" or a
password that comes from the first letter of each word
in the phrase.
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 sites.
5. Consider safety for the future. Take individual
responsibility in using devices with an utmost care and
critical thinking when online
Cyber Citizenship
Citizenship is an old value that is now applied to a new
medium, the Internet.
Cyber citizenship refers to being responsible when
using the Internet. Doing online when no one is looking
speaks a lot about one's character and morals.
Ways on How to be a Good Cyber Citizen
1. Be careful and critical for whatever you post online
that could be visible to the public even if on a "private"
page through tagging by a friend.
2. If you have a problem with someone, go to that
person or an adult to help work it out, instead of posting
your expression online.
3. Use the Internet to help you with your schoolwork,
but give credit to the sources you use and critically
analyze everything you search online.
4. Use the Internet purposefully to learn more about
anything you are interested in, to help you research
relevant and needed data or information and to stay
connected with friends throughout the world.
5. Make sure you verify an information before you share
it or use it in a project and check on accuracy and truth
in the information you search on the web.
6. Give out certain information only.
7. Don't answer questions that make you
uncomfortable. 8. Always make sure you have told a
reliable adult if you decide to meet someone you knew
through the Internet.
9. Always be aware of copyright laws and give credit to
whom an article or a part of it is due. 10. Use only the
computers that you are allowed to use. Avoid hacking.
Importance of Cyber Citizenship
1. It keeps the Internet free from hurtful statements.
2. It creates a culture of more reliable information.
3. It gives provisions for people to be given credit for
what they have created.
4. More criminals or bullies can be caught when kids are
honest and talk to adults.
5. It keeps information private.
Proper Netiquette
1. Make sure you have the correct address (with proper
spelling), correct link and you are sending the
information to the right person when doing it online.
2. Check information before sending or posting any
message and avoid false statements and information on
the web or forwarding junk mail or chain letters to
family or friends.
3. Re-read what you wrote to make sure it is what you
want to say and the other person would interpret it the
same way.
4. Keep your comments clean and don't confront others
online or say anything that could be hurtful to them.
5. Keep your personal and friends' information private
and don't forward information that was just 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, think twice because messages can get
misdelivered.
8. Adults should monitor kids' messages, especially
when they are sending e-mails to others without
permission.
The Ten Commandments of Teacher Cyber Citizenship
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 from 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, 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.
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.
4. 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.
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 for 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.
Computer Threats and Fixing Solutions
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
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.
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 Digital Scholarship – is being able to link and participate
systems and data. in professional and research practices.

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 plan 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.
Digital learners are the individual’s capabilities to be
able to effectively and responsibly function and perform
in a digital society.
In the teaching and learning context, digital literacy
is an important competence. In school, it has
become a buzzword which refers to the ability
to access, process, understand, utilize create media
content using information technologies and the internet
(Hsieh, 2012)
Media Literacy – is one’s ability to critically read
information or content and utilize multimedia in
creatively producing communications.
The Four C’s of the 21st Century Skills
Critical Thinking is learning how to solve problems. It
teaches students not to accept immediately claims
without seeking the truth. It is the ability to differentiate
facts or figures but also discover these for the sake of
knowing what ought to be.
Creativity requires students to think out and be able to
look at a problem from multiple perspectives including
proposing multiple possibilities and alternatives to
address a problem and take the risk. Creativity
encourages students to think beyond what is expected
of them.
Communication makes students express their ideas in
the clearest and organized manner. Through varied
modes – face-to-face, synchronous or asynchronous,
they need to know how to efficiently and clearly convey
ideas.
Collaboration happens when students know how
to work well with others to accomplish a given
task or solve a problem at hand. When students are
made to work with others in a pair or in a team, they are
given the chance to practice how to relate with others.

Information Literacy – is locating information

from the web and interpreting while evaluating its
validity in order that it can be shared

ICT Literacy – is knowing how to select and use digital

devices, applications or services to accomplish tasks
requiring the use of the internet

Communications and Collaboration – are one’s

capabilities in being able to participate in the
digital networks in the teaching and learning
context(synchronous/asynchronous)

Identity Management – is being able to understand

how to ensure safety and security in managing online
identity and foster a positive digital reputation.

Learning Skills – are ways of knowing how to study and

learn in a technology-enriched environment; this is
knowing how to utilize technology in addressing the
need to learn efficiently