EDENTON MISSION COLLEGE INCORPORATED

Edenton Sison, Maitum, Sarangani Province

Government Recognition No. 244, s 1962

LEARNING MODULE IN

EDUC. 1
BUILDING AND
ENHANCING NEW
LITERACIES
ACROSS THE
CURRICULUM
PRELIM

INSTRUCTOR: JOVELYN B. DATANG

OVERVIEW

Enhancing students' language enhances their subject learning; All subjects can make a specific
contribution to developing students' literacy skills in different ways; Improving literacy and
learning can have an impact on students' self-esteem and on motivation and behaviour. It
allows students to learn independently.

Teachers should teach their students that other cultures exist and that these deserve to be
acknowledged and respected. Integrating a variety of cultural context into lessons and activities,
teaches students to view the world from many angles, creates a respect for diversity and
enables students to learn exciting information. As classrooms become increasingly more
diverse, it is important for educators to acknowledge an address diversity issues and to
integrate multiculturalism information into the classroom curriculum (Guo, 2014).

OBJECTIVES

At the end of lessons the students should be able to;

Develop a clear and practical understanding of the following:

Globalization and its implications on both the national and individual level.

Cultural and multiculral literacy in the phil.and ones personal level of cultural and multicultural
literacy.

INTRODUCTION

Most countries in the world are culturally heterogeneous. According to the recent estimates, in
184 independent countries in the world there are about 600 languages and 500 ethnic groups.
Only a few countries in the world can say that their citizens share the same language and
belong to the same ethno-national group. This diversity poses a series of important questions
that may be subject to dispute. Minorities and the majority are largely confronted in relation to
the issues such as language rights, regional autonomy, political representation, educational
programs, national symbols, choice of anthem or national holidays. Finding a moral and political
life defensive responses to these questions is the biggest challenge that democracies are faced
with today. The endeavor to create liberal-democratic institutions in Eastern Europe and the
Third World are being undermined by nationalistic conflicts.

In Western Europe numerous disputes regarding the rights of immigrants and other cultural
minorities question the very assumptions on which decades of political life is based on. After the
end of the Cold War, ethnocultural conflicts have become the largest source of political violence
in the world that do not show a downward trend. Modern societies are largely faced by minority
groups seeking recognition of their own identity and adapting to their differences. This is
commonly indicated as a challenge of the multiculturalism. But the term multicultural often
covers various forms of cultural pluralism, each of which represents a challenge of its own.
Minorities are incorporated into political communities in different ways, from conquest and
colonization of previously autonomous societies to voluntary immigration of individuals and
families. These differences in the way of incorporation influence the nature of minority groups
and the type of relationship that they want to establish with the wider society.

Cultural diversity is created by incorporating previously autonomous and territorially

Concentrated cultures into a greater state. These incorporated cultures, which we call national
minorities or some similar terms are used, tend to be maintained as specific societies despite
the majority culture and they require different types of autonomy or self-government in order to
provide their own survival as specific societies.

Globalization is the process of interaction and integration among people, companies, and
governments worldwide. is the integration of national economies through trade, investment,
capital flow, labor migration, and technology. is the free movement of goods, services and
people across the world in a seamless and integrated manner.[Globalization can be thought of
to be the result of the opening up of the global economy and the concomitant increase in trade
between nations.

What is Global Literacy?

Global Literacy aims to address issues of globalization, racism, diversity and social
justice(Guo, 2014). It requires awareness and action, consistent with abroad understanding of
humanity, the planet, and the impact of human decision on both. Global Literacy also aims to
empower students with knowledge and take action to make a positive impact in the world and
their local community(Guo,2014).

According to the Ontario Ministry of Education (2015), a global citizen should display most or all
of the following characteristics:

 Respect for humans no matter their race, gender, religion or political perspectives.

 Respect for diversity and various perspectives.

 Promoting sustainable patterns of living, consumption, and production.

Appreciate the natural world and demonstrate respectful towards the rights of all living things.

Importance of globalization:

Global village  incredibly aware of what is happening anywhere around the world Social
awareness spreading news and facilitating globalization; keeping us up to
dateandknowledgeableaboutcurrentevents;facilitatedraisingawareness of issues, which can lead
to great social change.
What are the positive effects of globalization in education?

Globalization enhances the ability of learners to access, assess, adopt, and apply knowledge, to
think independently to exercise appropriate judgment and to collaborate with others to make
sense of new situations. - Globalization produces an increased quantity of scientifically and
technically trained persons

What are some positive effects of globalization on the 21st century?

Globalization has brought benefits in developed countries as well as negative effects. The
positive effects include a number of factors which are education, trade, technology, competition,
investments and capital flows, employment, culture and organization structure

How does globalization affect culture today?

The major consequences of globalization have been: the transmogrification of traditional

religions and belief systems; the beginning of the disintegration of the traditional social fabrics
and shared norms by consumerism, cyber-culture, newfangled religions and changing work
ethics and work rhythms; the fast spreading .

How does culture and globalization affect communication?

Global communication is directly affected by the process of globalization, and helps to increase
business opportunities, remove cultural barriers and develop a global village. Both globalization
and global communication have changed the environmental, cultural, political and economic
elements of the world.

What is Multicultural Literacy?

Multicultural Literacy consists of the skills and ability to identify the creators of knowledge and
their interests (Banks, 1996), to uncover the assumptions of knowledge, to view knowledge from
diverse ethnic and cultural perspective, and to use knowledge to guided action that will create a
humane and just world (Boutte, 2008).

Multicultural Literacy then, brings attention to diversity, equity and social justice to foster cultural
awareness by addressing difficult issues like discrimination and oppression towards other
ethnicities (Boutte, 2008). According to Boutte (2008) education for multicultural literacy should
help students to develop the 21st century skills and attitudes that are needed to become active
citizens who will work towards achieving social justice within our communities. Because of the
growing racial, language and ethnic diversity in our country, Multicultural Literacy needs to be
transformed in substantial ways to prepare students to function effectively in the 21st Century
(Boutte, 2008).

By making small changes within the classrooms, it can create big changes globally (Boutte,
2008). As diversity grows, there is a need for the emergence of multicultural education that is
more representative of the students in today’s classrooms. By teaching students to be
advocates for multiculturalism, we are also sending a message of empathy and tolerance in
schools as a need to develop deeper understanding of others and appreciation of different
cultures (Banks, 2003). With this being said, in order for students to develop these attitudes and
skills, it requires basic knowledge prior to teaching students how to question assumptions about
cultural knowledge and how to critique and critically think about these important cultural issues,
which is what essentially makes Multicultural Literacy a 21st Century Literacy (Banks, 2003).

How are Multicultural and Global Literacy Interconnected?

Every classroom contains students of different race, religion, and cultural groups. Students
embrace diverse behaviors, cultural values, patterns of practice, and communication. Yet they
all share one commonality: their educational opportunity (Guo, 2014).

Teachers should teach their students that other cultures exist and that these deserve to be
acknowledged and respected. Integrating a variety of cultural context into lessons and activities,
teaches students to view the world from many angles, creates a respect for diversity and
enables students to learn exciting information. As classrooms become increasingly more
diverse, it is important for educators to acknowledge an address diversity issues and to
integrate multiculturalism information into the classroom curriculum (Guo, 2014).

How is globalization and multicultural literacy interconnected?

How are Multicultural and Global Literacy Interconnected? Every classroom contains students of
different race, religion, and cultural groups. Students embrace diverse behaviors, cultural
values, patterns of practice, and communication. Yet they all share one commonality: their
educational opportunity (Guo, 2014

References

https://www.google.com/search?
ei=h38HYJ26NbG38QOj7aGoCw&q=multicultural+literacy+an+Objective&oq=multicultural+liter
acy+
Multicultural Education and the Arts

According to Benjamin R. Barber, I am very pleased and honored to be a speaker in the 2003
Charles Fowler Colloquium on Innovations in Art Education. My presentation will focus on
multicultural literacy, global citizenship, and social justice. I want to briefly discuss how my
presentation relates to the theme of this conference. I am a multicultural and not an arts
educator and consequently will not speak directly about the arts. You, as arts educators, will
need to apply my ideas about multicultural global citizenship education to your work. However, I
think that the goals of multicultural education and arts education are highly compatible and
complementary and that one of the most effective ways to actualize multicultural education is
through the arts.

Multicultural Literacy

Mastering basic reading and writing skills, literate citizens in a democratic multicultural society
such as the United States should also develop multicultural literacy (Banks, 2003). Multicultural
literacy consists of the skills and ability to identify the creators of knowledge and their interests
(Banks, 1996), to uncover the assumptions of knowledge, to view knowledge from diverse
ethnic and cultural perspectives, and to use knowledge to guide action that will create a humane
and just world. Paulo Freire (1970), in Pedagogy of the Oppressed, states that we must teach
students to read the word and the world. Reading the word requires basic knowledge and skills.
However, reading the world requires The 2003 Charles Fowler Colloquium on Innovation in Arts
Education Banks 4 © 2003 Fowler Colloquium University of Maryland, College Park students to
question the assumptions of institutionalized knowledge and to use knowledge to take action
that will make the world a just place in which to live and work. Freire also states that we must
teach students to combine critique with hope. When we teach students how to critique the
injustice in the world we should help them to formulate possibilities for action to change the
world to make it more democratic and just. Critique without hope may leave students
disillusioned and without agency.

Education for literacy should include a focus on democratic citizenship and social justice
because highly literate individuals, groups, and nations have committed some of the most
unconscionable acts in human history. Germany was one of the most literate nations in the
world when its leaders presided over the killing of 12 million innocent people. Victims of the
Nazis included six million Jews as well as people with disabilities and people who were gay. In
his Letter from the Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963/1994) wrote, “Injustice
anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (p. 2-3). When a society sanctions injustice toward
one group, other vulnerable groups become potential victims. Consequently, students need to
understand the extent to which their own lives and fates are tightly tied to that of powerless and
victimized groups in society. Wrote the French poet Arthur Rimbaud, “Je suis an autre” [I am an
other] (cited in Todorov, 1987, p. 3).
 At the conference, Benjamin R. Barber noted an important connection between education for
democratic citizenship in multicultural nation-states and the arts. He stated that the arts do not
need democratic nation-states to survive and prosper, but that democratic societies need the
arts because they foster autonomous actions by citizens. I will describe several brief examples
of ways in which the arts can be used to teach and reinforce knowledge that is needed by
citizens in order to function effectively in multicultural democratic nation-states:

1. The blues can be used to teach powerful lessons about the experiences of African Americans
in the United States. Billy Holiday’s moving and trenchant song, “Strange Fruit,” will give
students an image and experience with the lynching of Blacks in the South that is more
memorable than most textbook accounts.

2. B. B. King’s “The Thrill is Gone,” conveys the ways in which the personal and romantic lives
of African Americans were affected in adverse ways by racism and segregation in the South.
Students can examine the extent to which the blues grew out of the political economy in which
African Americans were forced to function in the South.

3. The Negro spirituals were used by African Americans to send coded messages about
escaping from slavery to the North as well as to envision a life after death that was considerably
more satisfying than the one they experienced on earth. Students can discuss the latent
messages in the song, “Get on Board Little Children.”
ACTIVITY 1.1

ACTIVITY SHEET

NAME: Yr/ COURSE:

SUBJECT: INSTRUCTOR:

Essay. Answer the following question

* Is there any positive effects of globalization on the 21st century? Why?

*How does culture and globalization affect communication?

*How is globalization and multicultural literacy interconnected?

Multicultural Literacy and Global Citizenship Education

Education for multicultural literacy should help students attain the skills, attitudes, and
commitments needed to become citizens who will work for social justice in their nationstates
and in the world. A literacy education that focuses on social justice educates both the heads and
hearts of students and helps them to become thoughtful, committed, and active citizens in their
nation and the world (Banks, 2002). Because of the growing ethnic,cultural, racial, language and
religious diversity throughout the world, citizenship education needs to be changed in
substantial ways to prepare students to function effectively in the 21st century (Banks, 2004). A
literacy education that focuses on social justice can make a major contribution to preparing
students to be thoughtful and active citizens of their nation and the world.Citizens in this century
need skills in literacy as well as the social knowledge, attitudes, and skills required to function in
their cultural communities and beyond their cultural borders.

They should also be able and willing to participate in the construction of a national civic culture
that is a moral and just community. Their national community should embody The 2003 Charles
Fowler Colloquium on Innovation in Arts Education Banks 6 © 2003 Fowler
ColloquiumUniversity of Maryland, College Park democratic ideals and values, such as those
articulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the
Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Citizenship education in the past, in the United States as
well as in many other nations, embraced an assimilationist ideology. In the United States, its
aim was to educate students so they would fit into a mythical Anglo-Saxon Protestant
conception of the “good citizen.” Anglo conformity was the goal of citizenship education. One of
its aims was to eradicate the community cultures, languages and values of students from
diverse groups. One consequence of this assimilationist conception of citizenship education was
that many students lost their first cultures, languages, ethnic identities, and values. Some
students also became alienated from family and community. Another consequence was that
many students became socially and politically alienated within the national civic culture.
Citizenship education should be transformed in the 21st century, and should help prepare
students to be thoughtful and informed world citizens. Literacy in the 21st century should include
a focus on global issues and problems as well as action on that can help to resolve them.

The schools should help students acquire multicultural literacy, which will enable them to
develop a delicate balance of cultural, national, and global identifications and a commitment to
act to change the world to make it more just and humane. If we teach students to be literate
without helping them to develop a commitment to construct a just and humane world, we will
foster a nation and world in which there is a “threat to justice everywhere.”

Reference:
https://www.google.com/search?
ei=h38HYJ26NbG38QOj7aGoCw&q=multicultural+literacy+an+Objective&oq=multicultural+liter
acy

Topic:Ecological literacy

Objectives

-to investigate what is meant by ecological literacy and how we have arrived at our most recent
understandings.

-to explore current ecologists‟ perspectives on the nature of ecological literacy and how it can
be achieved, and to determine whether and how ecologists‟

-perspectives may relate to their academic and professional training and experience.to identify a
framework and vision for ecological literacy based on current ecologists‟ perspectives.

Introduction

Earth‟s ecological systems provide countless benefits to human societies, including water
filtration, soil stabilization, pollination, and the buffering of vector-transmitted disease outbreaks;
services that are in most cases irreplaceable or prohibitively expensive to replace with
technology (Palmer et al., 2004a). Yet, it is widely recognized that humans are integrated with
and have fundamentally altered nearly all ecosystems on Earth, either directly or indirectly, as a
result of their activities. Over 75% of ice-free land shows evidence of human alteration, through
residence and/or land use (Ellis & Ramankutty, 2008) while polar and arid lands, which are least
modified by humans directly, are disproportionately altered by climate change
(Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2007). Over the next 50 to 100 years, as the
human population continues to increase from 6 billion to a projected 8-11 billion (Lutz, 2001),
the maintenance of these vital systems will become increasingly critical, and challenging.

To maintain Earth‟s life support systems while meeting human needs, current and future
citizens must be prepared to make sound decisions about the environment at all levels- from
local to global. These decisions range from simple, everyday lifestyle choices to major decisions
about environmental management, development, restoration, and regulation (Palmer, 2004b).
To make these decisions, people must be equipped with the tools of environmental citizenship,
including the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to identify their values and goals with
respect to the environment and to act accordingly, based on the best knowledge of choices and
consequences (Berkwitz, Ford, & Brewer, 2005). A citizenry that is able and willing to apply
science to environmental issues is essential if we are to make decisions and create policies
thatwill uphold the vital ecosystems that sustain us.

Defining Ecological Literacy: A Vital Challenge

While national assessments and numerous other studies point to low levels of ecological literacy
in the American public, the actual meaning of ecological literacy varies considerably between
academic fields. Explicitly defining and delineating the essential components of ecological
literacy has been a topic of intensive deliberation for several decades, sometimes with blurred
lines of distinction between notions of environmental literacy (emphasizing affective traits and
environmental issues resolution; e.g., Hungerford et al., 1994; NAAEE, 2004), ecological literacy
(accentuating conceptual knowledge and scientific inquiry skills; e.g., Berkowitz et al., 2005;
Jordan et al., 2009), and ecoliteracy (highlighting metaphysical knowledge regarding self and
spirituality, and the creation of sustainable human societies; e.g., Orr, 1992; Capra, 2002)
(reviewed in Chapter 2). Many scholars (e.g., Disinger & Roth, 1992; Roth, 1992; Stables &
Bishop, 2001; Payne, 2005, 2006) have argued that these terms have been used, often
interchangeably, in so many different ways, and/or are so all-encompassing that they have very
little useful meaning. However, despite the widespread, and at times, indiscriminate,use of
these terms, tremendous efforts have been made across many academic fields to move toward
establishing the definitions and essential components of these types of literacies, and to firmly
anchor their conceptualizations in broad theoretical and philosophical frameworks. Within the
field of ecology, in particular, scholars have proposed numerous alternate frameworks for
ecological literacy (Risser, 1986; Klemow, 1991; Berkowitz, 1997; Berkowitz et al., 2005; Jordan
et al., 2009); yet, a widely accepted framework does not currently exist (Knapp & D‟Avanzo,
2010).

A driving purpose behind this ongoing conversation in ecology has been to advance a complete,
pedagogy-guiding, and broadly applicable framework for ecological literacy, allowing for the
establishment of guidelines and tools for assessing educational achievement. Situated in an era
of increasingly multifaceted environmental challenges (e.g., Palmer et al., 2004a, NRC 2009),
ecology is a dynamic and complex field, comprising the study of a tremendous number of
species and their interactions, and the spatial and temporal complexity of the physical
environment within which these interactions occur. As such, identifying and agreeing upon the
essential knowledge, skills, and/or other attributes of an ecologically literate individual is an
inherently difficult task. This requires striking a number of delicate balances: identifying the
factual knowledge necessary to promote scientific understanding without generating an infinite
laundry list of concepts, acknowledging what has been historically significant in ecology while
pointing to current key research and the implications it may have for the future, and articulating
key higher order thinking and application skills while maintaining relevance to everyday life, to
name a few. A broadly applicable framework for ecological literacy could provide guidance for
the development of up-to-date ecology curricula and assessment tools, a foundation for
discussion of alignment between K-12 and higher education, and a mechanism for creating
greater synergy between formal and informal learning environments. Additionally, such a
framework could provide the basis for the development of educational standards articulating the
core ideas and skills to be developed at each grade level, and examples of performance
expectations and assessments appropriate to varied types of programs.

The Need for Ecologists’ Input and Participation

Given the complexity of the field of ecology and the rate at which global environmental change
is occurring, ecologists must participate in elucidating the core principles underpinning
ecological patterns and processes, and the skills necessary to grasp and apply them, in a
manner that fosters greater understanding of our planet (Risser, 1986; Klemow, 1991;
Berkowitz, 1997; Berkowitz et al., 2005; Jordan et al., 2009; Knapp & D‟Avanzo, 2010).
Ecologists and other environmental scientists are in an excellent position to provide the ecology
and natural history knowledge needed to inform ecological literacy, and to provide current
information as the body of knowledge evolves and changes. Also, because many are
themselves active educators in some capacity or another (e.g., with undergraduate and
graduate students, and/or in their work with landowners, policy-makers, diverse stakeholders)
environmental scientists can offer valuable insights into how key ideas in their field are most
clearly represented, how they are linked, and how they can be thought about and translated for
different audiences (Berkowitz et al., 2005; Knapp & D‟Avanzo, 2010). Therefore, the content
and pedagogy built into a framework for ecological literacy, along with the corresponding
standards and assessments, should be informed by their knowledge and expertise.

In addition to contributing to a broadly applicable framework for ecological literacy, the

participation of ecologists is essential for integrating such a framework into education theory,
research, and practice, and for promoting ecological literacy in the general public. There is
simply not enough time to wait for scientists‟ knowledge to “trickle down” to students and the
public through the filters of textbooks and other media; rather, scientists must be actively
involved in translating the process, knowledge, and significance of their disciplines in a way that
learners can understand (Brewer, 2001). Ecologists and other environmental scientists must
take an active role in assuring that their science is sufficiently well-taught by educators (e.g., by
collaborating with educators both in and out of the classroom and participating in teacher
training), and/or that they are themselves providing strong, positive models of excellent
education practice in their own classrooms (Berkowitz et al., 2005; Knapp & D‟Avanzo, 2010;
Brewer et al., 2011). To do so, ecologists must apply insights from education and social science
research on how people learn ecology, and the conditions under which learning can be
enhanced.

The National Research Council (2000, 2001) emphasizes the vital importance of aligning what
we teach and what we expect others to learn with measures of learners‟ performance. Based on
these reports and other most advanced research to date, numerous recommendations for
aligning teaching, learning, and assessment in science, and in ecology in particular, have
recently been proposed (for an extensive review, see Brewer et al., 2011). The need for
ecologists‟ participation in advancing ecological literacy extends well beyond the classroom.
Many feel that the demand for renewed efforts at the interface between ecological science and
society in general has reached a critical stage (e.g., Lubchenco, 1998; Moser and Dilling, 2004;
Palmer et al., 2004a, b; Jordan et al., 2009; Groffman et al., 2010).

To communicate more effectively with scientists from other disciplines and with policymakers,
land managers, and various public groups, ecologists need to adopt new models of
engagement, use new communication tools, and frame their results in ways that are more
meaningful to these audiences (Groffman et al., 2010; Pace et al., 2010). For example, just as
“translational medicine” is used to connect patients to new basic research, “translational
ecology” should connect end-users of environmental science to field research, requiring
constant two-way communication between stakeholders and scientists (Schlesinger, 2010).
Clearly, efforts to promote ecological literacy must be truly interdisciplinary, bringing together
ecologists and other environmental scientists in collaboration with formal and informal
educators, social scientists, communication experts, and media professionals. Not only can
such diverse expertise offer invaluable insights and contributions with respect to the enrichment
of educational standards, curricula, and assessments, it can aid in the development,
implementation, and dissemination of formative and evaluative research, the production of
state-of-the-art media presentations, and the design of new public engagement initiatives aimed
at promoting ecological literacy. Indeed, ecologists and other natural and social scientists who
study the environment have multiple roles to play in defining and promoting a modern vision of
ecological literacy in society today.

Topic: Literacy

Objectives:

-Provide the preeminent digital clearinghouse of resources about educational equity and social
justice.

- develop a world population that is aware of and concerned about, the environment and its
associated problems, and which has the knowledge,

Introduction

Numerous scholars have argued that the terms environmental literacy, ecological literacy, and
ecoliteracy have been used in so many different ways and/or are so all-encompassing that they
have very little useful meaning. However, despite the seemingly arbitrary and, at times,
indiscriminate use of these terms, tremendous efforts have in fact been made to explicitly define
and delineate the essential components of environmental literacy, ecological literacy, and
ecoliteracy, and to firmly anchor their characterizations in deep theoretical and philosophical
foundations. A driving purpose behind these ongoing conversations has been to advance
complete, pedagogy-guiding, and broadly applicable frameworks for these ideals, allowing for
standards and assessments of educational achievement to be set. In this manuscript, we review
a diversity of perspectives related to the often nuanced differences and similarities of these
terms. A classification of the numerous proposed frameworks for environmental literacy,
ecological literacy, and ecoliteracy (advanced within the fields of environmental education,
ecology, and the broader humanities, respectively) is presented, and used to compare and
contrast frameworks across multiple dimensions of affect, knowledge, skills, and behavior. This
analysis facilitates close examination of where we have been, where we are, and where we
might be headed with respect to these vital conversations. This work also offers points of
reference for continued critical discourse, and illuminates a diversity of inspiration sources for
developing and/or enriching programs aimed atcultivating these types of literacies.

Key words: ecoliteracy; ecological literacy; ecology education; environmental education;

environmental literacy;

WHAT IS LITERACY?
Until the late 1800s, the word literacy did not exist. In fact, according to the Oxford English
Dictionary, the word literacy was predated by the word illiteracy by several hundred years
(Venezky et al. 1987). Although the original term literacy referred only to the ability to read and
write, its usage has since been extended greatly in scope, beginning during the Industrial
Revolution. Emerging in Britain in the late 18th century and then spreading throughout Western
Europe and North America, the Industrial Revolution was a period of rapid industrial v
www.esajournals.org 1 May 2013 v Volume 4(5) v Article 67 growth via the introduction and
advancement of machinery, with far-reaching social and economic consequences. During this
era, mandatory and widespread elementary public education grew to resemble its present
magnitude. Although the precise relationship between industrialization and the rise of public
education is difficult to establish, there are nevertheless strong correspondences between the
two (Carl 2009). Gains in income and wealth during the industrial age made possible larger
public expenditures for the welfare of the general population, in the form of schools and
teaching resources. A focus on the three Rs, reading, writing, arithmetic, was seen as essential
for preparing a work force that could understand basic instructions, engage in rudimentary
written communication, and perform simple office functions, thereby creating the most skilled
mass workforce in the world. Additionally, through the cultivation of the western cultural
perspective emphasizing rational individuals and egalitarianism, public education promoted a
sense of national unity and success (Carl 2009).

In the years following the Civil War, the ability to read and write was used to determine whether
one had the right to vote. Thus, like other abstract nouns such as freedom, justice, and equality,
literacy came to denote a value that was promoted throughout the population of the United
States. Government officials, industrial leaders, and educators all began to see illiteracy as a
social ill and literacy as something to be advanced for the benefit of society as a whole
(Michaels and O’Connor 1990, Carl 2009).

Current dictionaries (e.g., Merriam Webster, Oxford English Dictionary) generally provide two
definitions of literacy: (1) the ability to read and write, and (2) knowledge or capability in a
particular field or fields. Today’s broader understanding and application of literacy has
essentially arisen from the latter interpretation (Roth 1992). Within the field of cognitive science,
literacy has been reconceptualized as a tool for knowledge construction (i.e., using reasoning or
problem solving to obtain new knowledge) (Michaels and O’Connor 1990). This work set the
stage for the extended scope of the term used today. As defined by the United Nations
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO Education Sector 2004:13),
‘‘[l]iteracy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to
develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider
society’’.

Clearly, the concept of literacy has evolved considerably from its origin in the ability to read and
write. Especially over the last 50 years, expectations for a literate citizenry have been extended
to include the ability to understand, make informed decisions, and act with respect to complex
topics and issues facing society today.

The term literacy also has been extended to refer to such knowledge and capabilities in many
different discourses (e.g., computer literacy, mathematics literacy, cultural literacy, arts literacy).
Additional notions of literacy that have emerged are environmental literacy, ecological literacy,
and ecoliteracy.

ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY, ECOLOGICAL LITERACY, ECOLITERACY

Numerous scholars have argued that the terms environmental literacy, ecological literacy, and
ecoliteracy have been used so broadly and/or interchangeably that they are essentially
meaningless (e.g., Disinger, 1992; Roth, 1992; Stables & Bishop, 2001; Payne, 2005, 2006).
Disinger (1992) contended that the almost arbitrary application of the term environmental
literacy has resulted in nearly as many different perceptions of the term as there are people who
use it, and that while various groups often use the term to solidify or demonstrate correctness of
either themselves or their clients, they give little or no indication of what they actually mean.
Similarly, Stables and Bishop (2001) argued that the meaning of environmental literacy has
been greatly muddled as a result of its indiscriminate application. Recently, Payne (2005, 2006)
also dismissed the concepts of environmental or ecological literacy as vague and messy,
arguing instead for a “critical ecological ontology,” a curriculum theory focusing on the learner‟s
experience of being in the world. Given the multitude of literacies now being promoted, and the
widespread and seemingly arbitrary use of the terms environmental-, ecological-, and
ecoliteracy in particular, it is easy to see how these authors made these assessments.

Despite the widespread, and at times, indiscriminate, use of these terms, efforts have been
made to establish definitions and identify key components of environmental literacy, ecological
literacy, and ecoliteracy, and to firmly anchor their conceptualizations in broad theoretical and
philosophical frameworks. A primary intent of this work has been to advance complete,
pedagogy-guiding, and broadly applicable frameworks that allow for standards and
assessments of educational achievement to be set. Widely varying discourses on the nature
and essential components of environmental literacy, ecological literacy, and ecoliteracy have
arisen primarily within the fields of environmental education, ecology, and the broader
humanities, respectively.

The term environmental literacy was first used 43 years ago in an issue of the Massachusetts
Audubon by Roth (1968) who inquired “How shall we know the environmentally literate citizen?”
Since then, the development of the environmental literacy concept evolved and has been
extensively reviewed (e.g., Roth, 1992; Simmons, 1995; Morrone, Mancl, & Carr, 2001; Weiser,
2001; NAAEE, 2004; O‟Brien, 2007;

SYNTHESIS & INTEGRATION MCBRIDE ET AL.

Despite the widespread, and at times, indiscriminate, use of these terms, efforts have been
made to establish a definition and identify key components of environmental literacy, ecological
literacy, and ecoliteracy, and to firmly anchor their characterizations in broad theoretical and
philosophical frameworks. A driving purpose behind this work has been to advance complete,
pedagogy-guiding, and broadly applicable frameworks allowing for standards and assessments
of educational achievement to be set. Widely varying discourses on the nature and essential
components of environmental literacy, ecological literacy, and ecoliteracy have arisen primarily
within the fields of environmental education, ecology, and the broader humanities, respectively.

The term environmental literacy was first used 45 years ago in an issue of the Massachusetts
Audubon by Roth (1968) who inquired ‘‘How shall we know the environmentally literate citizen?’’
Since then, the meaning of the term has evolved and been extensively reviewed (e.g., Roth
1992, Simmons 1995, Morrone et al. 2001, Weiser 2001, North American Association for
Environmental Education (NAAEE) 2004, O’Brien 2007). The notion of environmental literacy
has been and continues to be promoted through creative and intensive discourse from a
diversity of perspectives. The most widely accepted meaning of environmental literacy is that it
comprises an awareness of and concern about the environment and its associated problems, as
well as the knowledge, skills, and motivations to work toward solutions of current problems and
the prevention of new ones (NAAEE 2004

What is media literacy, and why is it important?

The word "literacy" usually describes the ability to read and write. Reading literacy and
media literacy have a lot in common. Reading starts with recognizing letters. Pretty
soon, readers can identify words -- and, most importantly, understand what those words
mean. Readers then become writers. With more experience, readers and writers
develop strong literacy skills. (Learn specifically about news literacy.)

Media literacy is the ability to identify different types of media and understand the
messages they're sending. Kids take in a huge amount of information from a wide array
of sources, far beyond the traditional media (TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines) of
most parents' youth. There are text messages, memes, viral videos, social media, video
games, advertising, and more. But all media shares one thing: Someone created it. And
it was created for a reason. Understanding that reason is the basis of media literacy.
(Learn how to use movies and TV to teach media literacy.)

The digital age has made it easy for anyone to create media. We don't always know
who created something, why they made it, and whether it's credible. This makes media
literacy tricky to learn and teach. Nonetheless, media literacy is an essential skill in the
digital age.

Specifically, it helps kids:

• Learn to think critically. As kids evaluate media, they decide whether the
messages make sense, why certain information was included, what wasn't included,
and what the key ideas are. They learn to use examples to support their opinions. Then
they can make up their own minds about the information based on knowledge they
already have.
• Become a smart consumer of products and information. Media literacy helps kids
learn how to determine whether something is credible. It also helps them determine the
"persuasive intent" of advertising and resist the techniques marketers use to sell
products.

• Recognize point of view. Every creator has a perspective. Identifying an author's

point of view helps kids appreciate different perspectives. It also helps put information in
the context of what they already know -- or think they know.

• Create media responsibly. Recognizing your own point of view, saying what you
want to say how you want to say it, and understanding that your messages have an
impact is key to effective communication.

• Identify the role of media in our culture. From celebrity gossip to magazine
covers to memes, media is telling us something, shaping our understanding of the
world, and even compelling us to act or think in certain ways.

• Understand the author's goal. What does the author want you to take away from
a piece of media? Is it purely informative, is it trying to change your mind, or is it
introducing you to new ideas you've never heard of? When kids understand what type of
influence something has, they can make informed choices.

• When teaching your kids media literacy, it's not so important for parents to tell
kids whether something is "right." In fact, the process is more of an exchange of ideas.
You'll probably end up learning as much from your kids as they learn from you.

Media literacy includes asking specific questions and backing up your opinions with
examples. Following media-literacy steps allows you to learn for yourself what a given
piece of media is, why it was made, and what you want to think about it.

Teaching kids media literacy as a sit-down lesson is not very effective; it's better
incorporated into everyday activities. For example:

• With little kids, you can discuss things they're familiar with but may not pay much
attention to. Examples include cereal commercials, food wrappers, and toy packages.

• With older kids, you can talk through media they enjoy and interact with. These
include such things as YouTube videos, viral memes from the internet, and ads for
video games.

Here are the key questions to ask when teaching kids media literacy:

• Who created this? Was it a company? Was it an individual? (If so, who?) Was it a
comedian? Was it an artist? Was it an anonymous source? Why do you think that?
• Why did they make it? Was it to inform you of something that happened in the
world (for example, a news story)? Was it to change your mind or behavior (an opinion
essay or a how-to)? Was it to make you laugh (a funny meme)? Was it to get you to buy
something (an ad)? Why do you think that?

• Who is the message for? Is it for kids? Grown-ups? Girls? Boys? People who
share a particular interest? Why do you think that?

• What techniques are being used to make this message credible or believable?
Does it have statistics from a reputable source? Does it contain quotes from a subject
expert? Does it have an authoritative-sounding voice-over? Is there direct evidence of
the assertions its making? Why do you think that?

• What details were left out, and why? Is the information balanced with different
views -- or does it present only one side? Do you need more information to fully
understand the message? Why do you think that?

• How did the message make you feel? Do you think others might feel the same
way? Would everyone feel the same, or would certain people disagree with you? Why
do you think that?

• As kids become more aware of and exposed to news and current events, you
can apply media-literacy steps to radio, TV, and online information

Reference:

https://www.google.com/search?ei=urwHYLj2Bs_n-Qbt8aOIDw&q=ecological+literacy+
+an+Overview&oq=ecological+literacy++an+Overview&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQAzoE
Learning Activity 1.2

ACTIVITY SHEET

NAME; YEAR/ SET:

SUBJECT: INSTRUCTOR:

The following words are identified different types of media literacy. Provide the concrete
picture of each,( for modular students only)

1. Text messages

2. Advertising

3. Memes

4. Video games

5. News paper