Digital Literacy and Online Safety Knowledge on Online Risk Behaviors among Senior High School Students

Abstract

This study explored the relationship between digital literacy and online safety
knowledge on online risk behaviors among senior high school students at Jones
Rural School. The researcher used stratified random sampling to select 282
respondents representing various strands. A descriptive correlation method was
utilized. Data were gathered using a self-designed survey questionnaire verified by
experts, piloted, and undergone a reliability test. Statistical Package for Social
Sciences software was used for data analysis, where the computation of frequency
counts, percentages, mean, standard deviation, t-test, one-way ANOVA, and
Pearson correlation coefficient were examined and analyzed. Findings revealed a
strong positive correlation between digital literacy and online safety knowledge,
indicating that students with higher digital literacy tend to have better online safety
knowledge. However, there is also a significant positive correlation between digital
literacy and online risk behaviors, suggesting that more digitally literate students
are more likely to engage in risky online behaviors. Furthermore, the study found
that the strand significantly influences online safety knowledge and online risk
behaviors, while sex and grade level do not show significant differences. It is
recommended that strand-specific programs on digital literacy and safety be
developed that are relevant to the unique needs of each field of education.
Engaging students in interactive real-world scenarios during training, following up
with regular workshops, creating monitoring and support systems, engaging
parents, and making clear policies at the school level can help students be safer
online and ensure that their digital literacy translates into safer online behaviors.
Future studies should aim to better understand this paradoxical relationship
between online safety knowledge and online risk behaviors, sparking further
curiosity and interest in the field of digital literacy and online safety.