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.