Online Safety

The use of the internet and other communication technologies can greatly enhance the education and life experience of young people. The internet can open up new opportunities for young people, it can enhance creativity and contribute to the educational aims of fostering e-skills and digital competence (Rangeulov, 2010).  The increasing influence of technology has also been felt by the education sector with recent global curriculum reform placing computing and technology at the heart of the curriculum (Pathak, 2012). The UK ‘refers to e-safety to the way young people are taught about risks online, how they can protect themselves and to whom they should report worrying activity.’ (Barnard-Wills, 2012, p. 240)

We as upcoming practitioners need to consider e-safety in our planning and preparation of using ICT in the classroom.  Although ICT is a benefit to young children and introducing new technologies can be incorporating other skills which is beneficial for the new cross-curricular policy, however, there are dangers and risks of the unknown when using the internet that we need to be aware of and prepare for. Internet and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) open a world of possibilities for children, expanding their horizons and providing opportunities to learn, create identities and participate in society. In parallel, however, this population can also be exposed to risks, such as giving out their private details, cyberbullying or grooming for sexual abuse (Ranguelov, 2010). As well as being educated and informed ourselves on the dangers of the internet, we also need to educate children of the risks – not only the risks of the internet, but dangers they could expose themselves to knowingly or unknowingly. “Some young people could find themselves involved in activities which are inappropriate or possible illegal” (Beeta, 2006; p.10). In the UK policy context these concerns with vulnerability, danger and appropriateness have been expressed in terms of specific ‘e-safety’ risks and dangers centred around ‘four Cs’ of online content, contact, commerce and culture (See Table 1) (Canner, Selwyn and Potter, 2009).

 From this perspective, children are felt to require protection from numerous online risks such as cyber-bullies, violent games, disclosure of personal information, commercial exploitation etc (Canner, Selwyn and Potter, 2009).        

Under official guidelines schools are expected to develop ‘safe e-learning environments’ through developing their own internet codes of ‘acceptable use’, providing guidance on e-safety for pupils and staff and using appropriate monitoring and filtering software (Beeta, 2008). As many of us are now aware, more than ever, of the dangers of the internet, we need to be able to know how to deal with potentially approaching these risks if they occur. A summary report conducted by Ranguelov – Education, Audio-visual and Culture -  shows how schools around Europe have introduced e-safety into their curriculum and how to deal with the risks. Data was collected by Eurydice Unit of the ED Education, Audio-visual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) with the collaboration of the National Eurydice Units. Thirty-four Eurydice Units representing 30 European countries participated in this study voluntarily. In the majority of these countries, elements of online safety are additionally included as a cross-curriculum theme at primary level. In many of these education systems, elements of online safety are present in the number of skills that must be developed within the ICT subject, but also by a broad range of other subjects that encourage personal, social, health and economic competences. In Belgium ‘e-safety’ is specially designed in the new ICT-curriculum involving a wide range of competences and attitudes. On the other hand, in Spain, online safety is included in a more general curriculum key competence called ‘information process and digital competence’. In Finland and the UK, elements of online safety are included in subjects related to the development of media and communication skills. These different approaches to dealing with online safety show how it is impossible to define into one subject or topic and has a flexible timetable- being taught as a horizontal theme of a wide range of subjects. It is something that generally many schools are responsible for allocating the number of time and hours spent teaching and discussing and the specific arrangements for content distribution between subjects. I believe that especially with the increase in growth in technology and internet access every year that schools should spend more time discussing the dangers and possible risks that could occur in many ways online.                                                                             

After discussing the dangers and risks that could occur on the internet, another question that should be considered is who should be involved in E-Safety? Firstly, there needs to be up to date training for staff and teachers on how to approach the teaching of online safety and also how to deal with situations where a child may be in danger online. “For the first time, today’s parents and teachers have little, if any, experience with the tools that children are going to use every day in their adult lives.” (OECD, 2015). In my opinion, there should be regular e-safety meetings in schools to constantly monitor the teaching of online safety and regular discussions between staff about changing threats online. Parents should also be involved in e-safety and monitoring their child’s online safety. For parents to keep up to date with how to discuss online dangers with their children they should follow the school’s policy and keep up to date with latest technology applications. Local authorities are involved in e-safety with schools by linking schools with a consistent message.

(Shipton, 2011).

In University, we used a soft ware called VOKI to create a digital personalised character. We created a short introduction giving a fact about ourselves to get used to the software. We recognised how using VOKI in a primary classroom can keep the children engaged with the lesson and subjects. Rather than the teacher talking throughout the lesson which can make the children lose focus, using VOKI can create something new for the children to follow. We were then assigned an area of focus in groups to discuss a topic about online safety and create a guide for children 8-11. My group created a PowerPoint presentation to discuss cyberbullying and how children can report it, look out for it and be open about discussing it with an adult. We incorporated VOKI into our presentation which helped us understand how it can engage children more which will help them learn about online safety in a more interesting way.

                              

References

·        Barnard-Wills, D. (2012) E-Safety Education: Young people, surveillance and responsibility. Criminology and Criminal Justice, 12(3), 239-255.

·        Beeta. (2006) Safeguarding children in a digital world. Coventry: British Educational Communications and Technology Agency.

·        Canner, S., Selwyn, N., Potter, J. (2009) Exploring primary pupils’ experiences and understanding of ‘e-safety’.

·        OECD. (2015) Students, computers and learning: Making the connection, PISA, OECD Publishing. Available at://dx.doi.org/10/1787/9789264239555-en. Accessed: 29/4/2019

·        Pathak, R. (2012) Teaching Skills. Pearson. Delhi.

·        Ranguelov, S. (2010) Summary Report Education on Online Safety in Schools in Europe. New Horizons in Education, Vol.58, No. 3.

·        Shipton, L. (2011) improving E-Safety in Primary Schools: Guidance Document. Final Report, Sheffield: Sheffield Hallam University. Centre for Education and Inclusion Research.