Blog 8: Internet safety in the classroom

The internet enriches teaching and learning, providing a valuable work resource for both teachers and pupils. Technology is now becoming more accessible especially to young children who, according to Palfrey and Gasser (2008) and Prensky (2001), are ‘digital natives’. However, there is major concern about internet safety and the range of material that children can access on the internet (Byron Review, 2008). The National Curriculum (DfE, 2013) states that pupils should be taught to ‘use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly’ and to ‘know a range of ways to report concerns and inappropriate behaviour’. Rudd and Tyldesley (2006) concur by identifying the importance of developing children’s responsibility and care as an effective safeguard when using the internet.

It is stated in the Byron Review (2008) that the main concerns surrounding the use of the internet range from the content through to contact and conduct of children in the digital world, therefore children need to be empowered to keep themselves safe. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) was created by the National Crime Agency to safeguard children online (the website can be accessed at: http://ceop.police.uk/). The CEOP works with child protection officers across the UK to protect children from harm online and offline. This website can be used by teachers, parents and pupils and provides advice and help about how to stay safe on the internet. The website also has a link to a ‘safety centre’ which enables adults and children to make reports against inappropriate content online. The CEOP also created the ‘Think u Know’ programme (https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/teachers/) which provides a range of free educational resources to professionals working with children to empower and protect young people from the harm of sexual abuse and exploitation online. As a practitioner, I could use this in the classroom as it provides resources such as lesson plans, presentations and games to teach children about how to stay safe online. Through teaching children appropriate ways of using the internet; they will be able to use information in critical and creative ways, rather than simply being passive consumers. (Loveless, 2003)

The Byron Review (2008) also highlights concerns about a ‘generational divide’ whereby parents do not feel confident enough to help children online which leads to fear and helplessness. This supports the idea of ‘digital natives’ and ‘digital immigrants’ presented by Palfrey and Gasser (2008) where ‘digital immigrants’ are referred to those who were not born in a digital world and thus lack in confidence in using technology.

However, resources such as ‘Get With It’ (http://learn2.winchester.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/315525/mod_resource/content/1/get%20with%20it.pdf) can educate parents about ‘E Safety’. The ‘Get With It’ booklet is a guide to social networking websites for parents and can be used to teach children about how to use social networks safely. This booklet informs parents about what social networking is, the risks of social networking and what to look out for on social networking sites. However, Shariff (2009) states that parents should prevent children, under the legal age, to have social networking sites as cyber bullying is most common on these sites.

It is also highlighted by the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta) that children are vulnerable and may expose themselves to danger when using the internet, thus schools have a responsibility to teach children the appropriate behaviours and critical thinking skills to remain safe and legal when using the internet (Becta, 2005). Therefore, implications for my future practice would be to address issues surrounding internet safety and to ensure children are educated about how to use the internet safely and what to do if they come across inappropriate content. Focussing on reducing the availability of harmful and inappropriate material would be a key way of addressing this in school (Byron Review, 2008).

Useful websites:

http://learn2.winchester.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/315525/mod_resource/content/1/get%20with%20it.pdf

This booklet is a guide to social networking websites for parents and can be used to teach children about how to use the social networks safely. It is not only important that children learn about ‘E-Safety’ in school but also at home as social networking is more likely to be used at home. Social networking has become extremely popular and this booklet informs parents about what social networking is, the risks of social networking and what to look out for on social networking sites. The booklet can be used by both parents and children to learn about social networking and the appropriate ways of using it.

http://ceop.police.uk/

This is the website for the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP). The CEOP works with child protection officers across the UK to protect children from harm online and offline. This website can be used by teachers, parents and pupils and provides advice and help about how to stay safe on the internet. The website also has a link to a ‘safety centre’ which enables adults and children to make reports against inappropriate content online.

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/teachers/

This is the website for the ‘Think u Know’ programme created by CEOP. It provides a range of free educational resources to professionals working with children to empower and protect young people from the harm of sexual abuse and exploitation online.

http://www.childnet.com/resources/know-it-all-for-primary

This website can be used as a resource for school teachers to help them understand important e-safety issues and how to get the most out of the internet. This site is specifically for primary school teachers however there are also links for parents, secondary school teachers and SEN teachers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/topics/stay-safe

This internet safety site is specifically designed for children by the BBC. Children can test how safe they are on the internet and can also get advice on how to stay safe when using the internet. This resource could be used in school to initially teach children about internet safety.

http://www.kidsmart.org.uk/

This is a child-friendly website which teaches children about e-safety. Children can learn about safe searching on the internet, social networking, file sharing and much more. The website also offers rules on being smart on the internet educating children about e-safety. Thus resource could also be used in school to teach children about internet safety. 

Bibliography:

Becta (2005) E-Safety: Developing whole school policies to support effective practice. [online]

http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/81559584?access_key=key-260drz9uolv29rlivqso&allow_share=false&escape=false&show_recommendations=false&view_mode=scroll Accessed: 10.03.14

Byron Review (2008) Safer Children in a Digital World. DCSF Publications.

Department for Education (2013) National Curriculum in England: English programmes of study. London: HMSO

Loveless, A. (2003) The Role of ICT. London: Continuum

Palfrey, J. and Gasser, U. (2008) Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives. New York: Basic Books

Prensky, M. (2001) ‘Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, Part II: Do They Really Think Differently?’ On the Horizon. NCB University Press, Vol. 9: 6.

Rudd, A. and Tyldesley, A. (2006) Literacy and ICT in the Primary School: A Creative Approach to English. London: David Fulton Publishers Ltd

Shariff, S. (2009) Confronting Cyber-bullying: What Schools NEED TO KNOW To Control Misconduct and Avoid Legal Consequences. New York: Cambridge University Press