Teaching Internet Safety to Your Pupils

Teaching internet safety to young people has become an integral part of the learning experience following years of unprecedented technological advancements.

As smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices continue to become popular, on top of the fact that almost all kids are now connected to the net in the home or through school, keeping them safe from unsavoury content or behaviour is vital.

To support you, as a teacher, in your quest to teach internet safety there are some key texts and issues which Webwise believes you should examine.

Who Should Teach Internet Safety?

In short, all teachers who use digital media or the internet as part of their teaching have a responsibility to pass on internet safety skills to their students.

To do this, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment have provided a key document, the ICT Framework documents, available here and below.

[pdf:http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/publications/ict revised framework.pdf]

It provides a guide to teachers for embedding ICT during studies across different subjects and will help students become capable learners.

On top of this, the ICT Framework identifies the types of learning which are appropriate for students in the ICT area.

It’s not intended as a curriculum or syllabus, but will instead help teachers integrate technology into teaching.

The document says: “Essentially, the ICT Framework aims to help schools to develop students’ ICT literacy by promoting uses of ICT that enrich teaching and learning across the primary and junior cycle curriculum.”

What are the ICT Framework’s Objectives?

There are four objectives contained in the document.

1. Exploration of ICT’s potential for encouraging creation, communication and collaboration
2. Application and understanding ICT functions like safe practice, maintenance and ergonomics
3. Using ICT for thinking and learning
4. Development of a critical appreciation of the role of ICT in society

Below are specific examples of what the ICT Framework document will help you, as a teacher, achieve with 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th class primary school pupils in the area of internet safety.

• Class-agreed methods to keep secure their own and other people's information in electronic format (e.g. understanding the use of a password and not revealing their password to others)
• Recognition of the need for, contribution to and adherence to classroom and school rules in ICT use
• Implementation of the school's AUP which regulates the use of internet, email and other ICT
• Recognition of the rights and feelings of others when expressing themselves using ICT
• Recognition of the copyright laws
• Recognition of the use of others' ideas, work and sources in creating personal, class and group projects (e.g. identifying and recording the name of the author of information or images copied from the internet)
• Responsible use of email as well as communication and collaborative software (e.g. not opening attachments from unknown senders, not replying to unsolicited email, not giving out personal details and applying security and safety measures)