Internet Safety Life Skills

As the Internet and related technologies are now enmeshed in children's lives Barnardos in its 2008 Childlinks issue sets out to explore both the benefits and the dangers to children because of the Internet.  For the most part, writes editor Anne Conroy, this is positive in terms of information, play, learning, communications and more.  However, the Internet also has serious downsides for children.

In the article 'Internet Safety Life Skills' Gráinne Walsh of Webwise explains how we as adults, parents and teachers, need to match children's passsion for technology with the emotional, personal and social learning skills necessary to keep them safe on- and off-line.

Webwise.ie, the Internet Safety initiative of the NCTE launched its eSafety Programme for schools, teachers, students and parents for Safer Internet Day 2008.  The eSafety Programme consists of three parts:

1. //:Be SAFE_Be WEBWISE:// - a lesson & resourse pack for SPHE teachers  
       and Junior Certificate students.
2.    Internet Safety inservice for SPHE teachers.
3. //:Webwise_Parents:// - free parents' Internet Safety seminars.

Enabling discussion of the personal safety risks with children and young people in relation to their Internet use is a first aim of the teaching and learning programme.   

Students come to recognise that the Internet is not a private place and that any information they post online is available to the whole world, online perhaps forever, and can be copied, manuipulated and easily altered by anyone without their permission.  They come to understand that the Internet is not the context for the disclosure of personal, private and intimate information.  

Students can then with their peers in class explore their attitudes and their safety when using the Internet. Through discussion and group techniques students will be enabled to consider their online and offline safety and to affect change in their own behaviour where necessary. 

<<< Click here to read the full article "Internet Safety Life Skills" >>>

Childlinks 'Children & the Internet' can be purchased for €3 from Barnardos T: 01 454 9699.