As technology usage continues to grow, schools have an increased responsibility to safeguard students from online risks. Ofsted (2013) summarizes these risks as "inappropriate contact, content and conduct and include cyberbullying and online sexual exploitation."
According to Ofsted (2013), "e-safety is about empowering schools and professionals with knowledge and resources and requires a whole school approach to educate and protect the well-being of students from online risks and provide appropriate intervention and support mechanisms."
According to Ofsted (2013), "e-safety is about empowering schools and professionals with knowledge and resources and requires a whole school approach to educate and protect the well-being of students from online risks and provide appropriate intervention and support mechanisms."
Teaching E-Safety
Wondering what to teach your students when it comes to e-safety? The following are general subjects that should be covered in your middle school or high school classroom:
1. Online behavior - students understand what cyberbullying and sexting are and how to behave appropriately and with respect for others.
2. Protecting online reputation - students understand the risk and rewards of sharing personal information online
3. How to use social networks safely
4. How to interpret online information (reliability and validity)
5. Knowing what to do, and who to talk to, if anything inappropriate happens
(RM Education E-safety Guide, n.d.)
1. Online behavior - students understand what cyberbullying and sexting are and how to behave appropriately and with respect for others.
2. Protecting online reputation - students understand the risk and rewards of sharing personal information online
3. How to use social networks safely
4. How to interpret online information (reliability and validity)
5. Knowing what to do, and who to talk to, if anything inappropriate happens
(RM Education E-safety Guide, n.d.)
Teacher Resources
Middle School
- Welcome to the Web: a series of lessons for teaching young students how to use the Internet. Every lesson comes with an optional PDF worksheet.
- LMK Life Online: sponsored by the Girl Scouts and Microsoft, this website educates girls about online safety, as well as cyberbullying and online privacy.
- Internet Safety with Professor Garfield: offers animated web safety lessons with Garfield where students watch a cartoon, take a quiz and try to apply their new knowledge to different scenarios.
- Webonauts Academy: students learn about safe online behaviors and can graduate from the Webonauts Academy. The educators tips page offers practical suggestions for classroom use.
- Secure Passwords: a video created by Common Craft explaining why it is important to keep passwords secure.
- Consequences: a video created by Child Exploitation and Online Protection (COEP) centre's "Think U Know" campaign. This video helps students understand the need to protect their personal information online.
High School
- Own Your Space: a free, sixteen chapter ebook designed to educate pre-teens and teens about protecting themselves and their personal information online.
- A Thin Line: a digital safety resource produced by MTV and other partners to educate teens about the possible consequences of their online activities.
- Secure Websites: a video created by Common Craft.
- Phishing Scams: a video created by Common Craft.
- Protecting Reputations Online: a video created by Common Craft.
- Exposed: a video created by COEP dealing with sexting and cyberbullying.
(Byrne 2011)
- Welcome to the Web: a series of lessons for teaching young students how to use the Internet. Every lesson comes with an optional PDF worksheet.
- LMK Life Online: sponsored by the Girl Scouts and Microsoft, this website educates girls about online safety, as well as cyberbullying and online privacy.
- Internet Safety with Professor Garfield: offers animated web safety lessons with Garfield where students watch a cartoon, take a quiz and try to apply their new knowledge to different scenarios.
- Webonauts Academy: students learn about safe online behaviors and can graduate from the Webonauts Academy. The educators tips page offers practical suggestions for classroom use.
- Secure Passwords: a video created by Common Craft explaining why it is important to keep passwords secure.
- Consequences: a video created by Child Exploitation and Online Protection (COEP) centre's "Think U Know" campaign. This video helps students understand the need to protect their personal information online.
High School
- Own Your Space: a free, sixteen chapter ebook designed to educate pre-teens and teens about protecting themselves and their personal information online.
- A Thin Line: a digital safety resource produced by MTV and other partners to educate teens about the possible consequences of their online activities.
- Secure Websites: a video created by Common Craft.
- Phishing Scams: a video created by Common Craft.
- Protecting Reputations Online: a video created by Common Craft.
- Exposed: a video created by COEP dealing with sexting and cyberbullying.
(Byrne 2011)