Online Safety

                                                                        Online Safety 





Digital safety is a key aspect in teaching computing to children as it states in the national curriculum that children should ‘…use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private; identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies…’ (NC, 2022, p.2). This will help to keep children safe online as they learn to keep their personal information protected against hackers and other people who may want to use their private information. Social media is now a big part of everyday life which is important that we educate children on being safe when online it can also ‘…provide a forum for ‘cyberbullying’. This is a term used to describe the use of the internet or mobile networks to harass others. It is extremely upsetting for victims because it intrudes into their private space and it can appear that there is no escape…’ (Turvey, 2016, p.277). As teachers it is our duty to help provide a safe environment for our students in the classroom as well as help prevent unsafe environments outside the classroom by discussing these topics making children aware of the dangers online. This is highlighted as one of the teacher standards as teachers should be able to communicate effectively with parents regarding pupils’ achievements and well-being.

To keep children safe online in school it is said that ‘…All schools making use of the internet should have an appropriate policy, often called an acceptable use policy (AUP) or a responsible use policy (RUP), which clearly outlines the potential benefits and risks and how these are managed within the school…’ (Turvey, 2016, p.228). This will help to promote a safer learning environment as students will be able to use the internet provided in school without having to worry about the dangers and uncensored information that you can find without having appropriate website blocks. Teachers can also be able to report websites that they may feel to be unsafe for children to view which will help to further promote a safe healthy learning environment.  This will therefore encourage children to not be afraid to share their discomfort when viewing something online. ‘…Encouraging a culture where children feel able to report things, they see which make them feel uncomfortable fosters a responsible attitude and begins to educate learners about how they would deal with these issues in the wider world beyond the classroom…’ (Turvey, 2016, p.279). This show that with that responsible attitude children can then implement what has been taught in the classroom and continue to monitor their own safety online at home with a parent or guardian. In future, I will ensure that I make children aware of the possible dangers when using the internet to prevent anything severe from happening. I will do this by providing lessons on online safety and also help students to develop their digital literacy.





Refrences 

Assets.publishing.service.gov.uk. 2022. [online] Available at: <https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/665522/Teachers_standard_information.pdf> [Accessed 2 May 2022].

Assets.publishing.service.gov.uk. 2022. [online] Available at: <https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/239033/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_-_Computing.pdf> [Accessed 2 May 2022].


Turvey, K., 2016. Primary Computing and Digital Technologies: Knowledge. London: Sage Publications Ltd.





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