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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