Internet safety

Latest Government initiatives / resources:

Cybersmart provides activities, resources and practical advice to help young kids, kids, teens and parents safely enjoy the online world.

Cybersmart also offers training and resources for schools and materials for library staff.

Developed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, Cybersmart is part of the Australian Government’s cybersafety program.

The Budd:e E-security Education Package is designed to raise the e-security awareness of Australian primary and secondary school students and help them stay smart online.

Budd:e E-security Education Package.

Let’s fight it together Media release

Older resources:

A great resource from NetSafe NZ, now added to Australian Cybersmart resources:  Hector's World Animation with Lesson Plans R-6

The Hector’s World Safety Button™ is a child-activated safety tool which children can use if something on-screen upsets or worries them. 

Cyberquoll supported with detailed Teacher Notes

Useful Teaching resource from UK Teach-ICT....Using the Internet Safely 

another one from the UK eSafety wiki

Resources and  Links

A roundtable day event focussed on the emerging issues involving cybersafety was held on May 2, 2008 at educationau here in Adelaide. A small group met to hear various stakeholder points of view and to create a framework for discussion and policy implementation. It was titled "Learning In The 21st Century" with resources and dialogue housed at two locations - (a) the TALO wiki (Teach And Learn Online) and (b) in an edna group 21clearn. Both locations connect to Mike Seyfang's audio recordings of the day's proceedings. You can participate in furthering the discussion at either venue.

An excellent resource is the PBS network (US) program Growing up Online. Apart from the actual Frontline program, broken up into small segments of video, there is extensive text material  that backgrounded the program. 

Congressional Caucus child safety This is a great discussion for anyone looking for research on evidence on crimes against children via the internet. There is a video and transcript. In short, the panel of experts agree that the problem is largely involves risk-taking teens rather than the deception of children. They strongly support guiding children to be safe rather than blocking them from Internet use.

Mar 29 update The research referred to above about online predators has now been published and the abstract in American Psychologist is here. An important read for anyone involved in school administration and or ICT leadership.

It exposes some commonly held myths, with the research showing:

• that victims are generally teenagers, not young naive children;
  
• publishing personal information plays no measurable part in becoming a victim,
  
• predators usually are open about their age and their intentions,
  
• and more.
  

It leads to the conclusion that this significant problem has to be dealt with by dealing with the vulnerable risk-taking teens involved in an educative and supportive way, not by attempting to fence them in. These young people are prone to jumping fences.

National School Boards Association of US is a very sober body and this report is quite positive about social networking among the young and suggests that schools embrace some of its benefits. 

Another good resource is the Digizen cyberbullying website. Includes  a video, notes for teachers and interviews with various people with their views.