ICT and, specifically, web-based resources, are increasingly being used across the curriculum. It makes sense, therefore, that e-safety guidance should be given to pupils wherever and whenever such use occurs, in a manner appropriate to the age, understanding and skill level of the pupils. This could be in the form of a reminder of the school’s Acceptable Use Policy before going online in a geography lesson to look at a live webcam of volcanic activity, or a reminder, in an English lesson, of the need to critically evaluate materials found on the web and observe copyright restrictions. Schools are encouraged to look for opportunities for teaching e-safety across the curriculum rather than as a discrete subject, possibly to cover issues that might not be encountered during in-school use of ICT. Although e-safety is not explicitly referred to within the National Curriculum at present, there are several appropriate areas within the programmes of study that offer opportunities to discuss e-safety issues. These are highlighted in this section.
This website focuses on the curriculum areas of ICT, citizenship and PSHCE, and the relevant teaching points from the programmes of study of each are duplicated below. The full programmes of study can be found on the National Curriculum online website www.nc.uk.net.
Key Stage 3 ICT programme of study Key Stage 3 citizenship programme of study Key Stage 3 PSHE programme of study (non-statutory) Key Stage 4 ICT programme of study Key Stage 4 citizenship programme of study Key Stage 4 PSHE programme of study (non-statutory) ICT Key Stage 3 National Strategy – Year 7 ICT Key Stage 3 National Strategy – Year 8 ICT Key Stage 3 National Strategy – Year 9
Finding things out
1a: Pupils should be taught to be systematic in considering the information they need and to discuss how it will be used.
This aspect gives opportunities for teaching pupils about copyright issues, particularly in relation to materials which they find on the internet and may want to use to inform their work.
1b: Pupils should be taught to obtain information well matched to purpose by selecting appropriate sources, using and refining search methods and questioning the plausibility and value of the information found.
This aspect gives opportunities for teaching digital literacy skills to pupils, including how to search effectively on the web, and the importance of critically evaluating any materials they find.
Exchanging and sharing information
Under this area, pupils can be alerted to the safety issues of using email, chat rooms, instant messaging and any other ‘direct contact’ communications device, along with the importance of keeping personal information private.
This is also a good place to discuss issues relating to Web 2.0, such as social networking tools.
The notion of appropriate writing conventions, such as language, brevity and tone, for electronic communications could also be introduced here.
Reviewing, modifying and evaluating work as it progresses
4d: Pupils should be taught to be independent and discriminating when using ICT.
This aspect effectively underpins all ICT work with an awareness of e-safety issues.
Pupils should be encouraged to take a commonsense approach to using the internet and related technologies, knowing the appropriate behaviours that they (and others) should adopt online, along with appropriate strategies to use if things go wrong.
Knowledge and understanding about becoming informed citizens
1a: Pupils should be taught about the legal and human rights and responsibilities underpinning society, basic aspects of the criminal justice system, and how both relate to young people.
Pupils should be taught about their right to privacy and the responsibility to protect the privacy of others by not disclosing information when using the internet.
1h: Pupils should be taught about the significance of the media in society.
The internet is becoming an increasingly important form of media in our society.
As part of becoming ‘informed citizens’, pupils should be aware of the risks and dangers of this form of media, alongside the many benefits.
Developing skills of enquiry and communication
2a: Pupils should be taught to think about topical political, spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues, problems and events by analysing information and its sources, including ICT-based sources.
While looking at internet-based resources, pupils should be encouraged to consider their appropriateness. They should be aware that they might encounter inappropriate content on the internet which may contain extreme political or social views, and may be biased in opinion. As part of digital literacy education, pupils should be taught to critically evaluate any material they find.
Developing skills of participation and responsible action
3c: Pupils should be taught to reflect on the process of participating.
This teaching point provides a good opportunity to discuss the issues relating to communicating using ICT. The safety issues of using email, chat rooms, instant messaging and text messaging can be discussed, alongside the problems of cyberbullying which are often associated with these forms of technology.
This is also a good place to discuss issues relating to Web 2.0 technologies, such as social networking tools.
Developing a healthy, safer lifestyle
2f: Pupils should be taught to recognise and manage risk and make safer choices about healthy lifestyles, different environments and travel.
Pupils should be taught to minimise the risks to their personal safety when using ICT.
Studies have identified that young people often engage in risky behaviours when using chat rooms, and this is a good place to discuss the issues.This includes areas such as keeping personal information private, protecting online identities and passwords, and never arranging to meet anyone in person who they have only met online.
2g: Pupils should be taught to recognise when pressure from others threatens their personal safety and wellbeing, and to develop effective ways of resisting pressures, including knowing when and where to get help.
Building on the comments under 2f (above), this teaching point provides an opportunity to develop pupils’ understanding of the risks associated with chat rooms and similar services, where their personal safety or wellbeing might be threatened. Pupils should be taught how to respond if they are contacted in any way which makes them uncomfortable, and where they can turn to for help and advice.
This is also a good area in which to discuss the issues relating to, and impact of, cyberbullying.
Developing good relationships and respecting the differences between people
3a: Pupils should be taught about the effects of all types of stereotyping, prejudice, bullying, racism and discrimination, and how to challenge them assertively.
This is a good area in which to introduce issues relating to cyberbullying, such as by mobile phone or in chat rooms and social networking services. Pupils should be made aware of the damaging impact that cyberbullying can have on its victims, along with information on where they can go for help and advice if they are suffering.
3j: Pupils should be taught to resist pressure to do wrong, to recognise when others need help and how to support them.
Pupils should be aware of peer pressure in chat rooms, for example to bully others, or other forms of inappropriate behaviour using new technologies, and develop strategies for protecting themselves.
This teaching point could also be used to discuss issues relating to copyright and intellectual property relating to materials available on the internet, possibly within the context of plagiarism or illegal file-sharing networks.
Pupils should also be aware of the many organisations that exist to help make the internet a safe place for all.
3k: Pupils should be taught to communicate confidently with their peers and adults.
This is a good area in which to discuss e-safety issues relating to email, chat rooms and other ‘direct contact’ communications services.
1b: Pupils should be taught to be discriminating in their use of information sources and ICT tools.
This aspect gives opportunities for teaching pupils digital literacy skills, including how to search effectively on the web, and the importance of critically evaluating any materials they find.
4b: Pupils should be taught to reflect critically on the impact of ICT on their own and others’ lives, considering the social, economic, political, legal, ethical and moral issues (for example: changes to working practices; the economic impact of e-commerce; and the implications of personal information gathered, held and exchanged using ICT).
There are opportunities here for discussing a number of e-safety issues.
Pupils should be aware of potential legal consequences of their activities on the internet.
They should be aware of the relevant legislation, such as copyright and intellectual property law in terms of plagiarism of coursework or downloading music files from illegal file-sharing networks.
The Computer Misuse Act (which prohibits unauthorised access to or modification of computer materials, such as through hacking) could also be discussed, along with data protection legislation which protects personal information.
Young people should also be aware of the commercial implications of using the internet, and of related risks, including online fraud or ‘phishing’ scams (sending emails designed to fool
4c: Pupils should be taught to use their initiative to find out about and exploit the potential of more advanced or new ICT tools and information sources (for example, new sites on the internet, or new or upgraded application software).
Technology is developing at such a rate that it is impossible to keep pace with all the potential issues in a publication such as this. There is an opportunity, however, to alert pupils to the need to critically evaluate any new technology they encounter in terms of potential risks to their personal safety.
Pupils should be encouraged to adopt safe and responsible behaviours regardless of the technology they are using.
Breadth of study
6: Pupils should be taught to be independent, responsible, effective and reflective in their selection, development and use of information sources and ICT tools to support their work, including their application in other areas of their study and in other contexts (for example, work experience or community activity).
As with 1b (above), this aspect gives opportunities for teaching pupils digital literacy skills.
Pupils should have confidence in their ability to use the internet and related technologies safely and responsibly, but also know that help and advice is available if needed.
1a: Pupils should be taught about the legal and human rights and responsibilities underpinning society and how they relate to citizens, including the role and operation of the criminal and civil justice systems.
1g: Pupils should be taught about the importance of a free press and the media’s role in society, including the internet, in providing information and affecting opinion.
While pupils should be aware of the role of the internet in providing a free voice to anyone wanting to publish materials, they should also consider the reliability and appropriateness of such materials.
Pupils should be aware of bias and context in the materials they find and should learn to critically evaluate them.
2a: Pupils should be taught to research a topical political, spiritual, moral, social or cultural issue, problem or event by analysing information from different sources, including ICT-based sources, showing an awareness of the use and abuse of statistics.
As with the Key Stage 3 programme of study, when looking at internet-based resources, pupils should be encouraged to consider their appropriateness.
Pupils should be aware that they might encounter inappropriate content on the internet which may contain extreme political or social views and may be biased in opinion.
Again, pupils should be taught to critically evaluate any material they find.
Pupils should also be aware of the immediacy and permanency of any communications they make using ICT, and should learn the importance of protecting their personal information and that of others.
Developing confidence and responsibility and making the most of their abilities
1b: Pupils should be taught to have a sense of their own identity and present themselves confidently in a range of situations.
This is a good place to discuss the rights of pupils to protect their personal information. Pupils should be taught to look for privacy statements and optout clauses when registering for services online, and be encouraged to use these.
1d: Pupils should be taught to recognise influences, pressures and sources of help and respond to them appropriately.
Pupils should be aware of the impact of cyberbullying in its numerous forms, and be aware of sources of help and advice. They should recognise that peer pressure can also exist online, for example in chat rooms.
2b: Pupils should be taught to use assertiveness skills to resist unhelpful pressure.
As 1d (above), pupils should be encouraged to develop strategies for dealing with peer pressure or bullying online, and should be confident in their ability to seek additional help if needed.
3b: Pupils should be taught to be aware of exploitation in relationships.
Pupils should understand the need to be cautious when developing relationships online, and should never be coerced into activities which make them feel uncomfortable. It may be particularly relevant to raise safety issues relating to chat rooms and grooming here.
3c: Pupils should be taught to challenge offending behaviour, prejudice, bullying, racism and discrimination assertively, and take the initiative in giving and receiving support.
Pupils should be aware of the existence of offensive material and views on the internet, and should know the appropriate behaviours to adopt if they, or others, encounter it.
They should also develop an awareness of the many organisations which exist to minimise the amount of offending and illegal content on the internet.
In addition to embedding e-safety into the curriculum, there are a number of points within the ICT Key Stage 3 National Strategy where it is also appropriate to teach e-safety issues. These are briefly highlighted below. The full strategy can be found on the Standards Site: www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/keystage3.
Using data and information sources
Identify the purpose of an information source (eg to present facts or opinion, to advertise, publicise or entertain) and whether it is likely to be biased.
Understand how someone using an information source could be misled by missing or inaccurate information.
These teaching points all relate the development of digital literacy skills, such as effective searching on the internet and critical evaluation of materials found.
Pupils should be aware of tone, bias and context in the materials they find online, and should be aware that some web publishers deliberately aim to mislead users.
Fitness for purpose
Recognise common forms and conventions used in communications and how these address audience needs (eg columns of text in newspapers, graphics and enlarged print in posters, hyperlinks on websites).
Apply understanding of common forms and conventions to own ICT work.
Use given criteria to evaluate the effectiveness of own and others’ publications and presentations.
Under this area, pupils can be alerted to the safety issues of using email, chat rooms, instant messaging and any other direct-contact communications device, along with the importance of keeping personal information private.
The notion of appropriate writing conventions for electronic communications could also be introduced here.
Pupils should be taught to critically evaluate materials found online.
Communicating
Use email securely and efficiently for short messages and supporting materials.
Know how to protect personal details and why this is important.
As with ‘fitness for purpose’ (above), the notion of appropriate writing conventions for electronic communications could be reinforced here.
Pupils should also be aware of the immediacy and permanency of any communications they make using ICT, and should learn the importance of protecting their personal information and that of others. Issues relating to Web 2.0 could also be discussed here.
Understand how the content and style of an information source affects its suitability for particular purposes, by considering:
Pupils should be taught digital literacy skills, learning to critically evaluate any information they find, and should consider any copyright restrictions on its further use.
Searching and selecting
Extend and refine search methods to be more efficient (eg using synonyms and AND, OR, NOT).
Again, digital literacy skills are important here. Pupils should be taught to search effectively using online tools within the context of e-safety issues such as using ‘safe’ search engines and filtering tools.
Organising and investigating
Understand potential misuse of personal data.
Pupils should learn the importance of protecting their personal information and that of others, and be aware of issues such as identity theft and online fraud.
Devise criteria to evaluate the effectiveness of own and others’ publications and presentations, and use the criteria to make refinements.
Understand some of the technical issues involved in efficient electronic communications
Pupils should be aware of viruses and measures they can take to prevent their machines from becoming infected.
Select information sources and data
Pupils should develop effective digital literacy skills, learning to critically evaluate any information they find, and should consider any copyright restrictions on its further use.
Understand the advantages, dangers and moral issues in using ICT to manipulate and present information to large unknown audiences (eg issues of ownership, quality control, exclusions, and impact on particular communities).
This is a good place to consider many of the legal issues of using the internet, such as copyright and intellectual property legislation, the Computer Misuse Act (relating to hacking and unauthorised access to computing facilities, both hardware and software), and data protection issues. There is also the issue of accuracy and reliability of content on the web.
The more risky aspects of communicating over the internet, such as grooming within chat rooms, should also be considered.
Reproduced from ‘Signposts to Safety: teaching e-safety at key stages 3 & 4’ with kind permission from Becta
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