E-safety

Safeguarding essentials states E-safety is often defined as the safe and responsibly use of technology. This includes the use of the internet and also other means of communication using electronic media (ed text messages, gaming devices, emails etc). (2015).  Ofsted introduced e-safety into their inspection requirement in 2012 and still today educators unclear on what e-safety is, as well as who is actually responsible for teaching it within schools. It is part of Donaldson’s successful future report (2015) that digital competency is to be taught cross-curricular making is imperative that all educators teach e-safety within there lessons. Throughout the years technology has become more and more popular in everyday life making e-safety a serious issue. There are many issues around technology with cyber bulling, online abuse and uncensored media. 

This year there has been an found that children’s Youtube videos had been hacked. The hack is known as ‘MOMO which is  a scary dolls face’ (Gill. 2019) and has been inserted into normal children’s videos such as Peppa Pig episodes, Minecraft videos as well as children’s toy testing videos. The videos would play as normal and ‘MOMO’ would appear half way through the video and threaten the children so hurt themselves or to carry out certain tasks it set them, if the children were to not comply with the tasks, ‘MOMO’ explains the children’s families will be hurt and/or killed. Some of the video found has been teaching the children to self-harm or commit suicide where as others tells the children to complete tasks one being, ‘at night time go downstairs and turn the gas oven on and go back to bed, but first you must make sure everyone in the house is asleep’.  It is uncertain how many children have been hurt from watching these videos but it has been made clear this hack is seriously scaring children into doing things they do not want to do under the impression there families will be hurt if they didn’t or even if they told their parents what they had seen.  Being a parent to young children myself it is absolutely terrifying this has happened, knowing my 3 year old watches children’s Youtube regularly, it is stomach turning to think she could have seen anything like this. This issue alone shows exactly how important it is to ensure e-safety is taught through schooling, you do not know what is on the internet theses day and it is always better to be over educated than under educated on these matters.

Below is the image of MOMO being used in the children's YouTube video's.

There is currently an open to all website available that provides the best practice of e-safety not just for schools but also for parents which is www.internetmatters.org. The website offers information for everyone who comes face-to-face with children to ensure e-safety is enforced. The website offers different resources and tips to anyone who would like it. For people like myself I think this is a really useful website to know about. Internet Matters state the education foundation framework for a connected world has been created to support educators who work with children and young people to help them develop effective strategies for understanding and handling online risks. (2019). As a parent I want to ensure my children are safe when online. Although I am young myself, I am very uneducated on everything the internet can do and this website offers resources and information around to help with this issue.  There has been no end of article in the press over the last few year especially around cyber bulling and its something I feel strongly around knowing my children are growing up within this society. You think you can protect your children forever but its impossible, they still have to live there lives for themselves and ensuring my children are safe online is something I think about regularly, especially since the Momo Youtube hack became public knowledge. There is no end to what the internet can provide, and making sure our children are safe online should be a national priority. 

Below I have included a short video to voice the perspectives of a principle, technology teacher, and a school counsellor about online challenges their school has faced an their reasoning's as to why they believe it is so important to teach online safety. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMQX2QTIwX0

The NSPCC state embedding key messages about online safety throughout the curriculum can ensure pupils of all ages know how to protect themselves and others online.  (2019). There are many resource available for an educator and the NSPCC website offers help toward gaining to knowledge and skills to enforce e-safety within the curriculum. The NSPCC is always available for any child in need for confidential and valued help on their 24 hour help line on 0800 1111 or online on their website and/or app. (NSPCC. 2019). 

Now Donaldson has completed a review on the current curriculum in Wales, he has recommended Literature, Numeracy and Digital Competency is to become cross-curriculum to ensure maximum learning. Donaldson has advised educators to promote sustained attention to the development and application of knowledge and skills in literacy, numeracy and digital competence. (2015). The technology world is forever evolving and as educators it is our responsibility to make sure our children are prepared for the outside world in which technology is now a massive part of. Due to digital competency becoming cross-curricular it is now more than ever important for e-safety to be taught throughout the curriculum. Throughout the years technology in school is expanding and being used more often. By the children gaining more access to technology within schools it is widening that risk while using technology. 

There many ways in which educators can teach e-safety in schools such as fun activities, drama/ role play, this way of teaching will be engaging as well as informational for all children. Although activity will have to be trailered to each child is a way to get the children actively learning around issue with the internet in a fun and engaging way. Adrienne Katz has written a book called ‘Cyberbullying and E-safety; What Educators and Other Professionals Need to Know.’ The book goes through ways in which educators are able to engage students in activities around e-safety and cyber bullying as well as key factors to look out for while teaching. Katz suggests to colour code the messages so that any advice on ‘safe searching’ for example is always delivered in the same colour and wall displays or handouts reflect this. Any tools in your armoury for teaching should be harnessed to delivering e-safety. It could arguably be the most important skill the children will take forward into their future lives. Above all it needs to be a partnership with children and young people as we explore the internet and new devices, apps and software together. It cannot work if we simply hand down a set of rigid rules even though that is tempting because it appears to be easier.

- Use colour to separate the messages for wall displays (Safe search, safe talk, safe posting    each take a colour and always remain linked to that colour etc.)
- Break the information into short digestible chunks 

- Re-cap or test with a quiz or a kinetic activity before moving on
- Include practical demonstrations with older children helping younger ones
- Avoid using scare tactics,
- Emphasise how they can learn to problem-solve or report to an adult, they can take charge of their online lives 

- Use characters and stories adapted from favourite fiction or movies to illustrate situations for pupils to problem-solve. How did the wolf know when Red Riding Hood was going to be at her gran’s? He cracked her password which was weak (RRHood). (2012).

NSPCC. (2019). E-safety for Schools. Online at: https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/research-resources/schools/e-safety-for-schools/. [Accessed 14.05.2019].

Safeguarding Essentials. (2015). E-Safety. Online at: http://www.esafetysupport.com/stories/166/what-is-e-safety. [Accessed 11.05.2019].

Gill, E. (2019). The Mirror–Momo Challenge. Online at: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/momo-challenge-hacking-peppa-pig-14054996. [Accessed 12.05.2019].

Internet Matters. (2019). Schools E-safety. Online at:  https://www.internetmatters.org/schools-esafety/?gclid=CjwKCAjwiN_mBRBBEiwA9N-e_mhKUWOk4hE5iKXdGgLgP7tBS85GJVAvfiN93PQISv1B7U-PUv5hHhoCFl0QAvD_BwE. [Accessed 03.05.2019].

Katz, A. (2012). Cyberbullying and E-safety; What Educators and Other Professionals Need to Know.

Donaldson, G. (2015). Successful Futures - Independent Review of Curriculum and Assessment Arrangements in Wales.

Common Sense Education. (2016). Why is Teaching Online Safety Important?. Online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMQX2QTIwX0  [Accessed 12.05.2019].