Last week was Safer Internet Week, an initiative organised by eSafety, an Australian Government agency set up to help protect Australian citizens online. In a live webinar, we explored how students can connect online safely and mindfully to protect themselves and others.

 

Over 400 schools connected to the interactive webinar.

The students were polled and asked whether they had ever seen something online that made them feel uncomfortable. In our class, approximately three quarters of the students (77%) answered “yes”.

 

The students were then presented with case scenarios and asked to brainstorm strategies they could use to keep themselves safe. Our students suggested some excellent strategies, such as ensuring your settings give you the maximum privacy, blocking other users, reporting incidents and talking to a trusted adult. Learning about Internet Safety will be ongoing in our class this year.

The eSafety agency offers information for children and families and can provide much support in resolving issues that occur online. Parents can access valuable information and webinars at this link: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents