Potential Issues
Before rolling out a school-wide ICT program, there are certain issues that must be prepared for. One of the key areas that would concern both parents and teachers is the subject of cyber-safety. Although algorithmic blocking of websites can account for some of the dangers, no algorithm is sufficient to ensure online safety. Given that the students need to use technology both at home and at school, and will continue to need it in the future, incorporating cyber-safety training into the classroom is important. This should be both in terms of specialist classes and reinforced by teachers across all classes that utilise online connectivity.
In order for teachers to be able to do this, they also need to be trained, not just in the use of cyber-safety skills, but also in appropriate teaching pedagogies.
There are various websites that provide resources for teaching cyber-safety. Among these are the government’s own esafety site and the ThinkUKnow initiative. The latter offers free presentations and various information. It encourages the inclusion of parents and carers in the education of young people regarding online safety, and this is an important practice that should be adopted by the school.
A subset of online safety is the issue of cyber-bullying. This can be just as harmful as face-to-face bullying and has the added danger of being invisible to school staff. Students must therefore be prepared with the knowledge and mindset to look out for each other, to block inappropriate posts, and report any instances of bullying to the school so it can be handled. For this the school must foster a safe and accepting environment in which the students feel valued and respected.