Our learners are online. Statista described the South African digital population in January 2022 as 41 million active internet users and 28 million active social media users. Providing all our learners young and old with internet safety information is extremely important. Tips and ideas should be discussed regularly with learners. Everytime you ask learners to pop into the web, remind them of being safe online. Encourage them to be wise and responsible digital citizens. Speak about considering others and being safe. Talk about how they respond to being bullied online, how to report it and who they might speak to.
Empower your children, to speak up and not be silent. Teacher them to be responsible digital citizens, in ALL their interactions on the web no matter who they interact with.
Encourage your learners to be kind, smart and safe digital citizens.
Years ago, I found a free IOs App called "Little bird's internet security adventure!" by Jim Mercado, Siobhan MacDermot and Marlo Garnsworthy (Authors), Tracy Spencer (Colourist). It is described as a tool to assist parents' beginning internet safety discussions with their children. It would also be a useful for teachers to use in internet safety lessons.
AVG's Siobhan MacDermott introduces Little Bird´s Internet Security Adventure
Internet safety picture puzzle for learners to complete, made using Puzzel.org
Internet safety crossword puzzle for learners to complete, made using Puzzel.org
Here are Commonsense Internet Safety lesson plans to explore, from pre-school to Grade 12.
In 2020 Google launched an Online Safety Curriculum Guideline for Life Orientation Gr 8-12, in collaboration with WCED in South Africa. The tips can benefit all Subjects using the internet and wanting to teach learners about online and internet safety and awareness. I was honoured to be part of the team.
Grade 8's theme - Being Safe Online
Grade 9's theme - Being a Respectful Digital Citize
Grade 10's theme - Being Smart Online
Grade 11's theme - Being a Resposible Digital Citizen
Grade 12's theme - Being Future Ready
Download a copy of the PDF here: https://tinyurl.com/LSOSCGBookPDF
My, Karen Walstra, Internet Safety Professional Development workshops can be found under Courses . If you would like the workshops personalised to suit the needs of your school let me know.
For those of you who are Purple Mash users explore the Safer Internet Day folder. Here are a few of the free, open-source resources.
Want to talk about it? is a PDF resource with many ideas.
Safer Internet Day assembly presentation - make a copy
Explore ideas of how you spend your leisure time or go on a technology treasure hunt
By teaching our learners about internet safety we are assisting in addressing UNSDG, such as Goal 4: quality education, Goal 10: reduced inequalities, Goal 5: gender equality, Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions, and Goal 12: responsible consumption and production.
Enjoy interacting and engaging with your learners about online safety and responsible digital behaviour.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards, Karen Walstra.
Resources
Statista (Jan, 16, 2023). Digital population in South Africa as of January 2022(in millions) https://www.statista.com/statistics/685134/south-africa-digital-population/#:~:text=South%20Africa%3A%20digital%20population%20as%20of%20January%202022&text=As%20of%20January%202022%2C%20there,percent%20of%20the%20total%20population.
AVG Technologies (n.d) Jim Mercado, Siobhan MacDermot and Marlo Garnsworthy (Authors). Little Bird´s Internet Security Adventure (PDF) http://aa-download.avg.com/filedir/fas/family-safety_little-bird.pdf
AVG Technologies (2012). "Siobhan MacDermott introduces Little Bird´s Internet Security Adventure" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seREJD06PAE
Puzzle.org links to the shared for your learners. The resources were made on Puzzle.org
Puzzle.org Internet safety picture puzzle https://puzzel.org/jigsaw/play?p=-NAaHde2l9UvCKzt3gfo
Puzzle.org Internet Safety Crossword https://puzzel.org/crossword/play?p=-NNXw5VaK4yyISOQRwOq
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