EDUC3628

Assignment 2: Blog Post

URL to Wiki Blog Post:

https://flo.flinders.edu.au/mod/ouwiki/view.php?id=2093637&user=98878

Dear Parents/Carers,

Over the course of Year 9, students will be exploring the safe, ethical and responsible use of ICT within
the general capability (GC) of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Students will
complete a Digital Citizenship program, which consists of a variety of online resources, learning
activities, interactive discussions and educational games and videos. It is essential that as a
parent/carer you understand potential online risks, the school’s expectations of online behaviour as
well as how to best assist your child’s learning (Bartlettet al., 2015).

Students will be working towards developing their understanding of the following specific capabilities
from the Australian Curriculum:

Applying Social and Ethical Protocols and Practices when using ICT:
• Recognising intellectual property;
• Apply digital information security practices;
• Apply personal security protocols; and
• Identify the impact of ICT in society
(Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2018)

Developing these capabilities is important for ensuring your child’s safety online and to prepare
them for a digitally rich future (Collins, 2018).

Why is digital citizenship used to help teach the safe, ethical and responsible use of ICT?
Digital citizenship has the ability to empower adolescents to positively engage with digital technology,
to understand their online world and choose consciously (O’Brien & Stavert, 2011). The rules of
being a good digital citizen are consistent with those of being a good citizen in real life (O’Brien &
Stavert, 2011). Digital citizenship focuses on helping adolescents to understand that they have the
power to shape their online community, encouraging them to behave more responsibly (O’Brien &
Stavert, 2011).

“DQ 8 Skills Wheel” by Mulhallsueis licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Principle 1: Engage Positively with Digital Technology
Students will know how to practice their rights and responsibilities as a digital citizen; respect others
rights and understand how to respond in order to protect themselves online (Officer of the eSafety
Commissioner, 2018).

Apart of respecting the rights of others is recognising intellectual property (GC), as plagiarism is
stealing another person’s creative content (Collins, 2018). Students will learn how to legally download
online material through using sites such as Pixabay (Collins, 2018). Students will be educated about
creative commons (CC) licence, as it allows students to share their work and legally reuse content
online (Collins, 2018). Students can easily locate content that can be shared, used and modified using
the following website: http://search.creativecommons.org/.

“Creative commons license spectrum” by Shaddimis licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Also link to Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/en/folder-arrow-download-www-signs-967224/.

[Please have a look at both sites and use at home as well]

Whenever students are unsure about licensing, they will be taught to ask permission before using
another person’s work (Collins, 2018). Students also learn to apply personal security protocols
(GC), when they must ask permission before tagging others in online material/images in order to
protect their rights, privacy and emotional safety. Apart from that, other ways students can engage
positively with digital technology is by reporting offensive or illegal content, not participating in any
illegal activities such as e-Crimes (sexting, impersonation, intimidation and harassment), standing up
to cyberbullying (repeated online behaviours that cause psychological harm to others) by blocking and
reporting any incidents and communicating with parents/careers about upsetting online experiences.
(Officer of the eSafety Commissioner, 2018)

Principle 2: Understand Their Online World

Apart of this is knowing and managing online risks more effectively.

To do this, students will learn to apply digital information security practices (GC) to protect their
personal information. As a significant threat to adolescents’ online safety is using weak passwords,
students will learn to create strong passwords. One strategy to achieve this, is to substitute numbers
and symbols in place of letters or to incorporate the site name in the password (Collins, 2018). Other
strategies include installing anti-viruses, running regular scans, ensuring browsers and operating
systems are up to date and avoiding the use of open Wi-Fi (Collins, 2018). Students will also
understand the risks of disclosing information to online services that often require personal details.

During the Digital Citizenship program, students will learn to recognise scams (Collins, 2018). One
strategy to identify potential scams is to ignore the email and enquire further on the business’s
website or to copy/paste the email into google and see whether it has been recognised as a scam
(Collins, 2018). Apart from this, understanding how to protect their online footprint (the traces that
they permanently leave of themselves online for the world to see) is another significant aspect of
knowing their online world (Collins, 2018). Students will understand that in order to have a positive
online footprint they need to act responsibly i.e. use appropriate language and images, create
appropriate usernames and email addresses, etc.

Lastly, students can identify the impact of ICT in society (GC) through knowing their online world. For
example, the increase of screen time among 13-14 year olds may lead to health issues, as the excessive
time spent online may be at the expense of other important activities such as physical activity,
socialising and consolidation of learning (Collins, 2018). Therefore, one key aspect of responsible and
ethical use of ICT is monitoring time spent using technology (Collins, 2018).

Principle 3: Choose Consciously

Apart of the Digital Citizen program is helping students to choose consciously- privacy and security
settings as well as online friends (consider online threats i.e. fake accounts and predators) (Officer of
the eSafety Commissioner, 2018).

Students will Develop these Capabilities through Meaningful Online Activities:

Activities to help student learn to use ICT safety, ethical and responsibly will mostly take place online.
An example of the different types of learning activities are shown below:

Online resources

https://www.commonsense.org/education/lesson/copyrights-and-wrongs-9-12
Online learning activities

http://www.digitalcitizenship.nsw.edu.au/Sec_Splash/index.htm#

Educational games and videos

http://www.digitalcitizenship.nsw.edu.au/Sec_Splash/index.htm

There will also be regular, open discussions/debates about all aspects of digital citizenship in order to
consolidate learning.

Learning to use ICT must take place online, otherwise it would be like learning
to drive but never getting in the actual car…

Strategies to Support Your Child Learn the Safe, Ethical and Responsible Use of ICT:

• Learn about digital citizenship/cyber safety and be a role model of positive online behaviour at
home (shared high expectations) (KidsMatter, 2018);

• Use this knowledge to encourage regular and open discussions about:

 Online threats and the need for basic safety rules;
 Importance of password security;
  Importance of copyright and the meaning/ethical issues of plagiarism;
 Online experiences;
 Cyber safety and cyber bullying, etc.

• Monitor your child’s online activity/how much time they spend online (Collins, 2018). Could use a
timer or a timetable that allows your child to use technology for a certain amount of time on
each task (Collins, 2018);

• Make sure your child does not share their private information with anyone. Help your child to create
strong/memorable passwords and to set up security/privacy measures on social media.

• Use parental controls and other filters/technological tools (i.e. Ad Blocker) that assist in reducing
exposure to harmful material/inappropriate online sites (KidsMatter, 2018);

• Ensure that anti-viruses and operating systems are up-to-date and teach your children to never
open any emails from unknown senders (Collins, 2018; KidsMatter, 2018);

• Support your child to develop online relationships with peers that are positive and respectful
(KidsMatter, 2018);

• Recognise their achievements of positive online behaviour and provide support through
mistakes/challenges (KidsMatter, 2018);

• Treat them fairly and develop a trusting relationship (KidsMatter, 2018);

• Discuss ways to manage negative or harmful behaviours. Help your child to report any behaviour
online and to an adult that would not be acceptable in the real world i.e. cyber bullying and
harassment.

• Explain that online safety is just as important as their physical safety.

With ongoing communication, we can establish high expectations for ICT use,
that are shared both at school and home (Bartlettet al., 2015).

Links to Other High Quality Resources:

• Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner
• Common Sense Media
• Get Safe Online
• Digital Citizenship NSW
• Cyberwise
• Connect Safely
• Bullying - No Way!
• Google Safety Centre
• NS Teens
• Be internet awesome
• Unlock Media Literacy
Reference List:
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2018) Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) Capability. Retrieved from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-
curriculum/general-capabilities/information-and-communication-technology-ict-capability/.

Bartlett, B., Curry, C., Dock, T., Huxley, M., MacGibbon, A., Purcell, M., Weerasooriya. C., & Yorke. S.
(2015). Digital Citizenship. ACT Education Directorate. Retrieved
from http://www.education.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/830463/Report-of-the-School-
Education-Advisory-Committee-Digital-Citizenship-.PDF.

Collins, P. (2018). Week 2- Student Focus: Safe, Ethical and Responsible Use of ICT [Lecture PowerPoint
slides]. Retrieved
from https://flo.flinders.edu.au/pluginfile.php/3168653/mod_resource/content/0/EDUC%203628%
20Lecture%20Week%202%20-
%20Safe%2C%20Ethical%20and%20Responsible%20Use%20of%20ICT%20Student%20Focus.mp4.

KidsMatter (2018). Helping Children with Online Safety. Retrieved

from https://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/node/5000.

Officer of the eSafety Commissioner. (2018). Digital Citizenship. Retrieved

from https://www.esafety.gov.au/education-resources/classroom-resources/digital-
citizenship/engage.

O’Brien, T., & Stavert, B. (2011). Creating good digital citizens.In A. Méndez-Vilas (Ed.), Education in a
Technological World: Communicating Current and Emerging Research and Technological Efforts(pp.
115-119). Spain: Formatex Research Center.