‘Staying Safe with ICT’
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Figure 1: Stand
With Malala @ ICT Discovery by ITU Pictures on Flickr;
Hi Parents and Caregivers of the Year 8 Community!
Hi Parents and Caregivers of the Year 8 Community!
My name is Fraser Sampson, and I am the new
teacher of the Year 8 Health & Physical Education class at Flinders High
School in 2017.
While a lot of our learning in Health & Physical
Education (H&PE) this year will occur outside and within the gymnasium, a
significant amount of learning will happen through the use of ICT (Information,
Communication and Technology) devices. This will include the use of school
computers, laptops, iPads, cameras and GPS watches.
So
what is the ICT capability?
The Australian
Curriculum summarise that the ICT ‘capability’ involves the process of
students learning to become efficient and effective users of digital
technologies, adapting to the constant evolution of technologies within
society, as well as protecting themselves against potential risks within the
digital world.
I plan to integrate ICT into lessons for a wide range
of educational purposes this year, including:
- Capturing
images and record video footage of practical lessons in order to improve
techniques and tactics within team and individual sports.
- Using iPads
applications to record statistics and track the movement and intensity of
individuals in practical lessons.
- Accessing
online educational videos and tutorials that will improve the quality of
learning and clarify learning concepts.
- Using
computers and laptops to create/analyse graphs and tables.
- Using the
Internet as a source of individual investigation into H&PE related concepts
(e.g. healthy eating, mental wellbeing, the human body).
Having these wonderful devices at our apparel
is extremely exciting, as they have the great potential to significantly engage
students and deepen their learning (Fu, 2013; Gillespie, 2014). However, in
order for these ICT devices to be continuously used to the advantage of students,
they must be used safely, responsibly and ethically. In the modern digital age, the
use of ICT devices (including personal mobile phones) poses a number of
potential risks to our students if safe, responsible and ethical measures are not
taken. These risks include:
-
Social Media
(issues surrounding the lack of personal privacy and protection)
-
Cyber
Bullying
- Sexting (sending or receiving nude or
partially nude photos or videos through the Internet or mobile phones).
-
Pornography
-
Gaming
(exposure to explicit content in video games)
The Australian Curriculum specifically
concentrates on developing effective digital citizens and consumers of
information, with a particular focus on ‘Applying
social and ethical protocols and practices when using ICT.’ This general
capability within the Australian Curriculum states that by the end of Year 8, students can:
“Recognise
intellectual property - apply
practices that comply with legal obligations regarding the ownership and use of
digital products resources
Apply
digital information security practices - independently
apply strategies for determining the appropriate type of digital information
suited to the location of storage and adequate security for online environments
Apply
personal security protocols - identify
and value the rights to identity, privacy and emotional safety for themselves
and others when using ICT and apply generally accepted social protocols when
using ICT to collaborate with local and global communities
Identify the
impacts of ICT in society - explain
the benefits and risks of the use of ICT for particular people in work and home
environments”
At Flinders High, our dedicated team of teaching staff is striving to install
positive habits within students and their interaction with ICT and the Internet.
Our aim is to align our teaching practices across all learning areas with the general capabilities (mentioned above) embedded within the Australian Curriculum.
We highly value the role of parents and
caregivers in the overall development of students. We are asking that you be
highly engaged in the ongoing ICT learning process both at school and at home.
To make this involvement easier, we have collaborated the following ten tips for
parents:
1) Make an effort to use the Internet together.
2) Create a set of rules or a contract for
Internet use in your home.
3) Promote an attitude and habit of being careful when
disclosing personal information online.
4) Discuss the risks surrounding meeting
online people in person.
5) Promote the need to be critically aware of
information found online.
6) Don’t be too critical towards your child’s
exploration of the Internet, however encourage them to reflect with you on what
they may accidently come across.
7) Report anything online that you may consider illegal
to the appropriate authorities
8) Aim to stamp out cyberbullying through
promoting respectful relationships
9) Allow your children to show you what they
like to do online
10) Always remember, the positive aspects of using
ICT outweigh the negatives.
I invite all parents and carers to be
actively involved in their child’s ongoing experiences with ICT, and I am happy
to answer and clarify any questions you may have on this topic via email, phone
call or in person. In addition, the following resources are handy in regard to keeping
school students safe, responsible and ethical when using ICT devices and the
Internet.
I look forward to working with all students,
parents and caregivers this year!
Fraser Sampson
Teacher of Year 8 Health & Physical
Education
Reference List (all other sources
have been hyperlinked)
Fu, J. S. (2013). ICT in education: A critical literature review
and its implications. International Journal of Education and Development
using Information and Communication Technology, 9(1), 112.
Gillespie, H. (2014). Unlocking learning and teaching with ICT:
Identifying and overcoming barriers. Routledge.
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