Thursday 12 September 2013


With the use of technology at an all-time high, it is crucial, now more than ever, that teachers take on the responsibility of educating students on safe, responsible and ethical ICT use. According to the findings of a study done in 2010, involving children between the ages 8 to 18, 93% have computers at home, 66% have a mobile phone, and 76% own other devices, such as iPods (Holladay, 2011). This makes it virtually impossible for children’s technological and internet usage to be monitored at all times, which is why it is essential that they be taught appropriate and acceptable methods of ICT use, in order to maximise the safety of all children. With the amount of time children spend in school, and the increasing importance of technology in the classroom, teachers not only play a vital role in the deterrence of cyber bullying, but also addressing ethical issues such as plagiarism.



As prescribed in Standard and Focus Area 4.5 of the Australian Curriculum, teachers must use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically. This is expanded in the points below, which were accessed through the Australian Curriculum website:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.
  • Incorporate strategies to promote the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.
  •  Model, and support colleagues to develop, strategies to promote the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.
  • Review or implement new policies and strategies to ensure the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.





According to Blake et al (2012), children’s use of technology, and the associated technological skills, is increasing at the fastest rate, often outdoing the capabilities of most adults. Because of this, it could be said that children may be more at risk of being exposed to cyber bullying. Cyber bullying, an increasing global concern, can be defined as “the sending or posting harmful or cruel text or images using the Internet (e.g., instant messaging, e-mails, chat rooms, and social networking sites) or other digital communication devices, such as cell phones”  (Feinberg & Robey, 2009). Being exposed to cyber bullying can have a number of negative emotional effects on a child, including a decrease in perception of self-worth and self-esteem.

As it is rare that a victim of cyber bullying will approach their teacher about the issue, it is important to look for the signs. Some of these include:
  •       Becoming withdrawn from school or social activities
  •       Sudden change in friendship groups
  •       Sleepiness and lack of focus
  •       Anxiousness or signs of distress


More signs of cyber bullying that teachers can look for can be found at:



Aside from educating students on ways to ensure cyber safety, it is also important that teachers make students aware of the ethics involved with ICT. A large aspect of this is the plagiarism of copyright material. A major cause of this could be that students are simply not educated enough about the issue, and are unaware of what they can and cannot use from the internet. Students must also be educated to use the internet in a responsible manner, including security aspects, such as secure passwords and the importance of password secrecy. Teachers must make sure students aware that anything they post on the internet may never in fact be deleted, which is why they need to know all the safety protocols. Creative Commons licences are a great way for students to safely share their information on the internet, which allows others to use, share and alter their content, and vice versa.


Access further information on Creative Commons from the following website:


Useful tips for teachers:

  • Work together with the school and community to form a zero tolerance of cyber-bullying, which students are well aware of.
  • Create awareness among parents on the issue of cyber safety.
  • Be approachable, so student’s who are having issues feel safe enough to confide in you, or encourage students to speak to someone else they can trust.
  • Incorporate safe, responsible and ethical ICT use within as many areas of the curriculum as possible, rather than teaching it as a separate issue only.
  • Ensure all ICT activities are age-specific and appropriate.


Useful websites:





References:
Feinberg, T. & Robey, N. (2009). Cyberbullying. The Education Digest, 74(7), 26-31.
Holladay, J. (2011). Cyberbullying. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 76(5), 4-9
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