Internet Safety in the Classroom

The use of digital devices in the classroom is becoming more and more familiar. Therefore more safety precautions and training is needed to uphold e-safety, particularly for children when using the internet. Palfrey and Gasser (2008:2) describe the generation after 1980 as ‘Digital natives’, people and more specifically children of the population, who have been born into a digital world, resulting in them being constantly exposed and connected to the digital world thus connected by a common culture. The recognition of Palfrey and Gassers, Digital Natives is reflected in the new Primary National Curriculum, stating that the purpose of study and learning the subject computing is to ‘ensure that pupils become digitally literate... as active participants in a digital world’ (DfE, 2013: 178).

Ofcom (2013) highlights the magnitude of time primary aged children are spending on the internet weekly. The statistics expose 5-7 year olds are spending up to 6.7 hours a week, whilst 8-11 year olds are spending 9.2 hours online per week. These figures count for the time children are spending online at home and therefore could be doing so without guidance or suitable controls. Furthermore, research carried out by Livingstone and Bober (2005:3) shows that 46% of children have given out personal information to someone they have met online. Therefore the need for educating young pupils about e-safety is imperative for the amount of time they are using the internet alone and unsupervised.

Teachers play the principal role in providing a good education for children; they have the responsibility to ultimately empower children to handle problems that are likely to arise online (Palfrey and Gasser, 2008). This presents a demand on teachers to educate children so that they can effectively protect themselves online at school and at home. Moreover, Cohen, Manion, Morrison and Wyse (2010: 61) argue computers are not a substitute but a powerful tool which teachers can choose to use effectively to ultimately enhance learning. Not only does this emphasize the knowledge teachers are accustomed to know in order to improve and develop learning but the pressure they have to empower and educate children on a matter of such high importance alongside this.

The concern of e-safety does not stay within the school environment. Livingstone and Bobers (2005) findings illustrate that 75% of 9-19 year olds have access to the internet at home as well as 19% of computers being situated in private rooms. Therefore providing children opportunities to surf the internet at home and unsupervised, risks the exposure to accessible harmful material. Palfrey and Gasser (2008: 82) argue parents have the same responsibility as teachers, to aid Digital Natives in making good choices about their personal information whilst being online, especially sites such as social networks.Teachers only have the ability to supervise the use of the internet and devices at school and not at home. This can become an issue when schools find themselves dealing with cases of inappropriate behaviour online but outside of the school; this is a grey area as there is no clear statutory plan or approach in place for whether schools should intervene or not (Giant, 2013:27).

The charity, NSPCC, provides training, information and resources for teachers and parents on how to keep children safe online. This resource can be used as an important tool for teachers and parents to help children make the right choices online to keep them safe from the dangers the internet can expose. Katz (2012) highlights the urgency of providing support and advice for young and vulnerable people. Further, Kutz (2012, 116-117) provides a summary of e-safety programme elements which can be implemented by all schools to recognize the importance of e-safety and support this within each school ethos; including ‘educate parents’.

Cohen, L., Manion, L., Morrison, K. and Wyse, D. (2010) A Guide to Teaching Practice, 5th edition, Oxon: Routledge

Giant, N. (2013) E-Safety for the I-Generation: Combating the Misuse and Abuse of Technology in Schools London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers

Kutz, A. (2012) Cyberbullying and E-Safety: What Educators and Other Professionals Need to Know London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers

Livingstone, S. and Bober, M. (2005) UK Children Go Online: Final report of key project findings [online] London: Department of Media and Communication http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/28_04_05_childrenonline.pdf [Accessed 15th March 2014] http://www.nspcc.org.uk/help-and-advice/for-parents/online-safety/online-safety_wdh99554.html (Accessed 15th March)

Ofcom (2013) Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report [online] http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/media-literacy/october-2013/research07Oct2013.pdf (Accessed 15th March 2014)

Palfrey, J. and Gasser, U. (2008) Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives Basic Books: New York




Below is a link to Shirley Warrens, Year 4 animation video on e-safety. I think this is such a good example of using digital literacies to cover and educate others on an important topic. It provides a good link to the recurring concern, within this blog, to do with working online and how we can effectively educate and empower children to protect themselves online.


http://www.shirleywarren.co.uk/page/?title=E%2DSafety&pid=32