Supporting students to remain safe online requires a whole-school approach.
During 2020, schools and families have become even more aware of the importance of a comprehensive approach to online safety. When schools moved to learning from home, it became apparent where the strengths and opportunities lay when navigating the online space.
Schools quickly drew upon their existing policies, procedures and curriculum to support students, staff and families, recognising the need to adapt these for learning off-campus, while others recognised a need to address gaps in terms of their whole-school approach to online safety education. AISNSW continues to support schools with advice, resources and connections to the eSafety Commissioner, with whom AISNSW Wellbeing, Workplace Management and Student Services teams have a strong and ongoing relationship.
A strengths-based approach is important when providing online safety education.
Best practice online safety education
According to comprehensive research conducted by the eSafety Commissioner when creating their eSafety Schools Toolkit, best practice online safety education includes;
- Acknowledging student voice, rights and responsibilities in the digital age
- Supporting student risk and protective factors
- Enacting an effective whole-school approach involving all key stakeholders (students, staff and families)
- Integrating online safety education through explicit skills teaching through the curriculum e.g. Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE)
- Ongoing review and evaluation of a whole school approach
Curriculum
In PDHPE, content and skills related to online safety are included in a developmentally appropriate way from K-10. Driving the PDHPE curriculum are skills linked directly to social and emotional learning including self-management, self-awareness, responsible decision-making, relationship skills and social awareness. These skills drive teaching, learning and assessment. Skills related to eSafety education include problem-solving, help-seeking, empathy, resilience, respect, communication, advocacy and leadership.
Online safety skills embedded in the PDHPE curriculum drive teaching, learning and assessment.
Wellbeing
Schools are focused on belonging and connectedness and understand the importance of building positive relationships. This social capital provides a protective factor in terms of student resilience and wellbeing. Wellbeing approaches incorporate the teaching and rehearsing of social and emotional learning capabilities related to online safety education. Wellbeing initiatives support the teaching and learning of explicit teaching in PDHPE and when these two areas of the school collaborate for a coordinated approach to online safety education, the outcomes are always more effective.
A whole-school approach
The health, safety and wellbeing of all students is a shared responsibility and a supportive environment is enriched through a whole-school approach in partnership with families. This combined with a strengths-based approach is central to effective and proactive eSafety education for students, staff and families.
A strengths-based approach is important when providing online safety education through curriculum and wellbeing. In addition, a comprehensive and contextual whole-school approach is essential to ensure a positive outcome and the effectiveness of online safety education, in comparison to one-off events/external providers or one-size-fits-all programs.
In addition, a comprehensive and contextual whole-school approach is essential to ensure a positive outcome and the effectiveness of online safety education, in comparison to one-off events, guest speakers or one-size-fits-all programs.
A strengths-based approach important when providing online safety education through curriculum.
Advice provided in the eSafety Commissioner’s Toolkit of Schools encourages schools to consider and address the following aspects to ensure a whole-school approach to online safety education, each of which can contribute to creating safer online environments. This Toolkit was designed in consultation with education sectors nationally, AISNSW included.
- Prepare - online safety self-assessment tool, risk assessment tool, guidelines for social media use and incidents occurring outside of school hours
- Engage – supporting a whole-school approach that includes student voice and leadership
- Educate – proactive education for students, staff and families including curriculum, social media, staff wellbeing online and online safety incidents
- Respond – incident assessment tool, responding to incidents including explicit imagery, cyber abuse, those that target staff, supporting students, staff and families impacted by online incidents and a post-incident checklist.
To support a whole-school approach, there is an extensive range of no-cost, evidence-based curriculum and wellbeing resources are available via the eSafety Commissioner in addition to teacher professional learning, parent education support.
No-cost online safety training
In 2021, the eSafety Commissioner is offering no-cost new online safety training, specifically designed for school leaders. This 1.5-3 hour webinar training is aimed at primary and secondary principals, assistant principals, and teachers in senior leadership positions. If you would like to book training for your school leaders in 2021, contact outreach@esafety.gov.au
AISNSW Support
AISNSW Wellbeing Podcast series includes two relevant episodes related to eSafety education including a conversation with the eSafety Commissioner and another bringing PDHPE and Wellbeing approaches together.
AISNSW Wellbeing and PDHPE consultants provide schools with a range of informal and formal support in relation to online safety education. In addition to webinars, courses and in-school consultancy support, schools regularly contact the team for advice via phone and email.
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