Tag Archives: Cyberbullying

Safer Internet Day 2012

This Tuesday may well be just another day, but it is a day that we feel important to acknowledge…

Safer Internet Day is organised by Insafe each year in February to promote safer and more responsible use of online technology and mobile phones, especially amongst children and young people across the world.

This year, Safer Internet Day (SID) will take place on Tuesday 7 February 2012 and will be centred around the theme Connecting generations and educating each other, with the slogan: “Discover the digital world together… safely!”

About Connecting Generations

This topic looks at the reach of the online world across all generations and cultures and encourages families to work together to stay safe online. Whether you are 5, 40 or 75 years old, whether you use the internet once a month or several times a day – each person has something different to bring to the table that can help shape our online experiences and our understanding of online competences and safety. We all have a role to play in ensuring that every child is safe online.

Today our offline and online worlds are strongly connected, from families communicating via webcam with relatives and friends abroad to children doing their homework online. The online world is a unique arena where people of all ages can learn together and from each other, especially regarding online safety. Tech savvy youngsters can teach their elders how to use new technologies, while grandparents can draw on their life experiences to advise younger generations on how to stay safe online, as they discover the digital world together.

How to take part?

Visit saferinternetday.org for more information and to download SID promotional materials and resources.

Dealing with Inappropriate Comments on Rate My Teacher

Technology offers fantastic opportunities for children, young people and professionals. However, technology can be misused and this can be very painful for those who are targets of Cyberbullying.

Advice on ‘Rate My Teachers’

This is a global website where anonymous comments or ratings can be left for teachers by selecting the school where they teach. If anyone finds a comment that they find breaks the rules of the site or causes offence of any kind, you are able to remove this comment yourself immediately and it will be removed pending review. You can do this by ‘flagging’ the comment and selecting from a drop down menu why the comment does not follow the rules of the site.

You are able to do this without being a member of ‘Rate My Teachers’ or logging in to the site.  In Highland, it is still important to report this to the Head Teacher who may wish to notify Cyberbullying@highland.gov.uk

A specific support facility in Highland has been set up for those children, young people and staff who may find themselves targeted by Cyberbullying. Incidents of Cyberbullying should be managed according to the Cyberbullying Guidance and by using the dedicated email address Cyberbullying@highland.gov.uk

Teacher Support Scotland also have useful advice that can be found here

All education resources for ‘Internet Safety and Responsible Use’ in Highland including educating children and young people about the consequences of Cyberbullying are promoted through this Highland E-Safety site. You may wish to look at what can be done to create a culture within the learning community where everyone is advised and understands how to use the internet safely and responsibly using some of the recommended resources.

For further information in Highland please contact:

  • Louise Jones – Health Promoting Schools Manager
  • Jim Henderson – Virtual Learning Co-ordinator
  • Stewart Fraser – Legal Manager, Litigation and People


Using drama to support E-Safety education

A new play being toured in Highland secondary schools aims to teach pupils how to use the internet responsibly and avoid cyber bullying.

“The Cyber Room” presented by Eden Court Theatre’s Arts Education Department with The Highland Council starts today (22 Feb) in Grantown Grammar and Kingussie High and will tour other Highland secondary schools until 12 March.

The plot of the play has four 15 year-olds meeting in an internet chat-room. What brings them there? Are they all who they say they are?  Is the room really what it appears to be?  Is someone trying to manipulate the encounter?

This 50-minute play, with post-show discussion, deals with: internet safety and young people; bullying, identity, responsibility and friendship in an internet setting.

The key messages that the play aims to convey are: the importance of using the internet responsibly; to encourage pupils think more carefully about they are talking to online; and to know where they can report someone whose behaviour online is causing them concern.

Councillor Bill Fernie, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Committee said: “Raising awareness of cyber bullying in a non-threatening way through drama is a very commendable approach at getting the message across to young people.  I am delighted that this work through our Arts Links Officer, Lynn Johnson and Health Promoting Schools Manager, Louise Jones who is also supporting other initiatives and Cyber bullying Guidance that we introduced to staff at the end of last year.”

Cyberbuylling Guidance

This Cyberbullying Guidance has been designed to accompany the revised Highland ECS Anti- Bullying and Anti-Racism Guidelines and Procedures and should be read in conjunction with them.

A facility has been created to support professionals in managing incidents of cyberbullying in Highland, whether children, young people or professionals have been targeted.

The facility will have the capability to:

  • Monitor the incidence of Cyberbullying across Highland.
  • To track specific incidents.
  • To liaise with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the removal of material unless there are allegations of a criminal nature, in which case liaison with ISPs will be via the police single point of contact.
  • To provide advice, guidance and support where internal procedures are insufficient in dealing with high level incidents.

To download the Guide please click on the link below.

Final Cyberbulling Guidance.pdf

Online / Offline Gaming Advice – Ask About Games

gamingIncreasingly more and more favourite games are becoming available through online multi-player platforms, these can be great educational tools as well as just for enjoyment.

It’s one of the questions that comes up a lot on our E-Safety work to Parents / Carers and professionals, ‘How do you set controls and ensure safety’? So to have this new resource with practical tips, tricks and Q & A’s is incredibly helpful.

This UK site, www.askaboutgames.com really is a must have resource for professionals, parents/carers and players too. It’s got great advice on playing both on and offline games sensibly and is relevant for all ages and stages. There are downloadable pdfs of information sheets and I you can order hard copies of the credit card sized information booklets if you contact them or CEOP direct.