Within this week’s class of Digital Technologies we focused on a movie making app called iMovie, to create a movie based around internet safety. We also looked at different quizzes and videos we can deliver to children to highlight the importance of staying safe online. As Safer Internet Day was last week, I feel as though this was perfect timing to look at what we can do as student teachers to raise awareness of children staying safe online.
We were made aware of the different resources there are in place to deliver to children about internet safety. We engaged with a quiz as a whole class which involved ten questions, and each question had four different answers to choose from. I feel as though this type of exercise would be very beneficial to carry out with any age group ranging from primary one to seven as it can both introduce children to staying safe online or reiterate the knowledge they already have. If I carried out this type of quiz with a class, it would make me more aware if any children are still struggling to see the dangers of being online based on the answers they are giving. I would then make sure I carry out more lessons based around internet safety, such as letting them watch videos like the one we watched in class on Glow called ‘thinkuknow.’ This would allow them to see clearly what to do if something happened online that made them feel in danger, such as speaking to a parent or teacher. I am very aware that children even after receiving information on staying safe online may come in contact with trouble online, therefore I feel as though it will be my job to highlight to them what to do if this ever happens. Such as blocking people, making their social medias sites private and not sharing high levels of personal information. The importance of telling children points such as this is highlighted by (Beauchamp, 2012, p60) when he stated that “The most successful schools… in terms of e-safety ensured that pupils knew what to do when things went wrong.”
I feel strongly about teaching children of the benefits using technology effectively has as well, such as how it raises attainment in different areas across the curriculum (The Scottish Government, 2015). It is absolutely necessary that children in the 21st century are digitally literate so that they can communicate effectively in society through the use of technology such as mobile phones, iPads and tablets etc. Digital literacy has a wide range of different benefits such as how children are able to think critically, highlight what information is beneficial and what is not, and be creative. Apps such as iMovie allows movies to be created for all different purposes, it can include text, videos, pictures, music etc. This week I worked with a group to make a movie based around internet safety, our story ‘BEar SAFE!’ which won ‘best script’ at our movie day was based around the fact that not everyone online is who they say they are, this would highlight to children to only have close friends and family on their social media sites. We made a plan of what we wanted to happen within the movie, and we all had different roles to make sure it came together successfully. Therefore, some of us edited the movie whilst others created Instagram accounts which was the site our movie was based on. Our story was about a bear who thought he was speaking to a unicorn, however, it was really a werewolf! Thankfully, the bear remembered all that he had previously been told and blocked the werewolf when he asked to meet up. Children watching this would be able to see the dangers that could have happened if they had of met up, as he was completely different to what he said he was. I feel as though iMovie would be a very good app for children to create movies themselves on, whilst linking it to internet safety, as through this they would discuss as a group different outcomes that can happen if you are careless online. This giving children the opportunity to engage with digital storytelling in a unique way to include their self-expressions as stories (Porter, 2004).
I can extend my knowledge of how to use digital technology to communicate with others and I am aware of ways to keep safe and secure. – TCH 1-03a
I can explore online communities demonstrating an understanding of responsible digital behaviour and I’m aware of how to keep myself safe and secure. – TCH 2-03a
I can persuade, argue, explore issues or express an opinion using relevant supporting detail and/or evidence. – LIT 2-29a
These Curriculum for Excellence outcomes relate to children of all ages being taught how to stay safe online, and therefore afterwards they are able to take forward their knowledge. Children being given the opportunity to work on apps such as iMovie, increases their literacy skills also.
Overall, this week’s class allowed me to identify ways in which I can deliver lessons around internet safety such as letting children carry out quizzes and watch videos. Creating a movie on iMovie myself and also letting children create their own is another great way of letting children explore what can happen online if they aren’t safe. Therefore, making movies themselves should hopefully enable them to make the correct choices online. As a student teacher I am now fully aware that the best way children will learn about an area such as this, is to be educated instead of feeling like they are being given into trouble. However, as I mentioned it is important that children are also made aware of the benefits technology has, such as how being digitally literate raises attainment in a range of different subjects across the curriculum.
References:
Beauchamp, G. (2012) ICT in the Primary Classroom: From Pedagogy to Practice. Pearson.
Porter, B. (2004) Digi Tales: The Art of Telling Digital Stories. Bernajean Porter Publication.
The Scottish Government (2015) Literature Review on the Impact of Digital Technology on Learning and Teaching. [Online] Available: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/24843/1/00489224.pdf [Accessed: 13 January 2018]
