Online Safety in the Virtual World

With the increasing popularity of Web 2.0 technologies such as social networks, the ubiquitous chat rooms and message services as well as other online products, it is encouraging to see that steps are being taken to advise children and young people about their online safety.

In the UK, The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) has designed some programmes to support teachers, parents and carers in this important area. The centre works to catch paedophiles, many of whom use the online products that have become popular with many children and young people.

The latest programme - Thinkuknow CyberCafe - is targeted at children aged 8-11 years of age and covers a wide range of internet and text related activities. This follows the successful launch and uptake of a similar programme targeted at young people aged 12 upwards in secondary schools. The website (registration required) also provides access to a resource area for teachers and others working with children and young people, with plans to introduce support materials for use with younger children.

Whist schools take many steps to eliminate access to inappropriate websites and material, there is always the concern amongst teachers, parents and that children and young people might access unsuitable material or participate in these online packages without realising potential dangers.

CEOP has produced a useful list of tips for children to follow:

• Don't give your real name on gaming sites
• Best not to have anyone on your IM (instant messaging) list that you don't know in the real world
• You can block people in IM and chat areas
• Best not to meet people you meet online, they might not be who they say they are
• Tell an adult you trust if an online friend asks to meet you
• Report a contact to CEOP if you think they might be an adult

There is no doubt that Web 2.0 technologies on the internet offer many creative learning possibilities for children and young people to explore and research a wide range of information as well as derive enjoyment through use of interactive learning activities. The challenge for educationalists everywhere is to provide and promote a safe environment and encourage anytime, anywhere learners to follow guidance so as to help protect themselves.

Succession planning

Whenever there is specific expertise amongst educators within any educational organisation, there is always the need to consider succession planning to ensure there is continuity of experience and provision for children and young people.

Over the past two years, we have selected and listed over 400 podcast channels in our podcast directory, over 80 from schools. During this time we have noticed some interesting trends. Many podcasts from schools are published on a regular basis; for example on either a weekly or monthly cycle. Some publish podcasts on an occasional basis whilst others produce a series of podcasts for just a limited period.

During a recent review of school podcasts listed in our directory, where podcasts were produced for only a limited period a number of factors emerged:

• podcasting was a short burst of activity related to a specific curriculum topic or development of ICT skills;
• the teacher with the expertise and/or interest in educational podcasting had moved on to another post (some may also migrate into education support services);
• podcast production relied upon expertise and support obtained from an external source;
• technical problems arose in producing podcasts or maintaining the necessary ICT infrastructure.

Of these, the most common factor was the teacher leaving the school - effectively taking the educational podcasting knowledge and expertise with them. This would seem to underline the importance of a policy for succession planning, especially for the small school or organisation. Whatever podcasting expertise there is amongst the staff team, some action to share this expertise more widely would seem a sensible option. For example:

• providing effective in-service or professional development of other teachers and adults;
• developing the confidence and expertise of the children and young people themselves.

Should we not be investing in effective succession planning strategies?