Online Safety for G1 - 3 - Hectors' World!

Often we are asked how we teach digital safety online.  Digital safety is part of responsible digital citizenship which is included as part of the SFS essential competencies. It is normally covered as part of the RUA (Responsible Use Agreement) and as part of lessons that incorporate the internet.  We also have discrete lessons that deal with this.  It is also a crossover area with school counseling.

This year Ms Park (ES Counselor) and Ms Carpenter (Digital Learning Coach and Counseling Intern) have teamed up to cover this topic.  We are trialling an award winning program from New Zealand called Hector's World.  It follows the animated adventures of Hector the Dolphin and his friends, as they explore some of the exciting opportunities that technology brings, while at the same time, learning about being safe and responsible cyber citizens.

If you like, you can look at the episodes yourself or with your child online at Hector's World.  The site also has some great resources in a specially dedicated area for parents.

The students are really enjoying the episodes and they have been a great launching point for discussions - not just about safety, but about who we can trust.  One of the most important concepts that our students have been learning is that if something happens online that worries or upsets them, they should seek help from a trusted adult.  Other concepts we have covered include learning to recognise when something does not feel right, and the importance of only sharing personal information with people we can trust.

Grade 4/5 students are also visiting some online safety and digital citizenship lessons at present, but these are using a different resource.  More about that to come!