School responses to excessive internet use
While most excessive internet use will occur within the home, schools will often be in a good position to identify potential changes in the academic and social behaviour of students. They will also be more readily able to compare behaviour with peers than parents and carers. Schools are therefore in a good position to identify potential issues and raise them with students and parents.
Establishing a cybersafety team
Establishing a specific cybersafety team can greatly assist in implementing a holistic and consistent approach to cybersafety practices within the school, including how to support students experiencing issues with excessive internet use.
The cybersafety team leads cybersafety issues in the school, auditing schools policies and procedures and establishing and embedding new policies and procedures to enhance school-wide cybersafe behaviours. This is explored further in Policies and procedures.
Establishing a cybersafety contact person
It may be useful for schools to establish a cybersafety contact person to whom students can report online concerns. This role should be promoted to staff, students and parents and, ideally, would provide non-judgemental guidance to students and liaise between students and parents on issues concerning student safety and wellbeing. The student welfare officer may fulfil this role. The contact person may be a member of the cybersafety team explained in further detail under the Policies and procedures section of this website.
Educating students
Where a potential issue is suspected among a group of students, a class discussion can be useful to increase awareness of the potential risks of excessive internet use. Key questions could include:
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How do I balance my online activities with the rest of my life? Look at: life balance, healthy leisure activities in the real world versus the virtual world.
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How do I make choices or decisions that will help me use my leisure time wisely and keep healthy and safe? Look at developing an understanding of the need for a balanced lifestyle.
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How would I know if my friend was spending too much time online?
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What could I do to help a friend who was spending too much time online?
Educating parents
Building a partnership between parents and the school is imperative to effectively deal with problems involving excessive internet use. The school may wish to:
- provide access to the school counsellor or psychologist to assist families to resolve issues related to excessive internet use
- encourage parents to share any concerns with the school, providing details of the cybersafety contact person for parents.
Cybersafety information for parents is available in the Parents section of this website.
Internet Safety Awareness Presentations
As part of its Cybersafety Outreach program, the ACMA offers free general internet safety awareness presentations for parents, students and teachers. Each presentation is approximately 60 minutes, excluding question time.
These presentations are easy to understand, thorough, non-technical and informative. They cover a range of issues including:
- the ways children use the internet and emerging technologies
- potential risks faced by children when online such as cyberbullying, identity theft, inappropriate contact and exposure to inappropriate content
- tips and strategies to help children stay safe online.
Book an internet safety awareness presentation.
Professional Development (PD) for Educators
In consultation with key stakeholders and education bodies, the ACMA has developed a free and accredited Cybersafety Outreach—Professional Development for Educators (PD) program. The program is available as a full-day workshop or as 3 x 2 hour sessions and provides teachers with a comprehensive understanding of a modern student’s technology profile, digital literacy, positive online behaviour, personal and peer safety and the school’s and teachers’ legal obligations to minimise and address risks.
Book teacher professional development.