Supporting video material 14+

Many young people use mobiles and the internet to connect and communicate with their peers and be entertained.
Some young people play online games and access chat rooms in virtual worlds.
Many young people share videos, music, pictures and upload their own content.
They are becoming more critical and selective in their interactive interests and activities.
Young people cannot imagine living without technologies; they see them as enablers to their personal, academic and social lives.
They enjoy a variety of activities on the internet, have email accounts and many have two or more social networking profiles.
At these ages, they are very independent in their use of technologies and many have a computer or laptop with an internet connection in their bedrooms.
Young people are more dependent upon using computers at school to support their learning and they use the internet for school work using a range of information sites.

Social networking services and mobile phones are the main ways in which young people organise their social lives and keep in touch with a large group of friends, family and online contacts.
Some young people are more selective about online contacts and ‘friends’ than younger Young people.
Some young people are aware of how to keep their profiles private and how a digital reputation is developed.
Social networking services are also used for collaborative school projects.
Social networking is used to enhance rather than replace face to face interactions.

Many young people have developed effective strategies for keeping safe.
Young people are becoming aware that they are responsible for their behaviour online and when communicating via mobile telephones.
Many young people have developed effective strategies to keep their personal information private.
Young people are becoming more aware of the legal and ethical issues surrounding downloads, sharing files and communicating respectfully.
Young people are becoming more aware that virtual actions have real life consequences in their social lives.

The importance of schools developing cyberbullying programs, policies and Codes of Conduct which are published widely for the school community.

How teachers and students can work together to create Codes of Conduct and policies using existing groups and committees or establishing new ones.
How schools can maximise the potential of using technologies in their teaching programs.
How schools can utilise the ICT competencies of their students to realise the potential of technology to enrich the teaching programs.
How professional learning opportunities can assist educators in keeping current with technologies which can be used for educational purposes.
The importance of creating a partnership between the school and parents in relation to technology use, policies and procedures.
The role schools play in informing their students about cybersafety issues such as privacy, digital footprints and the impact on their reputations, and ethical and responsible use of technologies.

Last updated : Friday, October 09, 2009