School responses to protecting personal information
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. It can also assist students in understanding and managing appropriate use of personal information online.
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 cybercafé 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.
Educating students
The Teacher resources section of this website provides age-appropriate resources to teach children about the appropriate use of personal information online.
Educating parents
Schools can direct parents to cybersafety information in the Parents section of this website. Schools may also like to include a reference to information about protecting personal information in their school newsletter.
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:
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the ways children use the internet and emerging technologies
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potential risks faced by children when online such as cyberbullying, identity theft, inappropriate contact and exposure to inappropriate content
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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.