This year I will be taking your students in one or more of my classes and am writing to inform you 

about how we will be using ICT in the curriculum and how I will teach the students the correct and appropriate way to act online. 

As part of the Physical Education curriculum for Year 10 students we will be studying a topic in which the students may come across explicit material. The topic is 'drugs in sport', and what the students are required for this topic is use online material in order to research about specific drugs used by athletes in sport. They must also complete a website explaining their opinions. I am writing to inform you this post aids as a resource for both parents and students to learn about how to use the internet in a safe manner. This task is formed aligned with the Australian curriculum program and aims to develop students knowledge and understanding about ICT.

“Students develop capability in using ICT for tasks associated with information access and management, information creation and presentation, problem-solving, decision-making, communication, creative expression and empirical reasoning. This includes conducting research, creating multimedia information products, analysing data, designing solutions to problems, controlling processes and devices, and supporting computation while working independently and in collaboration with others.

Students develop knowledge, skills and dispositions around ICT and its use, and the ability to transfer these across environments and applications. They learn to use ICT with confidence, care and consideration, understanding its possibilities, limitations and impact on individuals, groups and communities.” (ACARA 2015)

I believe it is essential for all students to be able to utilise the abundance of technology they are given and learn about the correct and appropriate way to use it whilst looking out for dangers such as copyright protection, plagiarism, cyber-bullying and more. Underneath this post you will find a variety of websites which can assist you to learn about these dangers.

NS Teenz: 

This is a website which enables the user the ability to learn about how to be safe online and uses a variety of animated videos, short films, games, and interactive comics to do so.  Being safe online is important to everyone, technology is always changing and there are always new ways for people to hack or access your data, learning how to be safe online is of increasing importance for everyone.

E-Safety

E-safety is a link to a website which outlines what to do if one finds themselves in circumstances of cyber-bullying. It has options for parents, students even teachers to take action against cyber-bullying and make a complaint where necessary.

Cyberwise

Is a website that makes it possible to learn about digital citizenship and what it means?

learn more about online safety, sexting, reputation management, privacy and cyber-bullying in order to help students embrace technology safely and wisely.

The Melbourne Declaration on the Educational Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA 2008) recognises that in a digital age, and with rapid and continuing changes in the ways that people share, use, develop and communicate with ICT, young people need to be highly skilled in its use. With this growing use of technology a need for higher education on the risks that are associated with using the internet is needed.

As an educator I have a strong belief in the need for technologies in the classroom and everyday life. We are living at a time where technology is rapidly increasing in capabilities and potential and it is important for everyone to understand this and adapt with it. By adapt I mean change their behaviors so that we are not foreign to regulations around technology and we are able to expand our skills in understanding technology.

I hope you have found this post helpful, if there are aany questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact me via e-mail or comment on the post, I will do my best to respond to you all.

Regards,

Mitchell Johnston