What to teach to Avoid Problems Online

As an educator, one simply can’t introduce students to the internet without educating them on how to be safe while exploring the world wide web; but that’s what many teachers do anyway. 

How To Keep Students Safe Online

Technology is a beautiful thing. It breaks down barriers and brings minds together in ways that were unthinkable less than 50 years ago. The world of technology can also be dangerous when it comes to students and the internet. A few slip ups can place a child in real danger.

What is Online Safety?

“Online safety” is a term that gets thrown around a lot when dealing with students and the internet. However, it’s often misinterpreted. It would be more beneficial to describe what online safety is not, before we delve into what it truly is.

Too often educators use these means in order to keep their students “safe.” In reality, those educators are causing their students to use things like proxy websites and other nefarious means to reach the sites they want. This is not safety.

There is an old Chinese proverb that reads: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” The concept is the same here. Blocking and restricting websites doesn’t do anything good for students in the long run, but teaching them how to be safe online enables them to practice good habits for their entire life.

The Internet is one of the greatest tools on the planet for enhancing student learning. It is a smorgasbord of information waiting to be devoured by hungry minds. However, it can also be a dangerous place where students find themselves alone and uneducated about how to handle tricky situations. 

3 Tips for Educating Students About Online Safety

1. Get parents involved. 
2. Provide resources to students. 
3. Create Scenarios.