Becta information about E-Safety
"Becta leads the national drive to improve learning through technology.
We do this by working with industry to ensure we have the right technology
for education in place. We also support the education sector to make the best use
of technology so that every learner in the UK is able to benefit from its
advantages and achieves the best they can. "
"Alongside involving them in the development of internet safety policies
for school use of ICT, parents and carers (and the wider community) also have a
key role to play in creating a safe ICT learning environment outside of school.
By promoting internet safety at home, parents and carers can help to
reinforce the messages taught in school and help to equip their children
with the skills needed to use any technology they encounter safely."
"The term "digital native" is being applied to individuals who have grown up immersed in technology.
The opposite term is the "digital immigrant" those individuals that are trying to get to terms with
digital technology. A "digital native" will refer to their new "camera", a digital immigrant will
refer to their new "digital camera" "
Children and young people have embraced new technologies as a source of information, education and entertainment. A recent report claims that "the use of digital technology has been completely normalised by this generation, and it is now fully intergrated into their daily lives".
Children are exposed to ICT at an ever-younger age. Pre-school television programmes are often accompanied by website addresses. Home access to computers and the Internet is growing constantly, and so children's e-safety education should start as soon as these technologies are introduced.
Teachers and schools are bound by a wider duty of care to raise awareness of e-safety issues amongst children and young people. However, the development of e-safety strategies should involve everyone who has a stake in a child's education, from headteachers and governors to classroom teachers, parents and the pupil themselves.
Parents and carers have a key role to play in promoting e-safety at home. ICT offers the opportunity for children and parents to learn together, and e-safety is an excellent topic which can encourage home-school links.