Technology has irrevocably transformed the landscape of education. Tech elements like whiteboards, eLearning, virtual/augmented reality, and more have made learning more engaging, accessible, and personalised than ever before. However, exposure to the digital world also presents crucial challenges, making it essential to ensure that digital learners can navigate the online horizon safely.
An article from the Times of India reports that in 2020, there were 1,102 cases of cybercrimes against children registered, with Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka topping the list of states.
Additionally, according to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, there was a surge in cybercrime cases in 2022, with a jump of 24.4% compared to the number of cognisable offences registered the previous year.
The alarming rise in cybercrime highlights the importance of inculcating awareness among students from a young age so they can reap the benefits of tech integration in education and are safe while using technology.
Ensuring the cyber safety of students should come first in the ever-expanding digital world.
The article explores how to navigate the internet safely in the age of edtech, focusing on the opportunities and challenges of the cyber landscape.
The Cyber Landscape: Opportunities and Challenges
While educational technology (EdTech) offers many benefits, it also introduces new risks. These include:
Cyberbullying
The pervasiveness and anonymity of online platforms can lead to cyberbullying, harming students with lasting emotional and psychological scars.
Online predators
Malicious identities can exploit students’ naivety and trust online, leading to harmful interactions that can land students in dangerous situations.
Privacy concerns
The online world requires students to share personal information. This information can be misused and expose students at home to identity theft, targeted advertising, and even physical harm.
Inappropriate content
Unfiltered access to the internet can expose students to age-inappropriate material, potentially impacting their well-being and development.
Building a Culture of Cyber Safety: Empowering Learners
Navigating the digital world comes with its set of challenges. Creating a safe and responsible online learning environment can help students stay safe from digital threats and is a collective effort.
Here’s how educators, parents, and students can work together to navigate cyber safety in the times of digital education:
Fostering Awareness Through Open Communication
Awareness and communication can reduce the possibility of falling prey to various disasters, whether online or offline. If students can communicate comfortably and transparently with their parents/educators, they can stay safe in the digital world with the proper guidance. A few steps that you can consider are:
- Start early: Students today are born with digital DNA. It’s imperative that you start teaching them how to be safe in the tech era. Consider having conversations about cyber safety as early as possible, adapting the approach to the student’s age and understanding. For younger children, you can start with basic safety rules like not sharing personal information with strangers online. As they mature, they delve deeper into topics like cyberbullying, online privacy, and critical thinking. Here is a useful resource on how to help digital natives act responsibly.
- Create a safe space for dialogue: Encouraging open communication about online experiences allows students to express their concerns and seek help without fear of judgment. Make sure kids are comfortable sharing their online footprints with you. Teens are keen to make friends on social media and may want to meet their online friends in real life, too. Work on building relationships that allow young kids to share their online friendships with you. Ensure that they know they can come to you with any worries or questions they encounter online.
- Empower students: Equipping youngsters with the knowledge and skills to identify red flags, report inappropriate content, and navigate online challenges effectively can help them in the long run. You must teach them about solid password creation, responsible and ethical online behaviour, and how to be critical consumers of information online.
Collaborative Policy-Making
Policy-making is non-negotiable when moving to online and hybrid modes of education. Having the right policies in place and ensuring parents and students are well aware of them can help schools, students, and parents move safely online.
- Develop clear and comprehensive technology use policies: Policies that outline acceptable online behaviour, responsible device use, and reporting procedures for cyberbullying or inappropriate content must be in place for a quick course of action. Ensure the policies are designed in a manner that students from different age groups can understand, clearly communicate various aspects of digital safety to students and parents, and are readily accessible to all stakeholders.
- Educate parents and caregivers: Involve parents and caregivers in consistent cyber safe practices at home and school. A good way to raise awareness among the communities is through workshops and informative sessions that educate them about online risks, parental control tools, and how to support their children’s responsible online behaviour.
Here’s a guide on cyberbullying prevention that can help parents understand how to deal with such a situation at hand and identify the early signs if the child is at risk. - Leverage technology for good: Using parental control tools and filtering software can help. Implement these tools while remaining mindful of student privacy and fostering independent online learning skills. We recommend exploring browser extensions, apps, and device settings that offer control over internet browsing through content filtering, website blocking, and monitoring features.
Integrating Cyber safety into the Curriculum
Making cyber safety a part of the curriculum is the best way to equip students with healthy online habits. Integrating cyber safety into the curriculum ensures that they are mindful of their online activity and use technology for their benefit. Here’s how you can practice it:
- Make cyber safety an integral part of the learning process: Include age-appropriate lessons focusing on responsible online behaviour and practices, digital citizenship, and critical thinking skills. These lessons can be integrated into various subjects such as language arts, social studies, and computer science or be assigned standalone.
Here’s a resource for teachers to refer to on cyberbullying lesson plans. - Utilise interactive and engaging resources: Engaging games, simulations, and interactive activities can make learning about cyber safety fun and memorable. Platforms like “Cyberbullying Simulator” can help students experience different scenarios and practice responsible online responses.
- Promote critical thinking: Encouraging students to question the information they come across online, assessing its credibility, and identifying potential biases or misinformation is one way to make sure that students practice cyber safety. In a world of information overload, teaching students to identify what to keep and reject can be a great move towards healthy digital habits. Integrate digital literacy and research skills, empowering them to evaluate sources, verify information, and identify reliable online resources.
Building a Supportive Community
Students who experience cyberbullying go through immense emotional and psychological impact, and those who practice it need help, too. Building a supportive community can help students be surrounded by people who understand their struggles and offer them a supportive and judgement-free zone. Here’s how building a supportive community can help:
- Promote a culture of respect and kindness online: Students must be encouraged to have positive online interactions and practice responsible use of social media platforms. Teach them the importance of empathy, respect, and inclusivity in all online communication.
Check out this resource to learn about the best practices for protecting student privacy on social media. - Celebrate good digital citizenship: Acknowledging and rewarding students who contribute positively to the online community and demonstrate responsible online behaviour can help students build healthy online habits. This can be done through public recognition, awards, or incorporating digital citizenship into school grading systems. Using the same method on a class or grade level can also help students become mindful of their online behaviour.
- Seek expert or external support: Partnering with organisations or cyber safety experts who can provide resources and training for educators and parents can help.
Also Read: Tips For Parents To Guide Kids On Media Balance And Well-Being
Utilising EdTech Tools for Cyber Safety
With deeper tech integration in education, several edtechs are working towards creating a safe online world for students. These EdTech tools can support educators and parents in fostering cyber safety:
- Student monitoring software: These tools provide insight into students’ online activity, helping authorities identify potential harm or access to inappropriate content. A few popular tools include Securly or GoGuardian. However, emphasising transparency and responsible use of technology is the first step in ensuring students understand the purpose and limitations of these tools.
- Educational games and simulations: Platforms like Minecraft Education Edition and Roblox Studio can teach valuable lessons about online safety within gamified environments. Minecraft allows students to create safe online communities and practice responsible digital citizenship, while Roblox Studio provides opportunities to learn about online privacy and security through game development.
- Online safety resources: Numerous platforms offer informative and engaging resources on cyber safety for students of all ages. Consider websites like “Common Sense Media” or “ConnectSafely” for age-appropriate articles, videos, and interactive quizzes. Platforms like NetSmartz Workshop offer gamified learning experiences specifically designed to educate students about online safety.
By adopting a collaborative approach that integrates cyber safety education into the learning experience, we can create safer and more enriching online environments for students. This requires dedicated efforts from educators, parents, policymakers, and the EdTech industry. It is essential to develop a generation of responsible digital citizens equipped to thrive in the ever-evolving landscape of online learning. By equipping them with the knowledge and skills to navigate the online world safely and effectively, we can empower them to become responsible digital citizens, ready to explore, learn, and connect in a world increasingly shaped by technology.
