Are you teaching online safety practices in your classroom yet? Now more than ever, online safety is an imperative skill for students to learn, especially at the elementary and middle school levels. With our reliance on technology at home and school, it is essential to equip young learners with the knowledge and skills they need to protect themselves online. Today, Mobile Ed is providing ideas and strategies to help keep teachers and students safe online.

We as educators play a significant role in guiding students as they learn to navigate the internet safely. The reality is that students as young as Pre-K and Kindergarten are accessing the internet daily, and they may not know how to use it in a healthy and safe way. You may even be overwhelmed with knowing where to start regarding online safety practices. With cell phone use at an all-time high, cell phone policies are another ballgame we’re trying to win. Regardless, the exposure our students are getting to online spaces every day makes them susceptible to online danger, bullying, hacking, and more. 

What is Online Safety?

To get started, and before diving into specific strategies, it's important for teachers to review and understand the various aspects of online safety. These include:

1. Personal Information Protection: Teaching students not to share personal information such as their full name, address, phone number, or school name online.
2. Cyberbullying Awareness: Helping students recognize and deal with cyberbullying.
3. Safe Social Media Use: Educating students on the appropriate use of social media platforms.
4. Recognizing Unsafe Content: Teaching students how to identify and avoid inappropriate or harmful content.
5. Password Security: Emphasizing the importance of strong, unique passwords.

Online Safety for Teachers  

Making sure that we are taking our own advice is the first part of internet safety for teachers. With hacking increasing in number and scale, protecting ourselves from scams is critical. Fraud, data breaches, and identity theft can be life-altering, damaging, and hard to navigate. We are not only maintaining our personal information but also the personal information of students and families. Protect yourself and your classroom by following common safety practices such as: 

1. Share personal information with caution.
2. Double (or triple)-check your sources of information.
3. Prioritize password strength. 
4. Implement multifactor authentication. 
5. Refrain from clicking on suspicious links.
6. Avoid public Wi-Fi networks. 
7. Back up your data consistently. 

Also consider completing additional courses to better prepare you, such as the Microsoft Digital Citizenship course for educators K-12. 

Strategies for Teaching Online Safety

There are several ways we can teach online safety in our classroom, so don’t feel overwhelmed. There is a right strategy for every classroom. After testing a few out, we are confident that you’ll be able to find the strategy most beneficial to you and your students. 

1. Interactive Lessons and Activities

Engaging students with interactive lessons can make online safety more relatable and memorable. Here are a few websites that provide educational and interactive games for students:

• • Safe Online Surfing – A video-game-style website run by the FBI to teach students 7-13 about online etiquette and avoiding scams. 
  • Privacy on Patrol Squad – Free educational quizzes focusing on data privacy and protection. 

• • Interland – An educational game made by Google to help teach kids about a range of online safety concerns, it has lessons on cyberbullying, phishing, data protection, and more. 
  • That's Not Cool – Interactive games for ages 13 to 18 focusing on keeping safe and healthy relationships and friendships online.

2. Incorporating Technology

Integrate technology into your lessons to give students hands-on experience with online safety. Programs like Google's Be Internet Awesome or Microsoft's Digital Citizenship curriculum provide comprehensive resources to teach online safety. You can also use software that includes safety features to protect students while using technology in your classroom, so students learn by using tools designed with security in mind.

3. Classroom Discussions

Regular discussions about online experiences can help students feel more comfortable talking about their online activities and concerns. Consider dedicating time each week or month to discuss students’ online experiences and any issues they may have encountered. You could also invite experts to speak to your students, such as local law enforcement officers or cybersecurity professionals, to talk about online safety. 

4. Parental Involvement

Parents play a crucial role in reinforcing online safety at home. Get parents involved by Teachers can organize workshops to educate parents on how to monitor and guide their children's online activities. If needed, you may consider providing parents with resources and tips on online safety. This could include handouts, newsletters, or links to useful websites.

5. Creating a Safe Online Environment in the Classroom

Ensure that the online tools and platforms used in the classroom are safe and secure:

• • Privacy Settings: Teach students how to use privacy settings on social media and other platforms.
  • School Policies: Familiarize students with school policies regarding technology use and the consequences of unsafe online behavior.
  • Monitoring and Reporting Tools: Use tools that allow for monitoring of student activity and provide easy ways for students to report issues.
    

6. Using Real-Life Examples

Use real-life stories and examples to illustrate the importance of online safety. Discuss case studies of cyberbullying or identity theft to show the real-world consequences of unsafe online behavior. Share news stories about online safety breaches and discuss how they could have been prevented.

Conclusion

Teaching online safety is an ongoing process that requires dedication and creativity. By using interactive lessons, incorporating technology, facilitating discussions, involving parents, creating a safe classroom environment, empowering students, and using real-life examples, K-8 teachers can effectively guide their students toward safe online behavior. As students grow more accustomed to the digital world, these foundational lessons will help them navigate it safely and responsibly.

For more tips for teachers, follow the Mobile Ed Blog here.