So much of our learning is now in the digital domain, and as teachers at primary and post-primary levels, we have a responsibility to our pupils to help and guide them to become safe, empowered, and active participants online.
As teachers, however, it can become increasingly difficult to stay current with the information and understanding of key initiatives that are shaping the digital experiences of children and young people. Events like the recent Safer Internet Day help, and as a follow-on from this year’s event in February, a largescale MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) launched on March 11th and runs until April 17th.
This course will also explore the ways in which teachers and schools can help to protect and promote children’s rights in a digital world. It will also look at how education can empower children and young people with the necessary skills and competences for the digital decade and explore methods to encourage all youth to actively participate in shaping a better and safer internet.
Teachers can register to access the course here and can follow the course at their own pace. One module will be opened at the beginning of each week.
The course is targeted at primary and secondary school teachers of any subject. Other educational professionals and stakeholders, such as heads of schools, school support staff, and policymakers with an interest in this topic, would also benefit.
The course aims:
- To understand the rights of all children and how these apply in their digital lives.
- To identify the skills and competences needed for youth to be safe, healthy, and positive online.
- To become familiar with key EU policy initiatives, such as the European strategy for a better internet for kids (also known as the BIK+ strategy) and the Digital Services Act (DSA), and identify ways in which this will affect the digital experiences of children and young people.
- To consider the roles that schools, educators, and families play in raising awareness, developing competence, and encouraging active participation.
The course has 4 modules in total;
- Module 1: Understanding children’s rights in a digital world opens on 11/03/2024
- Module 2: Identifying online risks and creating safe digital environments opens on 18/03/2024
- Module 3: Empowering children and young people through digital skills and literacy opens on 25/03/2024
- Module 4: Supporting youth to participate and innovate opens on 01/04/2024