The Internet Safety of Young Learners

1. Introduction

Acadsoc tutors are responsible for teaching young children and others in their own home. 
It is generally expected that a parent or responsible person will be in the home to ensure
the safety of the child, however, that cannot be guaranteed.  Acadsoc tutors owe a duty of
care towards the student, and indeed to themselves.

Acadsoc accepts the importance of safeguarding pupils from harmful and inappropriate
online material.  Acadsoc also accepts the importance of staff being able to recognize
harmful and inappropriate online behavior.

Such materials and behaviors include the concepts of identity protection; stranger danger;
exposure to inappropriate material; online predators; law and safety.

Acadsoc has identified three major risks related to internet safety for young learners:

 A child being exposed to illegal, inappropriate or harmful material.

 A child being subjected to harmful online interaction with other users.
 A teacher, or tutor, exhibiting personal online behavior that increases the likelihood
of, or causes, harm.

Acadsoc wishes to ensure that its tutors and teachers feel safe in themselves and promote
the safety of pupils.  By the end of this unit, the Acadsoc tutor will understand very clearly
what constitutes unsafe situations and have the knowledge and competence to keep their
pupils safe.

This unit will ensure that Acadsoc staff are confident in online safety, identifying and
responding to concerns.  Improved knowledge and understanding among its staff will allow
Acadsoc to regularly review and improve its e-safety policies and procedures.

2. Problems that can arise when teaching online

Safeguarding is a challenging topic, but one that has to be addressed by every tutor and
teacher.  We are using the internet to communicate directly with young children or
vulnerable young adults.  Each one of us has to have an awareness of potential problems
and be able to discuss and describe these. Teachers play an essential role in helping young
people learn the foundations of safe online behavior.  Being a role model for safe use of the
Internet should be part of a tutor’s everyday practice.
3. Potential Risks

Viruses and Malware

When you connect with a pupil via Skype or the Acadsoc Platform, you introduce the
potential for the delivery of various forms of malware.  If you send a file to a pupil or
student, that file may contain malware.  Malware takes many forms, some of which are
described here.

Clickjacking

This term is used to describe how fraudsters attempt to get your pupil to click on something
tempting.  This could be through a weblink you have sent to that pupil.

The result can be that your pupil downloads malware or they can be tricked into sharing
information.  Never send weblinks to a pupil which are not authorized by your TM.
There are many clever/funny videos available online that could help explain a language
point, but these should always be checked out before sharing.

Similarly, if a pupil sends you a weblink, then your responsibility is to exercise caution and
check before opening.

Privacy and Identity Theft

The internet is a continual jungle of attempts by bad people to gain trust of their target. 
Every internet user must be able to protect their privacy and their identity.  Fraudsters,
thieves, and other people will try and gain the trust of your pupils, perhaps through you. 
You must take care never to share personal information with your pupil beyond that
necessary for teaching.

4. Potential Risks cont.

Cyber bullying  is bullying that takes place over digital services like SMS, Text and apps, or
online in social media, forums, IM or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share
content.  Cyber bullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or
mean content about someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information
about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation.
Cyber bullying is the online equivalent of the bullying that takes place in the classroom,
playground or the street, but can have much worse effects.

Texting can be misused as a means of controlling another person by constantly sending

messages.

Sexting is when someone shares messages, images or videos of a sexual or sexually explicit
nature.  These messages can be about the users themselves or about others.

They can be sent using mobiles, tablets, smartphones, laptops - any device that allows you
to share media and messages. We use these devices, so be aware!

The Acadsoc Learning Platform  is a very restricted social network.  However, sometimes a

class will take place using other platforms such as Skype or QQ, where the purpose is to
introduce other options for pupils and tutors to develop their understanding and use of
social networks.

The policy of Acadsoc is to restrict this as far as is possible.

We encourage pupils to connect with Tutors for the purpose of learning English.  However,
there is the possibility that your pupil may meet another person online who are not who
they say they are. Grooming is a word used to describe people befriending children in order
to take advantage of them for sexual purposes.

5. Reflection Exercise

Take a moment to note down if you have ever come across one of these issues, either in
your life, or another’s or perhaps a movie or book.