News - Free internet safety workshop targets teachers

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Free internet safety workshop targets teachers

Source By Staff Writer - IT Web
1 year ago

Local Life Orientation teachers are invited to participate in a free online summit that aims to equip educators with knowledge and skills they need to keep learners safer online. An initiative of online safety and social media organisation MySociaLife, the Digital Life Skills Summit takes place today, from 3pm to 5pm. The two-hour mini-summit will share five presentations on where learners and schools currently find themselves, and how they can chart a new path towards 'digital citizenship'. Insights will also stem from two GenZ speakers, according to a statement. As part of the summit, MySociaLife notes educators will be provided with insights on how not to get left behind. They will also learn how to shape a more aware digital culture that presents the spectrum of challenges that come with an explosive world of learning, messaging and communication, browsing, gaming and entertainment. “Porn 2.0, sextech, sextortion, a mental health crisis, distraction or focus issues, sleep disruption, ChatGPT, exposure to the news such as Ukraine war or local crimes, changing app settings and privacy concerns, cyber hacks and gaming fraud − these are now regular challenges to face if you're an adolescent online,” says Dean McCoubrey, founder of MySociaLife. “The end result is the development of critical thinking online, greater online safety awareness and real digital empowerment for their students.” MySociaLife partners with schools to provide online safety and digital life skills education around SA. Its programmes are aimed at learners in classes from grades four to 11. According to the organisation, kids are being exposed to more and more online, post-COVID. Referencing a survey conducted by Dell, MySociaLife notes 37% of Gen Z participants felt school education did not equip them with the digital life skills needed in this day and age. “This is one of the biggest problems we faced on Safer Internet Day this year − very little exposure on these issues. In SA, we are failing kids in online safety, and we’re failing them in educating them for the future,” McCoubrey comments. “The great obstacle is getting kids to relate and buy-in. We recently launched a social media current affairs show, called OneLife, that’s specifically designed to help teens successfully navigate the digital world they live in.”