Teachtoday provides information and advice for teachers, head teachers, governors and other members of the school workforce about the positive, responsible and safe use of new technologies.
Please let your colleagues know about this website or pass on this flyer about Teachtoday.
Good digital citizenship is “[not just] about recognising and dealing with online hazards. It’s about building safe spaces and communities, understanding how to manage personal information, and about being internet savvy - using your online presence to grow and shape your world in a safe, creative way, and inspiring others to do the same” (Source:
www.digizen.org)
With the internet, social networking, mobiles and other technologies now part of daily life for many of your students, you play a vital role in helping them to manage their digital spaces and develop their ICT, media literacy and social skills.
As Tanya Byron, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, comments in her ‘Safer Children in a Digital World’ report for the DCSF: “One of the strongest messages I have received during my Review was about the role that schools and other services for children and families have to play in equipping children and their parents to stay safe online.”
Furthermore, you want to know how to protect yourself online.
There’s lots of information about internet and mobile safety on the Web already, but we wanted you to have a single place that answers some of the specific questions you might have as a teacher or other member of the school workforce - whether you’re teaching five year olds or 18 year olds; whether you’re an ICT expert or a complete beginner.
Teachtoday was developed by some of the UK’s leading internet, social networking and mobile companies - many of whom are involved in the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) - in association with organisations including European Schoolnet, Becta, the teaching unions and the National Association of Head Teachers.
Where should I go first on TeachToday?
There’s a lot of information on the website, so we’ve divided it into the following sections:
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Teacher Advice offers guidance about how to protect your own privacy, safety and reputation online; maintain professional boundaries; and deal with incidents of cyberbullying against school staff.
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Student Advice offers advice about how you can promote the positive, safe and responsible use of new technologies to your students.
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Impact on Schools summarises what action your school can take in terms of developing policies and programmes related to new technologies.
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Technology Today provides an overview of some of the new technologies you and your students might come across.
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Case Studies gives you examples of cyberbullying incidents against teachers and other misuse of new technologies and provides advice about what action to take if something similar happens to you.
Throughout the Teachtoday website you’ll find links to teaching resources, such as lesson plans and videos, to support you in the classroom, as well as links to other websites where you can find further information, guidance and contact details.
Because the boundaries are blurring between the technologies used by students in primary schools and secondary schools, we haven’t segmented Teachtoday by age group. The lesson plans and other teaching resources we direct you to are defined by your students’ age, of course.
We’ve tried to cover lots of issues on the site but if you think we’ve missed something important, please let us know.
If Teachtoday makes you want to know more, talk to a senior manager, your school’s e-safety co-ordinator or your ICT department about courses you could take and other resources you could use.