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Understand this Curriculum connection

Online safety

Introduction

The Curriculum connection: Online safety shows educators where online safety education is embedded across the curriculum. Teachers may make additional connections that best suit their school contexts.

 

For today’s students, many aspects of daily life take place in a combination of online and offline environments. The prevalence of portable devices such as smartphones, together with the rapid change in digital tools and emerging technologies, creates new challenges and risks for today’s young people. It is important that children and young people have an extensive knowledge of online safety in different contexts and situations to help support their learning, relationships and future work. 

 

For all year levels, online safety is most explicit in Health and Physical Education, Digital Technologies, and Media Arts. The skills and behaviours for online safety are often addressed more holistically in other learning areas.

Purpose

The purpose of this curriculum connection is to:

  • guide educators to identify content in the Australian Curriculum that ensures online safety education is embedded, ongoing and integrated across learning areas
  • connect educators to interdisciplinary resources and training that have been developed to support online safety education.

Effective online safety education: 

  • is strengths-based and builds on students’ capacity to protect themselves and others online
  • balances young people’s rights to enjoy the benefits of being online with avoiding online harm
  • is one part of a whole-school approach to helping young people have safe, positive experiences online
  • is part of a national approach to helping Australians have safe, positive experiences online.

Things that schools can do to support students include:

  • ensuring students have access to regular, up-to-date, comprehensive online safety education from F–12 across learning areas
  • talking about online safety, exploitation and abuse and bullying prevention across the whole school community
  • ensuring that reporting online incidents is easy, private and transparent
  • responding to online incidents with empathy, and encouraging support and healing.

The following resources provide a comprehensive overview of how to teach online safety, what to teach and what to do if things go wrong.

Implementing a whole school approach to online safety

There are three interlinking resources to support planning for online safety: 

  • Curriculum connection: Online safety (ACARA)
  • Toolkit for Schools (eSafety)
  • Best Practice Framework for Online Safety Education (eSafety).

Today students’ learning, relationships and work happen both online and offline. It is important that children and young people have an extensive knowledge of online safety in different contexts and situations to help support their learning, relationships and work. This is promoted in Element 4 of the Framework, which states:

  • Online safety education builds knowledge and skills across the curriculum. It includes both technical and relational (interpersonal) aspects needed to navigate digital environments and develops student agency to use what they have learned in practice.

Effective practices of online safety education should:

  • teach digital citizenship and digital and media literacy to support critical thinking and active citizenship
  • develop social and emotional learning skills to support students’ understanding and management of emotions, respectful online relationships and resilience
  • address specific current and emerging risks, including those that students report are most important to them
  • promote effective help-seeking, including teaching where and how to obtain guidance and support.
 
Toolkit for Schools (eSafety)
 

The Prepare resources help schools assess their readiness to deal with online safety issues and provide suggestions to improve their practices. 

 

The Engage resources encourage the participation of the school community in creating a safe online environment.

 

The Educate resources assist schools develop the knowledge, skills and capabilities of students, staff and parents/carers to have positive and safe online experiences.

 

Responding to critical incidents – toolkit for schools

 

The Respond resources help schools to effectively assess and respond to online incidents. This includes practical guides for schools to follow if a critical incident occurs. 

 

eSafety developed the Toolkit in consultation with government and non-government education sector representatives across every state and territory. It was developed in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the Education Council’s work program to address bullying and cyberbullying.

 
Best Practice Framework for Online Safety Education (eSafety)

 

To support educators in the delivery of online safety education, eSafety has developed the Best Practice Framework for Online Safety Education (the Framework). The Framework establishes a consistent national approach to delivering high quality programs with clearly defined elements and effective practices.

 

The Framework’s implementation guide helps school leaders, educators and program providers use the Framework to design, deliver and review online safety education. It includes relevant links to the Toolkit for Schools, eSafety's classroom resources, the Australian Curriculum, and existing policies and frameworks.

Structure

Australian Curriculum content can be viewed using multiple pathways:

  • year levels
  • learning areas
  • general capabilities
  • cross-curriculum priorities.

This Curriculum connection identifies 5 key aspects of learning, which are used to prioritise the content of online safety across the curriculum.

 

The five interrelated key aspects of online safety are:

  • students’ rights and responsibilities
  • wellbeing, resilience and risk
  • respectful relationships and consent
  • digital citizenship and digital media literacy 
  • managing and operating digital tools.
Key aspects

These key aspects of learning have been developed in consultation with eSafety. The key aspects of learning are specific to the curriculum connection and supplement eSafety’s Best Practice Framework for Online Safety Education. To assist educators, the Framework elements that best match with the key aspects are shown below. 

 

The 5 key aspects of learning about online safety are:

As students interact in online environments, they develop an understanding of themselves in the context of their relationships with and responsibilities to others. To engage positively online, students need to understand that they have a shared responsibility for promoting and maintaining safe online communities. This includes recognising and understanding the types of behaviours that can impact their online communities, either positively or negatively. Students develop the skills to identify and describe the importance of knowing their rights and the rights of others when asking for and giving consent, and how to recognise and accept when consent is not given. They examine a range of behaviours to determine positive, safe, legal and ethical behaviour when using digital tools.

As students live in a world where digital tools are always present, they learn about the benefits of digital tools and the positive impact they can have in students’ everyday lives. While it is important to recognise the benefits, students should also be provided with opportunities to explore online safety challenges, including:

  • the types of risk they can be exposed to
  • factors that can influence the risk of online harm
  • strategies that can help prevent harm
  • strategies that can help build resilience
  • pathways for reporting content 
  • pathways to support wellbeing. 

Students learn to identify and apply protective behaviours and help-seeking strategies in a range of situations online and offline.

As students interact with others online, they develop an understanding of protocols and practices for using digital tools for respectful communication. They refine strategies for seeking, giving and denying permission or consent in online environments. Students develop skills to support their understanding and management of emotions, respectful online relationships and resilience. They examine the roles that respect, consent and empathy play in developing respectful relationships online and offline. Students develop understanding of online and social protocols to enhance relationships with others and to protect their own wellbeing, including recognising and responding to online content or contact that may be harmful for themselves or others. Students practise asking for permission or consent and giving or denying permission or consent when sharing or negotiating online. They practise communication and conflict resolution skills, build resilience and empathy and consider differences across cultures, places and times.

As students spend time using the internet, smartphones, video games and other digital media, they learn the importance of making informed and safe choices and identifying trustworthy people and reliable sources of information that they can access if they have questions. Students learn to recognise trusted content and sources, and recognise the influence of contexts, biases, norms and stereotypes. Students are encouraged to promote democratic participation and uphold everyone’s rights when online. They develop an understanding of ethics and related law, knowing how to stay safe online. They consider advice on related health and safety issues such as predators and the permanence of data. They examine how their own, their families’ and their friends’ values and beliefs and the media they view influence the development of identities. They explore how to promote democratic participation and fundamental rights online.

As students engage online, they develop an understanding that the benefits and risk of harm vary according to technology type, platform, access and patterns of use. They learn how to safely manage and operate digital tools. They identify what personal data and personal information is stored and shared in online accounts, and discuss who can access it, and how unwanted access can be prevented. They learn strategies to combat the risk of unwanted access. Students begin to identify how to protect against cyber security threats. They identify and manage the risks of sharing. They begin to curate their digital footprint and identity. They learn how to critique platforms and sites, locate site reviews, read about terms and conditions, and learn about identity theft. Regardless of the digital tools used, students learn effective help-seeking skills. They identify when and how to obtain guidance and support, and to whom they should report online safety issues. 

Teacher resources

Several organisations provide a range of evidence-based programs and tools to support the delivery of the Australian Curriculum and develop a comprehensive whole-school approach to online safety.

 

These resources have been categorised below for your convenience.

Australian Curriculum V 9.0 resources

 

Curriculum connection: Artificial intelligence

 

Curriculum connection: Mental health and wellbeing

 

Curriculum connection: Respectful relationships

 

Australian Government

 

Consent can’t wait

https://www.consent.gov.au

 

Bullying No Way

https://bullyingnoway.gov.au

 

Digital Technologies Hub

https://www.digitaltechnologieshub.edu.au

 

 

eSafety Commissioner

 

Education advice

 

Best Practice Framework for Online Safety Education and implementation guide

https://www.esafety.gov.au/educators/best-practice-framework

 

Key topics

https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-topics

 

Education resources

https://www.esafety.gov.au/education-resources

 

Toolkit for Schools

https://www.esafety.gov.au/educators/toolkit-for-schools/engage

 

The eSafety Guide

https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-issues/esafety-guide

 

Training for educators

 

Professional learning webinars (live)

https://www.esafety.gov.au/educators/training-for-professionals/teachers-professional-learning-program

 

Staff meeting series (live)

https://www.esafety.gov.au/educators/training-for-professionals/teachers-professional-learning-program#staff-meeting-series

 

Self-paced primary online learning modules

https://www.esafety.gov.au/educators/training-for-professionals/teachers-professional-learning-program#online-modules-for-lower-primary-teachers

 

Tech trends and challenges

 

Generative AI

https://www.esafety.gov.au/industry/tech-trends-and-challenges/generative-ai

 

Deepfakes trends and challenges

https://www.esafety.gov.au/industry/tech-trends-and-challenges/deepfakes

 

Recommender systems and algorithms

https://www.esafety.gov.au/industry/tech-trends-and-challenges/recommender-systems-and-algorithms

 

Safety by design

 

Safety by design

https://www.esafety.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-10/SBD%20-%20Overview%20May19.pdf?v=1720745795132

 

Student Wellbeing Hub

https://studentwellbeinghub.edu.au/educators

Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE)

https://www.accce.gov.au/resources/for-parents-and-carers

 

Commonsense Media – Parenting, Media, and everything in Between (US site)

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/parent-concerns

 

eSafety Commissioner

 

Parent support

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents

 

Online safety for every family (easy read resources and videos in multiple languages)

 

First Nations

https://www.esafety.gov.au/first-nations

 

Report abuse

https://www.esafety.gov.au/report

 

Kids Helpline

Kids (5–12): https://kidshelpline.com.au/kids/issues

Teens (13–17): https://kidshelpline.com.au/teens

Young Adults (18–25): https://kidshelpline.com.au/young-adults

 

eSafety parents

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents

 

Raising Children

https://raisingchildren.net.au/

 

Respect.gov.au

Explore a young Australian's social media experience with this interactive educational simulation

https://www.respect.gov.au/algorithm-of-disrespect

 

Thinkuknow

http://www.thinkuknow.org.au/

 

Stars Foundation – Empowering Indigenous young women

https://starsfoundation.org.au/

Australian Capital Territory Education Directorate: Being Safe Online

https://www.education.act.gov.au/support-for-our-students/being-safe-online

 

New South Wales Department of Education: Digital Citizenship

https://www.digitalcitizenship.nsw.edu.au/teachers-articles#tabs-2

 

Northern Territory Department of Education: Health and wellbeing of students

https://nt.gov.au/learning/primary-and-secondary-students/health-and-wellbeing-of-students/bullying-cyberbullying-and-cybersafety

 

Queensland Government Education and Training: Cyber safety in Queensland schools https://www.qld.gov.au/education/schools/health/cybersafety/cybersafety-qss

 

Department of Education South Australia: Online safety – supporting safe and responsible use

https://www.education.sa.gov.au/parents-and-families/safety-and-wellbeing/bullying-and-cyberbullying/online-safety-support/online-safety-supporting-safe-and-responsible-use

 

Tasmanian Department of Education and Young People: Online Safety

https://www.education.tas.gov.au/parents-carers/parent-fact-sheets/online-safety/

 

Department of Education and Training Victoria: Schools and cyber safety

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/bullystoppers/Pages/princyber.aspx

 

Western Australia Department of Education: Cyber safety

https://www.education.wa.edu.au/cyber-safety

Considerations
Safe and supportive school environments

 

Increasingly, children and young people learn and socialise using online resources. Many students with diverse needs use digital tools to provide and enhance access and participation.

 

It is critical to be aware of the risks and issues that all students, including students with diverse needs, may face online. Students with educational, social and emotional needs may require extra support to recognise inappropriate and/or threatening behaviour. Students who are vulnerable or young, or those with a disability may need additional support and strategies to read social cues, make judgements and manage their online presence. 

 

The relationship between the 3 dimensions of the Australian Curriculum (learning areas, general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities) – gives teachers the flexibility to cater for student diversity through making provisions for adjustment.

 

Information to support the diverse learning needs of students can be found on the Australian Curriculum website https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/student-diversity

 

First Nations Australian students

 

Online engagement provides First Nations Australian students with the opportunity to explore and strengthen connections between identity and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority organising ideas of Country/Place, Culture and People. It is critical to be aware that online and digital tools can be used to enhance or harm a students’ cultural, social and emotional wellbeing. By promoting online safety, educators can support First Nations Australian students to safely use online tools to connect with their identity and language, and strengthen family/kinship relationships. By exploring how First Nations Australian groups use digital tools to express their diverse identities and demonstrate connection to their cultures, teachers can support safe community engagement.

 

Website links

 

eSafety Commissioner

 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Your Online Journey

https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-issues/tailored-advice/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-peoples/your-online-journey

 

Be Deadly Online: Student and community resources

https://www.esafety.gov.au/educators/classroom-resources/be-deadly-online/student-community-home

 

Short videos about taking care of yourself online and what to do about abuse in languages including Aboriginal English, NT Kriol, Torres Strait Islander Creole and Warlpiri.

https://www.esafety.gov.au/first-nations/videos-in-other-languages

 

WellMob:

https://wellmob.org.au/e-health-topics/keeping-safe/online-safety/

Emerging technologies and online safety            

Online safety is constantly changing and emerging technologies will continue to impact the types of challenges students encounter. Artificial intelligence as an emerging technology is impacting online safety. The eSafety Commissioner provides a Generative AI – position statement for educators, parents/carers and community members, which explains the purpose of popular generative AI tools, opportunities and risks. This information reinforces the importance of curriculum content; for example, generative AI content “could include information about you or from your digital footprint, such as your chat history or 'conversations' with generative AI tools. You may be able to manage your data by turning off your chat history and choosing which conversations are used to train AI models.”

 

AI is increasingly linked to mental health and wellbeing issues including cyberbullying. The eSafety Commissioner provides information on these and other related topics such as trends and challenges related to deepfakes, which may be used for image-based abuse. Recommender systems and algorithms explains how machine learning (a type of AI) techniques are applied to the data held by online services and how it is used to identify user attributes and patterns, and make recommendations to achieve particular goals. This may be carried out in positive or sometimes harmful ways.

 

See Teacher resources for other eSafety Commissioner resources.

Relationship to other Curriculum connections        

While this Curriculum connection has a focus on online safety, you may find it helpful to look at other Curriculum connections if you are looking for a particular perspective relating to online safety such as artificial intelligence, mental health and wellbeing, or respectful relationships.

Curriculum connection: Artificial intelligence (AI)    

It is helpful to understand how AI tools and systems work to understand risks and limitations. This enables students to make informed decisions about when and how to use them, to adopt protective behaviours, and to employ critical and creative thinking and ethical understanding when selecting and operating digital tools and managing privacy and security. The Australian Curriculum V 9.0 Curriculum connection: Artificial intelligence includes a description of artificial intelligence and examples of real-world application, and explores important considerations for educators as they teach content related to AI. It demonstrates where students might learn about the underpinning concepts related to what AI is and how it works, particularly in Mathematics and Digital Technologies content.

Curriculum connection: Mental health and wellbeing

Online safety education enhances mental health and wellbeing by developing students' ability to navigate digital environments in a safe and ethical way, develop resilience, manage emotions, access, interpret and apply health information, and seek help when needed. The Australian Curriculum V 9.0 Curriculum connection: Mental health and wellbeing supports the development of knowledge, skills and attitudes to establish and maintain positive health behaviours through learning about the factors that influence the mental health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.

Curriculum connection: Respectful relationships

Online safety and respectful relationships develop skills for respectful interactions, including gaining and denying consent, sharing information and managing relationships both online and offline. Online safety education builds skills for ethical digital citizenship and to manage individual and group wellbeing. These complement the development of respectful relationships by promoting empathy, mutual respect and appropriate social behaviours in digital environments. The Australian Curriculum V 9.0 Curriculum connection: Respectful relationships supports the development of knowledge, skills and attitudes to establish and maintain respectful relationships by addressing the drivers of gender-based violence.

Curriculum links

This section will demonstrate where across the 3 dimensions of the curriculum (learning areas, general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities) you will find content links to online safety.

 
An overview of online safety in the Australian Curriculum learning areas

 

For all year levels, online safety is most explicit in Health and Physical Education, Digital Technologies and The Arts, especially Media Arts. For other learning areas, the skills and behaviours for online safety are often addressed more holistically through the contextual use of digital tools for everyday routines, habits and integrated planning and programming.

The Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education provides opportunities for students to develop online safety skills by helping students to recognise safe online spaces and digital tools. Students develop understanding of how to apply protective behaviours and help-seeking strategies to keep themselves and others safe online, and the importance of seeking help when they feel unsafe online. Students develop understanding of the impact online environments play in their lives and relationships. They select, use and apply personal and social skills and online safety protocols to safely access online information and tools to manage their health and wellbeing.

 

Students learn about ethical online behaviour, including protocols and practices for using digital tools for respectful communication. They refine strategies for seeking, giving and denying permission or consent in online environments. Students develop strategies for maintaining online safety when using digital tools and environments, including options and processes for reporting negative or harmful behaviour. Students access and critically evaluate online content, health information, products and services using digital tools, recognising inappropriate use of images and information, and abuse. They evaluate community resources such as Kids Helpline and the eSafety Commissioner to seek help for themselves and others when their own or other’s health, safety, relationships or wellbeing may be at risk.

The Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies explicitly supports the development of online safety skills. Students share information online by creating websites and interacting safely using appropriate digital system protocols and agreed behaviours. They are progressively guided by trusted adults to account for risks when working individually and collaboratively. Students investigate how online applications and networked systems and emerging technologies curate their data, and explore strategies to manage their digital footprint. This content helps students strengthen informed decision-making and protective behaviours when using and creating online digital solutions.

 

Online safety awareness assists students to identify risks, social contexts and legal responsibilities when engaging online. At the same time, Safety by Design principles place the safety and rights of users at the centre of the design, development and deployment of digital systems. Authentic consultation, typically in groups throughout the design process, encourages students to build empathy, develop respectful relationships and conflict management skills, and ensure that digital solutions are appropriate and safe. The Digital Technologies curriculum is designed for students from Foundation to Year 8. This subject may be offered as an elective to students in Years 9 and 10.

In The Australian Curriculum: The Arts there are opportunities for students to use digital tools, communication and immersive technologies both to document the creative process and as an arts medium when creating arts works. Teachers should consider the purpose of the digital tools, the developmental stage of their students and advice from the eSafety Commissioner before using these technologies in the classroom.

 

Media Arts

 

In the Australian Curriculum: Media Arts, students use communication, storytelling and persuasion to connect audiences, purposes and ideas. Students use digital tools throughout the production process to create and produce media arts works. As they explore the Media Arts concept of media technologies, they reflect critically on developments across media technologies including emerging technologies, considering responsible and ethical media practices.

In addition to learning about online safety in Health and Physical Education, Digital Technologies and The Arts, students have opportunities to apply their learning through other learning areas such as English, Humanities and Social Sciences, Science and Languages.

Through the Australian Curriculum: English, students develop online safety skills as they consider the purpose and audience of texts when using digital tools. They develop the ability to use digital tools to safely and appropriately communicate and collaborate, and read and access information. Students develop their ability to analyse language features, visual features and text structures to interact with and critically evaluate digital tools and emerging technologies and their outputs.

Through the Australian Curriculum: Humanities and Social Sciences, students develop online safety skills as they actively shape their lives through an expanding sense of themselves and their community, and make reflective, informed decisions. Humanities and Social Sciences supports students to develop appreciation and respect for social, cultural and religious diversity as well as a sense of identity and belonging. They develop their ability to question, think critically, solve problems, communicate and interact respectfully.

Through the Australian Curriculum: Science, students develop online safety skills as they operate and manage digital systems and practise digital safety and wellbeing while investigating, creating and communicating. In Science, students develop their ability to communicate scientific understanding and findings to a range of audiences, to justify claims with evidence, and to evaluate and debate scientific explanations and arguments.

Through the Australian Curriculum: Languages, students develop online safety skills as they use digital communication (email, group chats, SMS, texts, community websites, etc.) to plan events or activities such as (in French) la fête de la Musique, cahier/guide de recommandations pour visiter un pays francophone. Their use of digital communication requires implementing safe and ethical protocols, including responsible engagement with the audience.

An overview of online safety in the general capabilities
 

The Curriculum connection: Online safety provides rich opportunities to address aspects of a range of general capabilities, with a particular emphasis on Digital Literacy, Personal and Social capability, and Critical and Creative Thinking. Depending on their choice of activities, teachers may find further opportunities to incorporate the explicit teaching and assessment of the general capabilities.

 

In the Australian Curriculum, the general capabilities encompass the knowledge, skills and behaviours that will help students to live and work successfully in a technologically advanced world. The following information provides an overview of how online safety can be approached through the general capabilities.

Students develop knowledge and skills around digital tools and their use, and the ability to transfer these across environments and applications. Students learn to use digital systems with confidence, care and consideration, understanding their possibilities, limitations and impact on individuals, groups and communities. As students develop their digital literacy, they learn to follow and apply agreed behaviours to stay safe online, manage online relationships and identify strategies to protect the rights, identity, privacy and emotional safety of themselves and others.

Students identify, explore and evaluate online information and use that knowledge in a range of situations. They think broadly and deeply using skills, behaviours and dispositions such as critical reasoning, logic, resourcefulness, imagination and innovation as they engage in online interactions and activities. Students analyse problems and refine concepts using knowledge and understanding gained from other experiences as they reflect on the decision-making process.

Students recognise the unique features of different types of online interactions and mediums, and how these impact on our own emotional responses and those of others. They consider the impact of past and present decisions on people, communities and environments, and develop social responsibility through understanding, empathy and respect for others. When working or interacting online, students develop skills and behaviours to recognise and regulate emotions, establish and build positive relationships, make responsible decisions, work effectively in teams, handle challenging situations constructively, and develop leadership skills.

Students develop the capacity to understand and apply ethical and socially responsible principles when collaborating with others and creating, sharing and using digital tools. They build understanding and ethical behaviours regarding privacy and intellectual property rights, such as copyright. They consider the impact of digital tools on society, the rights of others and their responsibilities in using safe and secure practices. Students learn to appreciate and value the part they play in the social systems in which they operate.

 

Developing understanding about the protection of data, intellectual property and individual privacy within the school environment helps students to understand their rights and responsibilities as ethical digital global citizens.

In their interactions with others in online communities, students consider the dynamic and complex nature of cultures, including values, beliefs, practices and assumptions. They recognise and respond to the challenges of cultural diversity by applying appropriate social protocols. They take responsibility for securing positive outcomes for members of all cultural groups, including those faced with prejudice and misunderstanding.

 
Online safety for students at different band levels
 

From Foundation, students build on the concepts, skills and processes developed in the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). Through guided play, students make real world connections with digital systems in their schools, homes and communities, and learn how they meet specific needs. Students develop the foundational skills required for their own privacy and security, including what personal data is appropriate to share and what should remain private.

 

When engaging in social situations, students are given the opportunity to practise their social skills and communicate appropriate oral responses to challenging situations during shared play experiences.

 

Supporting documentation

Children within this stage of learning are naturally curious about understanding the world they live in.

 

Through discussions with teachers, students learn to recognise their own values, rights and responsibilities by identifying strategies they can use when requiring assistance, such as asking or telling a trusted adult. They begin to understand the concept of wellbeing and can describe the emotions of people around them, identifying when people are happy, sad, excited or angry.

 

Students apply appropriate behaviour strategies to protect themselves and others as they interact with online learning and communication. Students explore their own sense of self and the factors that influence and contribute to their identities. They develop a deeper understanding about emotions, safety and interaction with others, and make healthy and safe decisions for themselves and others. Students practise identifying safe and unsafe situations.

 

Supporting documentation

In Years 3 and 4, students develop an increasing awareness about digital systems and how they can be used in home, school and community environments. They collect, manipulate and interpret data to develop an understanding of the characteristics of data in their everyday lives.

 

When sharing ideas and communicating in online environments, students build their understanding about why it is important to consider the feelings of their audiences, why safe practices should be in place, and how to demonstrate respectful behaviour using social protocols agreed by the class. They begin to use their knowledge of behavioural and technical strategies to limit the impact on privacy and protect data, systems and themselves against compromise. Understanding the importance of asking permission and their rights to express personal boundaries is strengthened.

 

In Years 3 and 4, students explore personal and social factors that support and contribute to their identities, and different emotional responses in varying situations. Students continue to build their circle of friends and explore how to maintain respectful relationships. To enhance their own health and wellbeing, students learn about how to manage safe and unsafe situations, make decisions and interpret messages from different sources.

 

Supporting documentation

In Years 5 and 6, students learn to balance the benefits offered by technology with a critical awareness of their own online behaviour and the online behaviour of others. They begin to explore strategies for protecting the rights of others online, including asking for permission before engaging in online activities and valuing the contribution of diverse voices. Students begin to understand the range of ways that people express themselves online, that individuals can have more than one online identity and that at times that identity may be different to the identity they have when offline.

 

They develop effective strategies for staying safe and making a positive contribution online. Students begin to extend their knowledge of behavioural and technical strategies to limit the impact on privacy and protect data, systems and themselves against compromise. They recognise and ignore or report inappropriate requests.

 

Students continue to develop skills to manage their emotions, understand physical and social changes, and examine how the nature of their relationships can change over time. They begin to explore online help-seeking information and services.

 

Supporting documentation

In Years 7 and 8, young people start to become more independent and self-assured; they want more freedom and can experience greater peer influence. As students begin to interact online via social media and other platforms, they increase their social circles and negotiate new ways of interacting. When communicating and collaborating online, students develop an understanding of different social contexts, including acknowledging cultural practices and meeting legal obligations.

 

Students build on their understanding of the vital role that data can play in their lives, and how data and related systems define and are limited by technical, environmental, economic and social constraints.

 

In Years 7 and 8, the nature of relationships and other factors that influence people’s beliefs, attitudes, opportunities, decisions, behaviours and actions are examined. Students should demonstrate a range of help-seeking strategies that support them to access and evaluate information and services.

 

Supporting documentation

In Years 9 and 10, students use digital tools to source information, and construct, engage in and maintain social networks. Students increasingly engage in online and social networking spaces to understand identity and status, make sense of cultural cues, and negotiate public life. They learn about the importance of interpersonal relationships and the positive impact that relationships can have on wellbeing.

 

Students consider how human interaction with networked systems introduces complexities about access, security and the privacy of various types of data. They interrogate security practices and techniques used to compress data, and learn about the importance of separating content, presentation and behavioural elements to preserve and maintain data.

 

Students begin to understand why personal and workplace online identities differ. They investigate their own online identities and determine which would appeal to future employers. 

 

Supporting documentation

View Curriculum connections