"Connect.ed is an innovative, self-paced cybersafety education program offered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) as part of Cybersmart.
Connect.ed provides teachers with the flexibility of a self paced environment to learn about current online behaviours of students, potential risks involved in these activities, a teacher's and school's duty of care and the appropriate tools, resources and strategies to help students to have safe and positive experiences online."
"New research from the ACMA is casting a clear light on what Aussie teens are involved in, online. It shows that kids from 14 - 17 years are, unsurprisingly, active players in Australia's digital economy, who are online more often than ever before, use the internet and mobiles for everything from entertainment to shopping, research, banking and sharing with friends."
A study into parents' need for cybersafety information, including what topics they would like more information on, and the format that they would like to receive it in. The study is based on research undertaken by the ACMA in 2009. Research consisted of a brief qualitative phase, followed by a national telephone survey of 600 parents of children in the 4 to 17 age range.
From ACMA Cybersmart this very catchy video has stats on what students are doing online as well as lots of targetted advice on what to do to prevent problems and what to do when problems arise. It also contains visual links to the support docs that Cybersmart can provided.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has launched a guide to being positive about digital engagement'' rather than being a wary Internet user. The Guide facilitates confident online engagement by citizens through identifying three principles which reflect the required values, skills and knowledge:
Engage positively: exercise your rights and responsibilities as a digital citizen
Know your online world: learn new skills and digital technologies
Choose consciously: take charge of how you interact online.
The Connect.ed program covers: cyberbullying; sexting; excessive internet
use; mobile use; e-security; managing your digital reputation; and digital
profiling. It also "advises teachers on what young people of all ages are
doing online and draws on Australian experts in the cybersafety field, as
well as on teachers and students themselves," ACMA says.