eSafety: Professional Learning Modules
About
The eSafety Professional Learning Modules are unique professional learning opportunities developed by the eSafety Commissioner and Early Childhood Australia.
The modules are part of the eSafety Early Years Program which provides online safety advice and tips within a positive framework for prior to school aged children, their parents, carers and their educators in an Australian context.
ECA Learning Hub subscribers: The modules are available in your Learning Hub account.
Non-subscribers: The modules are now available. Get them here.
Modules
Digital technologies are present in young children’s everyday lives. Even if they are not using technology themselves, they are watching and learning from the adults and older children around them. Keeping children safe in digital contexts is a shared responsibility for their educators and families. These modules aim to provide knowledge, skills and practical advice for early years educators to guide children and families in establishing safe practices and positive habits when using digital technologies. Grounded in research and linked to practical advice and resources, these modules will help educators extend their own online safety knowledge and create positive, safe learning experiences for children in digital contexts.
There are four modules in this series. Three modules are designed for educators and contain practical classroom advice and strategies within eSafety’s four key messages:
- Be Safe
- Be kind
- Ask for help
- Make good choices
The fourth module provides information and resources for service leaders to enhance policy and practice in online safety at their service.
eSafety Early Years: We SAY and SHARE with technology
Communicating in digital contexts is among the first experiences children have directly using technologies. This module examines the benefits and risks associated with communicating in digital contexts. You will learn how to identify and mitigate the online risks that can happen in these contexts.
Module outcomes
This module will enable you to:
- describe Say and Share experiences
- consider young children’s right to privacy in an online world (Be safe)
- support children’s social and emotional growth in an online world (Be kind)
- teach children how to make sure they only connect online with friends or family (Ask for help)
- communicate with families about ways of supporting children’s self-regulation skills when they are engaged with technology (Make good choices).
Duration: 50 minutes
eSafety Early Years: We MAKE and DO using technology
Fostering creativity is an essential component of early childhood education. This module explores the ways children can create in digital contexts. You will explore practical examples of the types of creative experiences educators set up, for children to learn with and about digital technologies. You will learn how to set up technology with online safety in mind and how to teach simple habits to make digital contexts safe.
Module outcomes
This module will enable you to:
- describe MAKE and DO experiences
- use the available technology to set up devices for online safety (Be safe)
- help children learn about privacy rights by teaching them to seek consent before taking and sharing photos (Be kind)
- teach children what to do when something unexpected happens when they are playing online (Ask for help)
- support children’s critical-thinking skills by encouraging them to talk about technology they like to play with, and why they like it (Make good choices).
Duration: 50 minutes
eSafety Early Years: We WATCH and EXPLORE on technology
This module focuses on how children engage with content in digital contexts. This is the most common way young children engage online, especially at home. You will learn how to choose content that encourages active participation and group interaction, and will be provided with practical examples of how to share this important information with your families.
Module outcomes
This module will enable you to:
- describe WATCH and EXPLORE experiences
- set up children’s devices for online safety and safe searching (Be safe)
- support children’s wellbeing and social skills in digital technology experiences (Be kind)
- teach children what to do when they encounter inappropriate content (Ask for help)
- support children’s self-regulation skills when they are engaged with technology (Make good choices).
Duration: 50 minutes
eSafety Early Years: Creating a Safe Online Environment
This module is specifically for Directors and Managers of early learning services throughout Australia. It is designed to enable a review of a service’s online-safety processes and practices. You will learn how to ensure online safety is considered in the same way as other safety practices at your service.
On completing the module, participants will have a collated list of all their answers. This list can be used as a guide to improve online safety practices, and as evidence for the service’s Quality Improvement Plan.
Module outcomes
This module will enable you to:
- define the acceptable use of technology at your service, and ensure that it is written in your policies
- embed online safety principles in your educational program and practice
- review your service’s infrastructure and technology, checking for appropriate filtering, monitoring and compliance with data protection laws
- review your educators’ knowledge of online safety practices, and support their continual professional learning in this area
- review how your service provides regular, quality online safety information to families.
Duration: 60 minutes
About the author
eSafety Commissioner (eSafety)
eSafety is Australia’s independent statutory office for online safety established under the Enhancing Online Safety Act 2015. The Act gives the Commissioner the power to investigate and act on complaints about serious cyberbullying material targeted at an Australian child. In 2017, the Act was expanded to promote and enhance online safety for all Australians. eSafety resources include programs for schools, women, older Australians and new resources for early childhood.
More information about eSafety and the Early Years Program can be found here.