| Activity | Interactive internet safety event |
| Country | Lithuania |
| Developed by | association “Langas i ateiti” |
| Main theme of the activity | Online safety and cybersecurity |
| Level | Beginner |
| Activity length (in hours) | 2 |
| Target groups | schoolchildren |
SUMMARY OF THE ACTIVITY
The interactive internet safety events are developed to provide kids with skills of safe use of smart devices, to draw their attention to internet safety and etiquette. During the events the principles of safe behavior online can be introduced in a fun manner.
Main target audience of the events is primary school children. Events can be organized by teachers or librarians, engaged in educating kids about internet safety.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The objective of the activity is to provide the knowledge and skills to primary school children about safer use of internet and technologies: smart devices, safe passwords, online/offline balance, publishing pictures online etc.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS REQUIRED
* Premises and space. The space needed directly reflects the planned activities. How many rooms are needed? Is one big space (e.g. school hall or yard) enough or you need several smaller areas? However, the activities are quite flexible re space needed: they are manageable in smaller or bigger spaces, indoors or outdoors. A tip: as kids are quite active and loud, so the bigger space the better (several separate areas for team work is perfect as well).
* Materials / technology. This, of course, also depends on the activities planned. The technology needed is quite minimal: presentations hardware can be used for discussion. Other activities are carried out without using technology, but other materials: photos, papers, post-its, markers, tic-tac-toe, other… (you can see in the pictures).
PREPARATION PHASE
To decide upon:
- Event goal and target group – what is the message you want to transfer to event participants?
- Activities – they, of course, depend on the event goal and the target group – activities that are interesting to primary school kids, will not be suitable to adolescents, and vice versa. However, keep in mind that more interactivity is the better, no matter what the age group is.
- Partners. You can organize everything yourself, but it is always more fun and easy to attract partners with their own ideas and active involvement. Once you already have partners – the good and timely exchange of information among them is necessary. The organizers prepare the plan/structure of the activity, which is introduced to all participating partners/staff members (face-to-face or online), agreeing on certain tasks and preparation activities, issues of logistics, timetable, etc.
- Materials for activities – to be prepared upon the need of every activity
DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTIVITY
Below we present the structure of the events organized by association “Langas į ateitį”. However, this structure can be adapted according to the organization needs – changing, deleting or adding new activities. The structure reflects a 2-hour duration event.
- Opening of the events – children gathered in one space, welcome and short introduction.
- Presentation / discussion on safer use of smart phones (approx. 30 min.)
- Interactive part – all participating children are split into 5 groups; each team is instructed to choose the team name and team leader. There are 5 stations of activities situated in the nearby area outdoors or indoors. Each team has to visit all 5 stations (approx. 15 min. at every station) and come back to the initial space.
The 5 stations:
- Safe passwords. Discussion about passwords and creation of best password.
- Online / offline balance. How much time participants spend online? What they are doing? What activities interest them besides the internet – acting tasks.
- Drawing and painting activities. Drawing the virus, colouring the smart phone, doing the safer internet crossword, …
- Posting photos online. What pictures should be posted online and which better should be kept private?
- Internet safety quiz including “tic-tac-toe”. Who is faster at quiz and improvised “tic-tac-toe” running race?
- Brain battle competition about technologies and their safe use – can be presented as an alternative to 5 stations, if the event is organized for adolescents, or the event premises are not convenient for the interactive stations.
- Closing of the events – when all the teams come back after visiting all 5 stations, participants receive prizes, short Q&A what they have learned, good-buy.
OPTIONAL/ADDITIONAL PART OF THE ACTIVITY
The structure presented can be adapted according to the organization needs – changing, deleting or adding new activities. The structure reflects a 2-hour duration event.
CHALLENGES AND TIPS
Our lessons learnt:
- good partners are very important
- the better preparation, the more fluent event
- keep in mind the peculiarities of premises
- more interactivity the better
