Keeping Students Safe...online

Story appeared in the 2015 issue of QMS Connections Magazine.

BY LEANNE SCHULTZ, OPERATIONS & HR MANAGER, DOMINIC SMITH, TRACY TIDSBURY

For a school like Queen Margaret’s, Internet technology is used daily to help teachers and student push the boundaries of what can be accomplished in their learning opportunities, both collaboratively and individually.

As a boarding school, the Internet is an essential tool for communication, and social media applications are used on a daily basis to reach out to parents and friends all over the world.

It is estimated that over three billion people worldwide are connected to the Internet, a medium which is growing exponentially faster every hour of every day. Many organizations, including the United Nations, are calling on the world’s governments to acknowledge access to the Internet as a human right. Digital literacy and net etiquette are competencies that have been identified as essential skills for our students by the BC Ministry of Education, whose goal is to produce “capable young people thriving in a rapidly changing world” (BC’s Education Plan, 2015). With the sum of the world’s knowledge on the Internet, there is no doubt that the Internet, and the applications used to access knowledge on the Internet, have become vital tools for a school to have at its disposal.

Unfortunately, as with many tools, the Internet can be dangerous if it is not used safely and responsibly, with respect, proper precautions and critical thinking. As much as the World Wide Web telescopically expands access to the world and its collective knowledge, it also serves as a microscope, highlighting unintended actions and lack of net etiquette. Relatively unpoliced, the Internet is also a large repository for unfiltered opinions, faulty information, and anonymous bullies and predators.

Technology Coordinator Dominic Smith works closely with the school’s teaching staff and students to keep them updated on technological advances in the classroom. He notes that “Far from simply using the Internet as a research or communication tool, QMS students are taught how to use the Internet mindfully and ethically, to protect their privacy, and to think critically when accessing any online technology.” These lessons, modeled by QMS staff, are integrated into daily classes as students make use of tools to access and assess the validity of online information to complete daily assignments. Outside of the classroom, Counselor Tracy Tidsbury collaborates with staff and students on providing guidance and support to students in navigating the digital world ethically and responsibly.

At Queen Margaret’s School, safety is a key value, and the commitment of the school community to provide an environment where students are safe to be individuals and learners does not end at the physical boundaries of the school’s campus.

Renowned Internet Safety Expert

Darren Laur is regularly invited to QMS to give his highly acclaimed Social Media/Internet Safety and Digital Literacy 101 presentation to our students. With over 28 years of law enforcement experience with the Victoria City Police, including work as a forensic social media investigator, Darren’s presentation about using the Internet and social media safely and responsibly resonated with the school’s Grade 7-12 students, who come away feeling empowered to continue to make informed, smart choices when they are online.