What is CyberSense and how does it support the curriculum?
Launched in February 2015, CyberSense will raise awareness of cyber-bullying, providing children with the skills to recognise, respond to and report cyber-bullying and promote staying safe online. The resource adopts a whole-class approach and is delivered by teachers, to provide children with the skills to tackle issues of cyber-bullying and staying safe online. CyberSense is structure into skills based modules, please have a look at our modular overview for more detailed information.
CyberSense contains eight engaging exercises, ranging from class debates to storyboarding and role-play activities. All exercises are mapped to the new primary curriculum and are designed to stimulate awareness, discussion and analysis of cyber-bullying, its causes and consequences. These exercises will cover important topics like self-esteem, peer pressure, impact of gaming, staying safe online and the role of the bystander.
CyberSense is supported by a full user guide containing all the lesson plans and handouts you will need to deliver the sessions. We have also recently launched a new 'Whole School' module that contains resources including assemblies, posters and leaflets designed to engage the wider school community and parents. Have a look at one of the curriculum mapping documents and also an example lesson plan.
Can CyberSense be used to 'close the gap'?
All of the exercises in CyberSense focus on enabling pupils to explore the issues of cyber-bullying behaviour and staying safe online, in a non-threatening environment. Pupils should reflect on feelings and practice the skills to challenge inappropriate cyber-bullying behaviour.
CyberSense can be used for all ability levels and meets the needs of a range of learning styles. Activities are interactive and visually stimulating and so particularly suitable for lower ability groups. The resource can be used for both whole-class and targeted interventions; we recommend a whole-class approach because the resource is designed to take a preventative approach.
It can therefore be used to motivate disadvantaged pupils in order to support schools to ‘close the gap’ within their school environment.
The educational content is underpinned by a clear logic model as well as an OFSTED mapping document to help support your school’s needs.
What is the impact of CyberSense?
CyberSense has been involved in a pilot social value evaluation process and we are continuing with this throughout next academic year 2015-16. Our aim is so show the impact the resource is having on young people in regards to their health and wellbeing.
The key overall aims of the resource are;
- Young people, aged 9-12, will have a greater awareness of issues relating to online safety and cyber-bullying.
- Young people will feel more confident in identifying who to turn to if they feel unsafe online.
- Young people will have developed and practiced the skills needed to ask for support in relation to online safety issues.
Here is a quote from a teacher who has started delivery of CyberSense, “The CyberSense programme gave real life thought provoking scenarios that the children in our school loved to discuss and learn from. The teacher resources are well prepared and detailed and really help to ensure that lessons are easy to deliver.” Gary Anders, Deputy Head of Knowsley Central
To gain access to CyberSense and to discuss how we can support you to use the software please call 0151 707 8211 or email cybersense@arieltrust.com.
If you already have your access code please visit arieltrust.com/cybersense for access to this exciting, new resource for young people.
