Professional learning for lower primary teachers
Self-paced short modules for lower primary school educators teaching online safety.
This program is easy to access and includes evidence-based advice about how to teach online safety in the classroom.
It has been developed by eSafety with Early Childhood Australia and builds on the successful Early Years Program for educators and families supporting children under five years of age.
About the modules
You can complete one or more of the self-contained modules. Each is based on recent research and includes practical teaching strategies and classroom activities.
There are four modules:
- Using technology safely and responsibly.
- Being respectful online.
- Building resilience and help-seeking skills.
- Fostering early critical thinking.
The modules each take about 25 minutes to complete and there is 35 minutes of additional reading you can do in your own time. You can download a comprehensive reference list of resource weblinks for each module. We recommend you access the modules on a laptop or desktop computer. You can use a mobile device however, some content may not display clearly on smaller screen sizes.
No login or registration is required. This means that you will need to complete a module in one session, because you can’t save your progress and come back to finish it later.
The modules are aligned to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Proficient career stage) and the Best Practice Framework for Online Safety Education. The time can be used as Teacher Identified or Elective teacher professional learning hours. Please note: these modules are not NESA or TQI accredited. You can print a certificate at the end of the module.
Where do I start?
Take our 30-second quiz and reflect on your current level of confidence in teaching each topic. This will help you to know where to start.
If you have any questions or need more information, contact enquiries@esafety.gov.au
Module 1: Using technology safely and responsibly
Covers the safety risks of online technologies and the skills that young students need to become active safe digital learners.
You will learn how to teach students about protecting their personal information and be responsible and safe online. You will also find out how to prepare for online safety incidents and discover great ideas for partnering with families to reinforce learning in the home.
Module 2: Being respectful online
Focuses on setting the foundation for respectful relationships and addressing cyberbullying.
This module explores how to apply co-design methods to teach students about consent, empathy and respectful online behaviour. It covers help-seeking and how to report serious online abuse to eSafety. It includes student-led activities for engaging with families about respect, online safety and inclusivity.
Module 3: Building resilience and help-seeking skills
Introduces teaching methods to help students to trust their feelings, identify safe and unsafe situations online and develop help-seeking skills and protective behaviours.
Learn how to create safe and inclusive spaces for children to talk about their online activities. You will find out how to develop effective engagement strategies with families to encourage open communication and help-seeking skills.
Module 4: Fostering early critical thinking
Explores why it’s important to teach critical thinking at a young age and help students to develop digital media literacy skills.
Find out about the risks of emerging technologies - including deep fakes - and how to help students to talk about and question what they see, hear and do online. This module looks at how to help students to develop self-regulation skills and engage with families about balancing time online with offline activities.
Start the quiz
Our 30-second quiz will help you to decide where to start.
Last updated: 05/08/2024