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KS4 resources - Non-GCSE - Online safety - An introduction to online safety

This lesson is designed to set the context in which online safety will be discussed and get learners considering their own online safety. In it, learners will be introduced to the online security threats that feature in this unit. Learners will engage critically with these concepts by considering the level of threat each poses. In small groups, they will then be asked to consider how exposed typical online behaviour is to online security threats. Finally, they will use their own experience to discuss how to protect themselves from online safety threats.

KS3 resources - Year 8 - Mobile app development - Online Safety in App development

In this lesson, we explore the crucial aspect of online safety in app development. We'll focus on integrating online safety features into app designs, emphasising secure data handling and user privacy. By understanding these concepts, learners will learn to develop apps that prioritise user security and adhere to ethical standards.

KS4 resources - Non-GCSE - Online safety - Protecting myself online

In this final lesson, learners will develop a raft of protection measures they can enact online. First, learners will be asked to summarise their learning by listing the threats and online safety concerns introduced in the course. Then they will create a list of the ways they want to use the internet. Using the material from previous lessons, they will design a ten-step guide to staying safe online that will help them achieve their online goals in a safe manner. The lesson will conclude with a debate on the topic ‘The internet is too dangerous to use’, to remind students that online spaces can be useful, but their users must be prepared.

Primary online safety resources

Keeping pupils safe online is crucial for their wellbeing and development. We have created a list of resources that can be used alongside the Teach Computing lessons to help your students' online safety.

Secondary online safety resources

KS4 resources - Non-GCSE - Online safety - Online reputation

Learners will be asked to characterise why someone might use the internet and how their online needs change over time. This task will be used to discuss why it might be important to think about their online reputation even when they are still in school. In small groups, learners will be asked to consider different possible attackers and why they might want to damage someone’s online reputation. They will then be asked to come up with strategies on how best to defend their reputation against these attacks. After a class discussion in which different ideas are shared and consolidated, learners will be asked to produce a poster or leaflet that provides information for others on how to protect their online reputation.

KS4 resources - Non-GCSE - Online safety

As most learners will already have some form of online presence and familiarity with online spaces, the purpose of this unit is for them to start thinking more critically about how they, and others, conduct themselves online. Learners will also be asked to discuss key debates around the online world, such as the extent of their right to privacy, and which powers should be granted to organisations and states. As much as possible, learners should be encouraged to develop their own ideas and opinions in order to become engaged citizens when it comes to online rights.

KS3 resources - Year 8 - Mobile app development - Introduction to online safety

During this lesson, learners will gain a deeper understanding of safety tools such as encryption, password security, and data privacy and explore how these concepts can be applied when designing a mobile app.

KS4 resources - Non-GCSE - Online safety - Right to privacy

Having learnt about what kinds of data are being collected online, learners are now presented with the topic of privacy. In this lesson, learners will discover and discuss their rights to privacy in the UK. Learners will be presented with UK laws such as Article 8 of the Human Rights Act, the Investigatory Powers Act (2016), and the Data Protection Act (2018), as well as the terms and conditions of social media platforms. These will inform a class discussion in which learners will decide whether they think their privacy rights are being upheld. Learners will then consider the different possible levels of privacy rights and how they think they should be set for society.

KS4 resources - Non-GCSE - Online safety - Big data

In this lesson, learners will be introduced to the concept of big data and learn how it is used and why. They will be tasked with identifying what data they create online is of interest to organisations that analyse big data and determining how it could be used. Through a classroom debate, learners will share their thoughts on the ethics of big data use and develop an opinion on the role it should play in society.

KS4 resources - Non-GCSE - Online safety - Right to access

Not all internet regulation is the removal of illegal content; some of it may instead be considered censorship. In this lesson, learners will build on their previous discussion of the difficulties in regulating online content, but this time they will focus on how to decide what should and should not be illegal. They will compare the UK context to that of other countries and debate the rights that individuals should have to access content online.

Online safety through primary computing

Explore how to keep children safe whilst teaching computing and using technology to access the full primary curriculum.

KS4 resources - Non-GCSE - Online safety - The bubble

In this lesson, learners will be introduced to the concept of the bubble. They will be asked to draw on their knowledge from the lesson on big data to describe how bubbles might form. This will be illustrated with an exercise in which they recreate the algorithms that reinforce social media bubbles. From this exercise, learners will be asked to discuss why bubbles might be harmful but could also be a positive thing. To do this, they can be prompted with previous topics like fake news and illegal content. Finally, learners will reflect on if they themselves are in a bubble, how they could get out of it, and whether they want to.

KS4 resources - Non-GCSE - Online safety - Data protection

The theoretical right to privacy is one thing, but ensuring it in practice is another. In this lesson, learners will determine how their data might be stolen, and why. They will then learn how to protect their data from attack. Building on discussions from previous lessons, learners will first be asked to determine what data they have created or shared online might be valuable, and to whom. They will then be invited to share their own knowledge on how this data could be stolen. After this knowledge sharing, learners will be presented with a series of online attacks such as phishing scams, ransomware, and malware to help formalise their knowledge. Learners will then discuss how they can protect themselves from such attacks and create a script for an online public service announcement that warns users about the threats of malware.

How you can inspire your students with a Computing Ambassador: John's story

From teaching classes to participating in school careers fairs and promoting online safety, read on to see how Computing Ambassadors like John can benefit your school and students.

KS4 resources - Non-GCSE - Online safety - Fake news

In this lesson, learners will initially be presented with examples of fake and real news and asked to guess which is which. This will be used to have a discussion on the definition of fake news and whether it is always easy to determine whether something can be categorised as fake. They will then discuss who creates fake news and for what purpose. This discussion will be facilitated by some key case studies that appeal to both sides of the political spectrum. The lesson will conclude with an activity on identifying fake news.

KS4 resources - Non-GCSE - Online safety - Illegal content

In this lesson, learners will first be given some context and examples of what types of content are illegal in the UK, for example websites that facilitate the trade of illegal items, or contain hate speech, terrorist content, or obscene content. They will learn about laws in the UK such as the Digital Economy Act (2017), the Malicious Communications Act (1988), etc. (As opposed to teaching all the laws, the purpose will be to convey that, in the UK, the internet is governed by a piecemeal collection of context-specific laws.).