Flow of Activities
Activity A digital world
How do you use the internet to communicate?
Australian Curriculum Alignment
- Collaborating and managing (ACTDIP032)
What's this about?
Now more than ever we connect to the internet in more social and interactive ways. It is important to carry out online relationships responsibly.
In previous years, students will have learned about the importance of their digital footprint and how to behave in a way that is socially acceptable online.
At this level focus on the ‘social’ side of things, such as language, humour and acronyms when interacting online.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is used across many applications including social media sites. Automatic face tagging is carried out by an AI recognising images from its database. Natural Language Processing interprets text and speech. It is possible to have an AI application that alerts a user of potential cyber bullying.
Learning tasks
- Establish the students’ daily use of digital media and ways they connect to the internet. You may wish to use a game developed by The Office of the eSafety Commissioner where students take on a role in an educational video game The Lost Summer, in which players are confronted with a variety of challenges, including conflicts on social media, cyber-attacks and fake news.
- Establish a set of ‘rules’ about acceptable and unacceptable behaviour when collaborating online, considering language, types of humour, emojis and acronyms.
- Ask students to create a visual representation of the way they communicate via the internet.
- Ask them to annotate the visual representation with potential dangers; ways to avoid giving up their personal information; and where things can go wrong with humour and language.
Explore an Artificial Intelligence application that simulates checking text say for example those from a social media post.
Supporting Resources
Data to go
This fantastic video shows the need to be careful about ‘liking’ on Facebook, and the importance of privacy settings.
Digital life 101 animation
This animation demonstrates many ways that young people connect to the internet every day.
Net etiquette guidelines
Use these guidelines to discuss appropriate online behaviour.
The Lost Summer
This app immerses players in a futuristic environment where they need to exercise personal and social capabilities such as critical thinking, empathy, resilience, respect and responsibility to complete challenges and advance through the game.
Lesson Ideas
Assessment
Suggested approaches may include
- Visual representation of the way a student connects to the internet, annotated with ways to avoid giving up their personal information
Assessment Resources
Activity Identity theft
What is identity theft and how do you avoid being a victim?
Australian Curriculum Alignment
- Collaborating and managing (ACTDIP032)
What's this about?
‘Phishing’ is a type of scam where you receive an unsolicited email or correspondence that asks for your personal details in some way. This then allows the scammer to fake your identity.
The types of websites you visit reveals much about your online behaviour and also provides an opportunity for companies to gather and collect your personal information via the websites. Companies of these websites often sell your information.
Learning tasks
- Provide the students with examples of scam correspondence alongside legitimate correspondence from banks, etc. Have them attempt to discern which is legitimate and which is not.
- Explain how Google and social media work, and how personal information is valuable to other companies.
Supporting Resources
Scams and schemes
Explore phishing schemes and how to be aware of the pitfalls of providing personal information online. (Login needed.)
Recent phishing examples
This site provides a list of recent schemes used to trick people into revealing their personal information, and other scams.
Assessment
Suggested approaches may include
- Guide to pitfalls when interacting online: How to be careful online
Activity Fair use and copyright
What is fair use and copyright?
Australian Curriculum Alignment
- Collaborating and managing (ACTDIP032)
What's this about?
As students become creators of digital content they need to be aware of creative credit and digital copyright.
Copying and pasting material without citing the creator is plagiarism.
Make students aware of this issue, explaining that the hard work and creativity of others should be respected. Plagiarism is a common issue as some people regard the internet as a free-for-all.
Learning about copyright helps students to understand the rights of others, as well as how to protect their own work when sharing original works online.
Learning tasks
- Investigate copyright using music cases (such as Down Under/Kookaburra, Stairway to Heaven, etc) as a stimulus for discussion.
- Set up a continuum at two ends of the classroom. Label one end ‘strongly agree’, the other end ‘strongly disagree’ and the middle ‘neutral’. Read out statements based on copyright violations and non-violations. Students place themselves in the location that matches their opinion. Ask them to give their opinions, and allow them to change their minds and move accordingly at any time.
- Students explore copyright law and fair use. Through the lens of ‘mash-up’ culture, they examine how this may be less clear cut than first seemed. Students develop an understanding of digital ownership and digital rights.
- Instagram is a popular online social media tool. Ask who uses it and if anyone has read the terms of use. Explain that a lawyer in the UK was paid by the Children’s Commissioner to rewrite Instagram’s terms of use. View and discuss the terms of use.
Supporting Resources
A lawyer rewrites Instagram’s terms and conditions so the children can understand them
Read about how a lawyer rewrote Instagram’s terms of use in plain language.
A fair(y) use tale
This YouTube video is a Disney parody explanation of copyright law and fair use.
Lesson Ideas
A creator’s rights
Learn about copyright and what it means in a digital world.
Do trial guide
This trial guide uses the fictional case of Walt Disney Studios v Faden outlined in the video ‘A fair(y) use tale’. Put the digital mash-up to the test in a mock trial.
Assessment
Suggested approaches may include
- A ‘forensic’ style assessment – organise a mock case and ask students to decide whether something infringes copyright or is passable
Assessment Resources
Activity Digital dilemmas
What is an example of an ethical dilemma?
Australian Curriculum Alignment
What's this about?
Connecting to the internet increases the likelihood of having to deal with digital dilemmas; for example, unintentionally upsetting someone when posting a comment on someone’s social media site.
Exploring a digital dilemma gives students the opportunity to make good (and not-so-good) decisions, and to try out possible solutions to scenarios through role-play, stories and mini games – all without risking their real-world reputations.
This type of activity helps students to think about ethics.
Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI has potential to be an integral part of systems across many industries and transform the way we do things. This technology though, needs to be used carefully and thoughtfully. What are some of the challenges we face when implementing AI systems? How can AI be used for good? How do we ensure fairness for all? AI systems need to be safe and reliable. We need our personal information and privacy protected. These are all ethical considerations that must be part of the development and lifecycle of an AI system.
Learning tasks
- Students evaluate an existing solution such as the game Digital Compass, which is designed to get students thinking about ethics and morals. Alternatively use the game developed by The Office of the eSafety Commissioner where students take on a role in an educational video game called The Lost Summer. Develop agreed criteria on which to base your evaluation.
- Review some of the issues posed, including:
- posting embarrassing and hurtful comments about another person to make yourself look better; dealing with it turning viral
- cyberbullying: is watching and not stopping it just as bad as doing it?
- making up untrue ‘facts’ about yourself – eg being a good musician or artist – to get a job, a girlfriend or boyfriend, etc; what are the implications of that now and in the future?
- copying work from the internet and presenting it as your own
- copying information directly from a website and not checking that it has validity; does it matter?
- Organise students into collaborative groups. Their challenge is to design, create and evaluate their own ‘choose your own path’ project. They pose a series of digital ethical questions. The task can be completed collaboratively.
Analysis of AI systems provides a context for evaluating information systems. It provides an opportunity for students to explore ethical understandings and apply these to a real world application.
Supporting Resources
Digital compass
These are animated, choose-your-own-path interactive experiences, designed for years 6–8. They invite students to explore digital dilemmas.
The Lost Summer
This app immerses players in a futuristic environment where they need to exercise personal and social capabilities such as critical thinking, empathy, resilience, respect and responsibility to complete challenges and advance through the game.
Lesson Ideas
Assessment
Suggested approaches may include
- Design of a digital project
- Segment of a digital project
- Three questions used to evaluate the effectiveness of the solution and responses