The digital world offers a powerful learning opportunity for today’s teenagers but there are risks involved not only for students, but also for the parents, teachers and wider educational community. Guidance and support are an integral part of the curriculum and this should also be the case for e-safety to ensure that technology is not seen as an unnecessary threat but as a positive learning and management tool for the benefit of the entire establishment. | One of the biggest challenges of recent times is the increasing use of mass storage devices such as pen drives, cameras and mobile phones. This form of technology makes the transfer of information highly mobile and easily transferable between individuals and institutions. In addition, the rise of social networking sites has seen an increase in the use of technology by children as a means of crying for help. Suicide and self-harming sites are easily accessible and if access is not managed and monitored, situations can escalate quickly. | Keeping a child focused on-task has always been an issue for teachers but with the added distractions that technology now offers the issue is growing and exaggerated, especially when computers are still being shared. Staff bullying, obscene imaging, 'sexting' and specific issues for specialist establishments such as Pupil Referral Units, offer a challenging range of issues that must be addressed to ensure safety of all. |