The Learning Curve

Tools and Content Creation

In today's digital world, it is essential for students to be able to use a variety of tools and technologies to create and share content. Through the exploration of Google workspace and Canva this term, students are learning to develop their typing fluency and accuracy, create sophisticated digital artefacts using sound, video, text, and other multimedia, and store files remotely on other computers, networks, or in the cloud. They are exploring how to select and use online and offline tools to aid their personal organisation and collaboration, and to use track changes and comments when editing documents. Additionally, they are navigating how to use advanced search techniques to refine their search results. This is invaluable to students’ cross curricular learning experiences. 

Safety and Wellbeing

It is also incredibly beneficial for students to feel confident in how to stay safe online and to be responsible for their digital citizenship. Students are investigating the risks of online trolling, cyberbullying and phishing and moreover,  mechanisms for prevention. They are learning about the importance of protecting their digital footprint and the potential consequences of their online activity. ProjectEvolve from SWGfl charity has been a superb resource to deliver safe and secure knowledge to empower students in the digital world.

The Digital World

In addition to learning how to use digital tools and technologies, students in Key Stage 3 are exploring the digital world itself. They will explore the positives and negatives of online live coverage of news and events, the benefits and risks of online communities, and the concepts of plagiarism, crediting, citation, and fair use. They investigate the limitations of device storage capacity and discuss and make predictions about future technologies. Moreover, our Year 9 students will be investigating the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence this year.

Term One Projects: A Success Story

I am very proud of students in Year 7, 8 and 9 who carried out a series of projects that allowed them to demonstrate their digital literacy skills and exhibit their own personal motivations. Students in Year 7 and 8 created Canva presentations on a subject topic of their choice, ranging from music to endangered species to history. Students presented their projects in groups to showcase their chosen topic, and the digital tools they discovered such as creating hyperlinks and unique slide layouts. In their reflections, they mention how they can use Canva as a way to learn in other subjects. I was in awe of their collaboration and support of one another. Year 9 students worked in pairs to create Canva presentations on a variety of topics; Cyberbullying, Phishing, Identity theft and Digital Footprint to raise awareness for fellow students.

Digital Literacy: A Vital Skill in Today's Society

Students who are digitally literate are better equipped to succeed in school, in the workplace, and in life. They are able to use technology to communicate, collaborate, learn, and create. They are also more aware of the risks and challenges of the digital world and are able to stay safe online.

Parents, how can you support your child's digital literacy development?

The future of technology can be daunting, and knowing how to navigate the digital world can be difficult. At Mougins School, we support students and parents in facing the challenges that the digital world presents but moreover, using the tools and resources available to empower and strengthen our students to be resilient, creative and communicative.

Here are a few tips:

• Talk to your child about their online activity.
• Help them to understand the risks and challenges of the digital world.
• Encourage them to be responsible for their digital safety and wellbeing.
• Set limits on their screen time.
• Help them to develop their digital skills by providing them with opportunities to use technology in a creative and educational way 

By working together, we can help students to develop the digital literacy skills they need to succeed in the 21st century.