MySelfie and the Wider World is launched

A new Primary Anti-Cyber Bullying Teachers’ Handbook, was launched by Minister for Skills, Research and Innovation, Damien English TD in Dublin Castle on Safer Internet Day 2015.

MySelfie and the Wider World was developed in response to the fact that children are now going online at an increasingly young age. Intended to engage 5th and 6th class primary school students on the topic of cyber bullying, this SPHE resource will help students develop the skills to be responsible, socially-conscious and effective internet users, as they explore social networks for the first time.

MySelfie and the Wider World is launched by Minister English

A series of short animations is the centrepiece of the MySelfie resource. These animations are intended to provide a starting point for classroom discussions around the emotions that drive bullying, the emotional impact that it can have on victims, and how children can be agents for positive change in relation to bullying, especially cyber bullying. The animations are supported by five lesson plans.

Speaking about MySelfie and the Wider World at the Safer Internet Day 2015 launch event, Minister for Skills, Research and Innovation, Damien English TD, said:

“Children are going online at an increasingly young age with much of this activity taking place on personal devices and unsupervised. In this context, it is important that we implement educational strategies in primary schools which promote empowerment, critical thinking and respect for others. This curriculum resource will support efforts to teach children how to manage relationships, be resilient and have empathy for others.”

This curriculum resource will support efforts to teach children how to manage relationships, be resilient and have empathy for others.

“The best way to address cyber bullying is to prevent it happening in the first place. This is a prevention and awareness raising resource that focuses on promoting appropriate online behaviour, on how to stay safe while online and also on developing a culture of reporting any concerns about cyber bullying.”

Simon Grehan, Webwise, coordinator of Safer Internet Day in Ireland, said: “In the last two years, we have seen a step change in how children use the internet, largely brought on by greater access to smart phones and tablets. With evidence that children are going online at ever-younger ages and that their use is increasingly mobile and away from supervision, new responses, such as the MySelfie resource, are required.”

“Proactive or preventive work in classrooms around cyber bullying can give children opportunities to develop greater empathy, to act assertively, become more resilient, and to help others.”

Using MySelfie and the Wider World in the classroom

Already the MySelfie resource is being used in 948 different schools around Ireland. Check out the video above and this blogpost to see how two different schools are using the MySelfie resource. It is available to order free of charge or can be downloaded here.