Project

Adapting Common Sense Media’s Digital Citizenship resources for impactful eSafety education in Australian early education and primary school settings

Overview

This Australian-first study will teach young children, including those aged three to four, about digital citizenship. As digital technology use becomes common place in the daily lives of young children, education on good digital citizenship is critical in the early years of their education. This project will trial USA-based Common Sense Media’s Digital Citizenship Curriculum in 15 Australian schools, and create and trial world leading online safety curriculum materials for pre-school settings, including professional development for teachers. The project is a collaboration with Evolve Education and Common Sense Education.


Project aims

  • trial USA-based Common Sense Media’s Digital Citizenship Curriculum in 15 Australian schools and create and trial world leading online safety curriculum materials for pre-school settings
  • provide pre-school and primary school students with award-winning digital citizenship learning experiences and professional development for teachers
  • collect robust data to evaluate the effectiveness of Common Sense Media’s Digital Citizenship approach in an Australian context


Project design

The project consists of a curriculum intervention in which a diverse range of fifteen schools in five Australian States will implement the Common Sense Education Digital Citizenship curriculum, following professional development. Researchers will collect data about students’ understanding, following their learning experiences. Student focus groups will also be conducted to determine students’ responses to the curriculum.  Teachers will complete a survey and a percentage of students will also take part in individual interviews. In addition, co-design will take place in early years settings to investigate how play-based learning can be applied to digital citizenship with young children in early years settings.



Partner/s

Common Sense Media, Evolve Education


Funding

eSafety Commissioner



Timeframe

2022 – 2023


Contact

Professor Michael Dezuanni




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The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child acknowledges the First Australian owners of the lands on where we gather and pay our respects to the Elders, lores, customs and creation spirits of this country.

The Centre recognises that the examples we set in diversity and inclusion will support young children to respect and celebrate differences in all people. We embed diversity, inclusivity and equality into all aspects of the Centre’s activities and welcome all people regardless of race, ethnicity, social background, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation and national origin.