WISE KIDS and the Wales Internet Safety Partnership (WISP) organised a very successful conference entitled “Young People, Mobile and Internet Technologies 2008 – Maximising Opportunities, Addressing Challenges”. This was a one-day event held at on 20th October at the Richard Ley Development Centre , Swansea, and nearly 200 delegates attended representing all educational sectors. Speakers included Keith Towler (Children’s Commissioner for Wales); Sangeet Bhullar (Wisekids);  Ann Beynon (BT) ; Fiona Lennox(Ofcom ); Kieron Sheeny (OU); and there were also addresses from pupils (approx age14-16), as well as very entertaining workshops and Q&A sessions. Topics covered included internet safety, digital literacy, and ways in which social networking and online and mobile applications can invigorate teaching and learning.  All presentations and web-casts can now be viewed on the Wisekids site.

I found the pupils’ perspectives particularly interesting, and it appeared that the pupils present had not received specific training on the use of internet. A new ‘E-safety’ web-site from NGfL Cymru, with Welsh Assembly Government input (and advice on security and cybercrime from JISC Legal),  notes that internet safety is now a required element of the national curriculum in Wales for learners aged 5 to 14. Hopefully this initiative will also  equip learners with skills to help them judge whether web-sites are produced by reputable organisations and contain accurate content, and will also raise their awareness of related issues such as plagiarism.