Doha: To help schools in Qatar teach students about the importance of e-Safety, Britannica has developed a free comprehensive e-Safety guide which examines best practice for searching safely and using social networks and online gaming platforms, as well as advice for teachers and parents.
The guide comes after new report from Encyclopedia Britannica revealed that one in five students (19 percent) often feel unsafe or worried by easily-accessible inappropriate content when using the Internet for exam preparation, coursework or homework.
“As schools in Qatar integrate new technologies into the classroom it’s imperative that e-Safety principles are integrated as a key aspect of the curriculum, particularly as students are often several steps ahead when it comes to using the latest smart devices and software,” Ian Grant, Managing Director of Encyclopædia Britannica UK, said.
The research reveals that nearly a third (30 per cent) of students admit to having inadvertently accessed unsuitable content when researching for schoolwork, with a further two in five (40 per cent) saying that it is “too easy” to access this material.
Many students are also concerned that their schools are not doing enough to equip them to avoid accessing unsuitable sites. One in five students (19 per cent) say that there school has never taught them basic online safety tips such as using safe searches or trusted sites, or how to research online safely.
With many admitting to not knowing how to research online, it’s not surprising that many students also find it difficult to find age-appropriate or reliable sources for their exam preparation.
Two in five (44 percent) students say it is difficult to know whether the websites they use are trustworthy, while 57 percent state they often find it difficult to understand the information they find online. A further half says there are not educational websites specifically aimed at 11-16 year olds.
“Britannica is committed to helping schools and their students in Qatar to be e-Safe and e-Aware and there’s no reason why, with the right policy and curriculum in place, students should not be able to use e-resources confidently and purposefully,” Ian Grant said.
The Peninsula
