The Australian Communications and Media Authority will extend its successful cybersafety professional development program to teachers in training with the introduction of a new program.

‘This new program will equip trainee teachers with the skills they will need to manage cybersafety education and awareness issues in Australian schools today. It builds on the highly successful professional development workshops which the ACMA offers. Fifty-five thousand teachers, parents and students have attended the ACMA’s Cybersmart Internet Safety Awareness presentations to date, and over 2200 teachers across Australia have also attended our workshops. These programs are in strong demand, with bookings well into next year,’ said Chris Cheah, Acting Chair of the ACMA.

‘Teachers-in-training also need access now to up-to-date knowledge, skills and practical advice on cybersafety as they will go on to teach core safety skills to Australian children,’ said Mr Cheah. ‘Topics we cover in both programs include cyberbullying, communicating safely, safe social networking, exposure to inappropriate content and e-security.’

A pilot of the program will be run at the Australian Catholic University (ACU) campuses in Strathfield, NSW and in Canberra next week. More than 650 pre-service teachers, teachers, academics, educators and industry stakeholders will attend the program, consisting of a 50-minute resource lecture and a 90-minute tutorial.

The new Cybersafety trainee teacher program is a national professional development program designed for trainee teachers in primary, secondary and graduate diploma teaching courses.
 

To produce the Pre-Service Teacher program, the ACMA consulted extensively with the higher education and university sectors, working with the ACU in particular.

‘We’re pleased to be able to work with the ACU who have shown a strong desire to make a worthwhile contribution to cybersafety,’ said Mr Cheah.

This program is part of the Australian Government’s broad commitment to cybersafety training and education throughout Australia.