A master class of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) - a specialized UN agency in the field of information and communication technologies - was held in Petrozavodsk on September 12, as part of the 16th International Conference of Administrators and Registrars of Country Top-Level Domains of the CIS, Central and Eastern Europe (TLDCON 2023).
The final event of the TLDCON 2023 was a lecture for teachers “Child Safety in the Online Environment,” based on the Guidelines for Parents and Educators on Child Online Protection.
According to the ITU, as of 2021, 93% of children were connected to the Internet by age 12, and 40% had access to the global network by age 8. At the same time, according to UNICEF, more than 70% of youth around the world face harassment and bullying online. Also, according to a UNICEF survey in 30 countries, one in three young people reported being bullied online, and one in five missed school because of it.
In its recommendations, the International Telecommunication Union emphasizes the importance of the role of teachers in ensuring the safety of children in the online environment. During the master class held in the capital of Karelia, Petrozavodsk, ITU Regional Director for the CIS region Natalia Mochu introduced teachers to thematic online courses for teachers and parents, which they can use in their work.
She also spoke about materials developed by ITU specifically for children: videos, the story book “Online Safety with Sango”, courses and a workbook for children aged 9-12 years. In addition, teachers were presented with teacher guides, flyers and posters that may be useful in the educational process.
“Teachers are key participants in creating a safe digital environment for children. ITU is developing accessible educational materials and guidelines to help teachers prevent risks that children may face online,” Natalya said.
