UK schools mark Safe Internet Day

Last month marked a significant development in the establishment of digital learning initiatives in mainstream education, as schools around the country marked Safe Internet Day. The internet has now become a key part of people's lives and, as such, curriculums are increasingly incorporating web-based aspects in order to ensure that children know how to engage with this technology in a constructive, healthy and safe way.For pupils at a primary school near Derby, a series of activities and workshops were arranged to help promote safe and responsible use of the internet. According to the Ilkeston Advertiser, infant and junior classes at Carsington and Hopton Church of England Primary School enjoyed a whole day of learning activities dedicated to using the internet.For schoolchildren, the internet has become a powerful learning tool, supplementing more traditional forms of education and in a growing number of instances (such as snow days), even offering a viable alternative. But the real power of the internet is that it offers a learning environment for people at every age, whether you're studying in an academic context or a vocational one.For children at Carsington and Hopton, Safer Internet Day, which took place on February 11th, carried the theme: "Let's create a better internet together." This involved a look at the many creative and educational things that children and young people can do online, as well as the role that each person plays in the wider digital community.Peter Johnston, head teacher of Carsington and Hopton Primary School, said: "As technology continues to develop at a rapid pace we need to ensure our education keeps up with this. Our children need to be well-informed so they become safe and responsible citizens in the virtual world."One area where the internet has an intense amount of potential is in providing a centralised ways of accessing learning resources for a vast range of subjects and topics in a way that isn't restricted by geography or time. Particularly for adults, such unfettered access is a great way of letting them to pursue digital learning initiatives in a way that doesn't class with their existing home and work commitments.