The new RSE curriculum has brought a whole load of new important jargon with it, which can be tough to get your head around. We’ve put together a super simple glossary of the five terms we think best sum up how we, as educators, can support our pupils in thriving online. They might even help you think about your own relationship with technology.

 Let’s start simply. Digital independence is exactly what it sounds like: understanding that you’re responsible for your digital actions, including what you look at online and how you use your devices. Pupils should be digitally independent by the time they head off to secondary school, which is usually when they get their first phone. 

Children need a mix of social, emotional and cognitive skills to help them face challenges online and adapt to the demands of the digital world. 

Let’s imagine you’re trying to navigate your way through the jungle: you’d need expert compass reading skills, the resilience of a bad stand-up comedian and a touch of snake charming skills to boot. Without all of these, you’re not going to be finding civilisation any time soon!

Being digitally literate is all about using tools to evaluate, create and communicate information in order to understand and interact with the world around you. In a world that relies more and more on technology, it’s a skill that’s every bit as essential as learning to read and write. Our content writer Phil elaborates on this in our “International Literacy Day 2020” blog.

Being online can be fun, exciting and full of new experiences. But sometimes a child may become upset by unkind comments, feelings of envy and exclusion, or inappropriate content they come across online. 

Digital resilience means understanding when you’re at risk online, knowing what to do if anything goes wrong, learning from your experiences and being able to recover from any difficulties or upsets.

Digital awareness is about putting together all of the different ideas we’ve mentioned above. To be digitally aware means you’re a smart, savvy, observant internet user. You’re aware of the risks of being online, and act to protect your privacy, your identity and your wellbeing. You understand the scale of the internet and how the things you write can stick around for a long time, or be seen by a lot of people. 

You may feel like you’ve got an uphill battle ahead of you to provide your pupils with experiences that teach them these important life skills. Luckily, they’re part and parcel of the Natterhub experience. 

Our platform looks and feels like social media, but it’s a safe space in which teachers remain in control. Children can use it to practice these skills, make mistakes, and ultimately grow as digital citizens.