A new session with the Polish Good Practice

 Cybersecurity session in which we continued the activities of the Polish good practice: Communication on the Internet.

In this session we talk about:

• Web applications: WhatsApp, Telegram, social network messaging services. These are very useful applications that should not replace conversation.
• Barriers to online communication: Semantic - The sender may use the words with certain meanings, but the receiver may interpret them differently or not understand them; physical - Environmental circumstances that impede good communication such as noise, lighting, distance or device deficiencies; physiological - factors that hinder or distort communication such as weak voice, defective pronunciation, deafness or visual problems; psychological - liking or disliking, emotional states, prejudices, etc.
• Activity: We discussed the advantages and disadvantages of communicating via WhatsApp or a similar application. These are set out below and were reflected on the board of Padlet. Advantages: We can communicate with a friend who is in another part of the city; there is no possibility of physical aggression; in urgent situations (call to the hospital) we will have immediate answers; we can share audiovisual materials; we keep in touch with people who are far away due to work circumstances, confinement, studies...; we can send photos of good things that happen in our family; we can buy things that we cannot find in our place of residence; we can request or send information about some matter quickly; make videoconferences; mass communication, etc. Disadvantages: You can be a victim of internet risks such as phishing, hyperconnectivity, fake news, or cyberbullying; sometimes we have too much information; in some applications our phone numbers are visible and harm our privacy; gifts sometimes make communication difficult; physical contact is lost; sometimes misunderstandings arise; sending a message to the wrong person; etc.
• Deepening activity 1: The students answered the following questions in an online questionnaire: Why do young people spend a lot of time using the Internet? What other ways do you know of to spend your free time without the presence of technology? Below is an analysis of their answers.

A total of 42 responses were collected.

Why do young people spend so much time using the Internet?

Their responses were as follows:

• The Internet is addictive.
• For leisure and to look for information.
• Because they have had parental consent.
• Because it allows them to communicate with other people, play online, study...
• Because of the situation we are living through with the pandemic.
• Because if you don't do it you are not socially recognised in your peer group.
• Because almost everything is done using the Internet.

What other ways do you know of to spend your free time without the presence of technology?

These are the activities mentioned by pupils: dancing, drawing, enjoying board games, playing sports, choreographing, going to the countryside, playing in the park, reading with the family, extracurricular activities, cycling or playing an instrument.

• Deepening activity 2: We end the session by proposing to the students the creation of a poster containing the advantages and disadvantages of communication on the Internet. In the next session, we will share and present the work with our classmates.

Thank you very much!