Cyber Wellness in Dunearn

What is Cyber Wellness?

Cyber Wellness (CW) refers to the positive well-being of Internet users. It involves an understanding of online behaviour and awareness of how to protect oneself and others from cyber risks such as excessive internet use and cyber bullying.

In Dunearn Secondary School, we believe that it is important for students to be equipped with the necessary life-long knowledge, social-emotional competencies and sound values so that they can become safe, respectful and responsible users of the internet. At the same time, they should also share the knowledge and spread the key Cyber Wellness messages so everyone in the community can participate safely online.

The school will partner parents in the process of inculcating Cyber Wellness values in their children by helping parents to understand cyber wellness issues and risks, as well as involving parents in reinforcing Cyber Wellness principles at home.

Cyber Wellness Framework in Dunearn

The 3 Principles of Cyber Wellness

The focus of CW is about helping students to become responsible digital learners, guided by the following principles:

1. Respect for Self and Others

Students should:

• uphold their own dignity when online (e.g. share appropriate content and participate only in legal online activities)
• respect other people online (e.g. put themselves in others’ shoes, accept diverse views and opinions, give credit when using other people’s work and seek permission where necessary, avoid sharing hurtful materials).

2. Safe and Responsible Use

Students should:

• have an understanding of the risks of harmful and illegal online behaviour, and take steps to protect themselves (e.g. keep their personal information private, verify the reliability of information using various sources, take steps to avoid dangers they may encounter online).
• make wise and healthy choices (e.g. maintain a healthy balance of their online and offline activities)

3. Positive Peer Influence

Students should:

• be a positive role model online (e.g. share healthy and positive content, harness the affordances of technology to do good for society)
• advocate positive online behaviour (e.g. stand up for their peers online, report cases of cyber bullying to a trusted adult/authority, post encouraging remarks on social media)

The Approach

Students will learn to infuse the following 3-step process when they engage in cyber activities:

• Sense – Students should be able to “sense” any harm when they are exposed to any danger or risk in the cyber world
• Think  – Students should be able to analyse and evaluate issues related to Cyber Wellness
• Act – Students should be able to apply what they have learnt to become responsible users when they are online

The Programme

Our vision is to develop Dunearnites to be responsible online users who also have positive online influence. To do so, we have a 3-pronged approach:

Cyber Wellness Curriculum

Lessons are delivered via the Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) curriculum. Follow-up class discussions are also conducted during Form Teacher Time periods.

The key messages for students are:

1. Embrace technology yet maintain a balanced lifestyle between the physical and cyber worlds
2. Harness the power of ICT for positive purposes
3. Be a safe and responsible user of ICT
4. Be responsible for personal well-being in cyberspace
5. Maintain a positive presence in cyberspace

Need Help To Solve Cyber Wellness Issues?

You don't have to be alone to solve your Cyber Wellness problems. Besides the school teachers, you may also contact the following parties for help!

1) Dunearn School Counsellor

Contact our school's counsellor, Mdm Fitriah Abdul Ghani, who is always ready to provide counselling help for your Cyber Wellness problems.

Email: fitriah_abdul_ghani@schools.gov.sg

2) TOUCH Cyber Wellness

TOUCH Cyber Wellness is a one-stop resource centre which provides counselling services for Cyber Wellness problems for all age groups.

Email: cyberwellness@touch.org.sg

TOUCHLine: 1800 337 2252 (Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm)

Website: https://www.touch.org.sg/about-touch/our-services/touch-cyber-wellness-homepage

3) Help123

Help123 is a Cyber Wellness and digital parenting platform by TOUCH Community Services and supported by Singtel. Youths or parents who are facing Cyber Wellness issues can contact their friendly counsellors for help via their hotline or email.

Hotline: 1800 6123 123 (Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm)

Email: hello@help123.sg

Website: https://www.help123.sg/