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Online Contact: A Conscience Alley Activity
Child Safeguarding Statement
Some resources and activities may prompt a child to remember and potentially share an experience of harm. Make sure you’re familiar with your school's safeguarding policies and procedures so you can confidently report safety and well-being concerns.
Prepare students for the session by discussing: their right to be safe and respected; what to do if discussing online safety makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe; and how to seek help if they feel or have felt unsafe. Use this resource available on the website.
Online Contact: A Conscience Alley Activity
Overview
In this activity, students explore some of the problems, dilemmas, and decisions that can be faced in online environments. By offering an opportunity to consider a range of options in relation to online safety, the activity encourages boundary-setting, respectful interactions, and the importance of assertiveness in online spaces.
This activity is relevant for:
- Exploring character mindsets through relevant scenarios and performance-based activities.
- Students who are using digital devices to connect with others, for instance through phones, messaging, or online gaming.
- Addressing issues around maintaining respectful relationships when connecting with friends and family online.
- Encouraging the transferability of empathy and respect across both online and offline environments.
This lesson is part of the FREE digital licence program
Learning Intentions
By completing this activity, our class intends to:
- Discuss and explore solutions to online issues that arise when unwanted or undesirable contact is made by others.
- Identify a range of appropriate and respectful behaviours to counter unwanted or undesirable contact.
Lesson Instructions
Activity Setup
Download the “Student Activity Pack” from the Resources section, and distribute to students in hard copy or digitally.
Discussion
Begin with the For and Against activity in the "Student Activity Pack". The worksheet has three scenarios for students to consider. Each scenario is based on a decision that a character need to make in relation to unwanted and undesirable contact that has been made by others online.
The worksheet can be delivered in a few ways:
- Whole class discussion: Read out the scenario, and as a whole class discuss points “for” and “against” the possible choices that could be made. Allow time for students to jot down their thoughts on the worksheet following each discussion.
- Think-Pair-Share: Read out the scenario, and then break the class down into pairs so that they can generate for and against points as a team. Share the for and against points in a whole class discussion, and find out whether students agree or disagree with the points made by each pair.
Once students have come up with at least two points for and against each scenario on their worksheets, transition them to the next phase of the activity that will further explore the decisions that need to be made.
Conscience Alley
Ask for three volunteers to play one of the characters from the worksheet. Assign the volunteers a character and scenario. These students will be asked to re-introduce their character before walking down the Conscience Alley; they should feel free to embellish or add context to the character, or make it more relevant. Volunteers can consider how they might develop the character while the rest of the class sets up the activity.
With the remainder of the students, clear a space in the room. These students will need to form two parallel lines, facing each other, with enough space for a person to walk down between both lines. The lines of students act as the character’s “conscience”; therefore, one line should be students who are “for” a certain course of action, and another who are “against”.
Ask the first character to stand at one end of the lines. The character should introduce themselves and the decision they need to make, including any embellishments they have decided to add.
When the students closest to the character have thought about their for and against point and are ready to speak, the character should start walking down the alley. One student from each side should give their point of view on the character’s decision, in turn, as they walk down the alley.
Once the character has reached the end, it is their turn to choose the course of action they are going to take given everything they have heard. When they have stated their decision, discuss with the group whether they think the right decision has been made.
Exit Pass
After the scenarios have been discussed, students should complete the three questions in the Exit Pass section of the activity pack. These questions ask students to reflect on their earlier "for" and "against" points, and to generate one tip that they will take away from the lesson to use at home.
Aligned Curriculum
Australian Curriculum (Version 9.0)
The Australian Curriculum outlines the fundamental knowledge, comprehension, and abilities students are expected to acquire as they advance through the initial 11 years of schooling.
Years 3 and 4: General Capabilities
Personal and Social Capabilities
Emotional awareness:
- Level 3: Explain the influence that their own behaviour has on the emotional responses of others.
Emotional regulation:
- Level 3: Manage and moderate emotions in familiar contexts, using provided strategies.
Relational Awareness:
- Level 3: Identify how they can contribute to healthy relationships and manage challenging relationships.
- AC9ADR4D01: Use the elements of drama to explore and develop ideas for dramatic action in improvisations and/or devised drama.
- AC9ADR4C01: Improvise and/or devise and shape drama using the elements of drama to communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning.
Years 3 and 4: Health and Physical Education
- AC9HP4P02: Plan, rehearse and reflect on strategies to cope with the different changes and transitions they experience, such as the changes associated with puberty.
- AC9HP4P04: Select, use and refine personal and social skills to establish, manage and strengthen relationships.
- AC9HP4P06: Explain how and why emotional responses can vary and practise strategies to manage their emotions.
- AC9HP4P10: Investigate and apply behaviours that contribute to their own and others’ health, safety, relationships and wellbeing.
CASEL Framework
The CASEL Framework creates a foundation for applying evidence-based, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) strategies both at school and in the broader community. Its aim is to support the cultivation of SEL skills and environments that advance students’ learning and development.
- Relationship skills: The abilities to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and to effectively navigate settings with diverse individuals and groups.
My Time, Our Place – Framework for School Age Care in Australia
The aim of My Time, Our Place: Framework for School Age Care in Australia (the Framework) is to assist educators to provide children and young people with opportunities to maximise their potential and develop a foundation for successful lifelong learning. The Framework has been designed for use by approved providers and school age care educators working in partnership with children and young people, their families and the community, including schools.
Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world.
Children develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities and an understanding of the reciprocal rights and responsibilities necessary for active community participation.
This is evident when children:
- Communicate and demonstrate an understanding that they are a part of a world that shares and communicates using digital technologies.
- Demonstrate an ability to share and respect others’ use of digital technologies.
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