Good to see the Welsh Government publish this document on web filtering standards for schools. Over the last couple of months I've been working with primary schools from around Wales and it still surprises me the number of local authorities who block access to websites they deem unsuitable. YouTube is still the 'big one' that seems to be blocked by many (along with other video streaming sites), and I'm currently having issues with certain LAs blocking access to Google Apps for Education. The frustration for myself and schools is the inconsistencies with blocking. One LA lets something through for their schools, and the neighbouring LA has it blocked. I wonder how long it'll take before we have consistency in LA filtering across the whole of Wales? It would actually be helpful if we had consistency in filtering across a Consortium!
At a time when England have introduced digital literacy elements to their new Computing PoS, and with the recommendations from the ICT Steering Group report for a digital literacy framework alongside the new subject of Computing, I’ve been attempting to look closely into what exactly is meant by the term ‘digital literacy’, and ultimately what this could mean for primary and secondary schools in Wales. I intend to put together a series of blogs on the topic, mainly as a way to help me with my understanding around some of the current thinking in this field, but hopefully it will still be of interest to teachers and others. I'd welcome any of your thoughts or comments on this topic. The Context In June 2012, Leighton Andrews, the then Minister for Education and Skills, announced “an additional £3m of funding over the next three years to support a range of measures to improve computer science, digital literacy and ICT in schools and colleges across Wales.” This announcement came
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