Teachers and students of the seventh to nineth grades can contend in the Ideathon “Together for a better Internet!”, the 2024 edition, which was launched by the International Center “La Strada” and the Ministry of Education and Research. In the competition, participants will test their knowledge and imagination to find innovative solutions to complex challenges related to student safety in their online interactions, IPN reports.
The contest is open to seventh to nineth graders who can contend in teams of 3-5 students who have not participated in any stage of the competition the last three years. The teams will be coordinated by a teacher from the educational institution who also has not participated in any stage of the competition the last three years (by one team from each educational institution).
At the first stage, interested teachers will fill in a competition participation form until January 9, 2024. Communication between organizers and teachers will be ensured through the contact details indicated in the respective form.
After they are registered for the competition, teachers will carry out activities centering on online safety, especially with regard to preventing the online interaction risks. For each performed activity, the teacher will download and electronically fill in an activity sheet on online safety. Subsequently, teams of students will be formed (3-5 seventh-nineth graders) and a problem will be identified, at school level, regarding the safety of students, especially the prevention of risks of interaction online and actions that should be taken if these risks come true.
The problem identified by team members should refer to online safety, the risks related to online interactions (online communication and friends, online relationships, contact risks, offline meetings, help and advice in unpleasant situations, etc.). Teams that selected technical issues specific to Internet security (viruses, passwords, spam, hackers, parental control programs, etc.) or aspects specific to media education (fake news, trolling, netiquette, quality of information, time spent online, etc.) and also issues that reflect risks related to online content and behavioral risks will not be admitted to the competition.
The judging and awarding event will take place on February 10, 2024, in Chisinau. Details on the conditions of participation can be viewed on the website of the Ministry of Education and Research.
