Background

Victorian students have demonstrated that they are articulate and keen to contribute to shaping their digital world.

For instance in 2009 a Student Summit was hosted to canvas the views of secondary students on cyber behaviour.

In the lead up to the event, the students met online with the Victorian Premier and the Minister for Education to discuss the issues and suggest possible solutions.

At the Summit they composed and agreed on a declaration which they presented to the Premier and then went on to prepare action plans to implement in their own schools.

Video: Professor Stephen Heppell discusses the importance of
listening to learners

“This is our domain and we believe that we need to make the internet a safe place. We have the skills and the ability to do so. But we cannot do this alone. And so we ask that our parents and teachers give us their trust, that we will be responsible online.”

Student declaration, 2009 Leading Responsibly in a Digital World Student Summit

This input from the students and the resulting declaration are having a powerful influence on the Department’s development of policy related to safe and ethical behaviour online.

Through Listen2Learners the Department has built on this success, providing an opportunity for students to demonstrate how they learn with technology.

Listen2Learners was modelled on a similar event called Be Very Afraid which is the brainchild of Professor Stephen Heppell and held each year in London. Professor Heppell agreed to be the patron of Listen2Learners.