Having almost doubled the number of schools involved in 2024, this year’s event centred around the theme of ‘Empowering tomorrow’s digital citizens, today’, a call to action for educators to consider what they can do to build a learning environment that supports their students to thrive in a digital world.

To support this, teachers, along with their students, were encouraged to explore the Alannah & Madeleine Foundation’s free online products, eSmart Media Literacy Lab and eSmart Digital Licence+.

All schools nationwide are being encouraged to sign-up to access the tools to boost the digital skills of their students.

Developed by the Alannah & Madeleine Foundation, and thanks to a $6 million investment by the Federal Government, the curriculum-aligned Digital Licence+ program supports students aged between 10 and 14 years to build digital skills and intelligence.

eSmart Engagement Manager, Peta Simpson was delighted by the outcomes achieved in National eSmart Week.

“It’s great to talk to so many teachers who are working so passionately to provide digital citizenship education to their students – not just in National eSmart week, but all throughout the school year,” she said.

Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland said that digital and media literacy are critical skills for all school students.

“This is about ensuring we have the e-learning resources in place for all teachers and schools to empower young people to interact safely online,” she said in a statement.

“The Alannah & Madeline Foundation does a tremendous job upskilling young Australians for the digital age.

“This is why the Albanese Government is pleased to partner with AMF to make its products freely available nationwide.”

The program helps students to stay safe online by providing them with tips on how to identify digital scams and report cyberbullying.

Digital Licence+ also teaches students how to balance the use of technology to avoid negative impacts on relationships, physical health and mental wellbeing.

The Media Literacy Lab – which helps 12 to 16 year-olds develop critical thinking around online content – is also freely available to every school.

“These eSmart products will help Australian children to think critically about what they see and do online, stay safe, and become upstanding digital citizens,” Rowland added.

“I encourage schools to contact the Alannah & Madeline Foundation to find out how to access these helpful resources”.

National eSmart Week 2024 summary

  • Since the start of March, 40 new schools have registered for eSmart Digital Licence+ and 3956 students have been provided access to a module of Digital Licence+ – with 2388 of those students completing a module.
  • During National eSmart Week 477 students completed a module – however many completed modules in the two weeks prior, allowing them to get ready for the week ahead!
  • 20 Australian schools have signed up to begin eSmart Media Literacy Lab since the beginning of the year.
  • There were 429 registered schools, libraries and organisations registered for National eSmart Week 2024, with the majority of these registrations coming from Victoria.

The Alannah & Madeline Foundation was founded 27 years ago by Walter Mikac AM, and a small group of volunteers in memory of Mikac’s young daughters Alannah and Madeline Mikac, aged just six and three, who tragically lost their lives, along with their mother, and 32 others at Port Arthur in Tasmania on April 28, 1996.

The foundation was established with the belief that “all children and young people should be able to live a happy and safe life, free from violence and trauma”. 

In other news, the National Museum of Australia has today loaned the letters exchanged between Mikac and then Prime Minister John Howard following the immediate aftermath of the Port Arthur massacre, to Australian Parliament House, where they will be on display for three months in the Marble Foyer.

The display of the letters, which impelled the significant gun reforms introduced in 1996, a defining moment in the nation’s history, was officially opened by Attorney General Mark Dreyfus and Leader of the Opposition Perter Dutton in conjunction with the Parliamentary Friends of Firearm Safety.

Teachers and school leaders interested in registering for the Digital Licence+ program – or who want access to the Media Literacy Lab – can contact the Alannah & Madeline Foundation here.

For more information on the eSmart program, visit here.