iWell_IO5 Policy Practice Recommendations_Executive Summary_EN

The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be Introduction to the iWell Project The iWell project – Enhancing the Digital and Social Well-being in Schools - is an Erasmus+ project that develops effective tools for primary school students, aged 6-12 years old, to support them to develop a healthy online life and boost their social well-being. It aims to develop the necessary competences of primary school teachers, in teaching life skills and digital literacy skills for online safety and social well-being, and eventually of primary school students with regards to the safe and healthy use of any digital media, to create healthy and active citizens of the future. Nowadays, students’ well-being in European schools has become a challenge for numerous teachers to confront, partly due to the needs of the new digital world. A gap that directly arises from this is to develop effective tools for students to have a healthy online life (JRC, 2020). Specifically, the European Commission pays attention to the online safety and digital wellbeing of young people. According to the Digital Agenda for Europe, actions and policies of the EU should focus on maximising the benefits that the digital era can yield by 2020. Significantly, all educators and school leaders should acquire the necessary skills to teach their students to benefit the most of this great potential that is provided to them (Eurydice, 2018) and try to enhance their health and digital literacy skills. However, there is substantial research evidence, which suggests that young people do not have the appropriate skills that a person needs in the new digital world (European Commission, 2015). Any form of misuse of the internet could jeopardise the well-being of students, as well as their success at school (OECD,

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