Cybersafety Project Incursion
Did you know that over one third of children have seen content online that makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe? Or that 20% of kids feel left out when playing online games? Or worse still, two thirds of us find it almost impossible to disconnect from our devices?!
On Wednesday 2 July students from Year 4-6 participated in an incursion from the Cybersafety Project. The focus was on digital wellbeing, online safety and cyberbullying. Clara and Josh (4C) said that they enjoyed playing the Text Chat for Good #TCFG game, especially when Mr Wink thought that YAMS meant “you ate my sandwich!” (it really means You Are My Sunshine). Students (and teachers) were surprised to find out the meaning of other acronyms used online.
Students also found out how digital devices “hook” us in, with Cara (6A) surprised to hear that your brain can only really work hard for 30 minutes during online gaming before getting tired. Despite this, the data says that more than two thirds of children (and adults) find it really hard to properly disconnect from digital devices.
Year 4 children learnt how to control the settings on their digital profiles so they can block nasty or mean messages and content. They also saw how easy it is to turn off Auto-Play on youtube so you don’t get sucked into watching hours of videos without realising!
A big focus of the incursion was on acting with integrity online and always being kind to others. Asher (6A) reflected that it’s best not to send anything negative, even to your best friend, as it might get shared more widely on the whole internet. Students were also reminded how to seek help from trusted adults if they see something inappropriate or uncomfortable online.
At CSPS, we use the Cybersafety Project resources to deliver regular lessons in all year levels about digital behaviour and digital safety. As we enter the holidays, please check in with your children about what games they are playing online, what video channels they are watching, and most importantly, how much screen-free time they are getting each day. It’s all about balance and as parents, we need to help our kids and ourselves avoid getting hooked!
Michaela Patel
STEM Coordinator
Resources
Kids Helpline: https://kidshelpline.com.au/ 1800 55 1800
eSafety Parent Help: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents
eSafety Kids: https://www.esafety.gov.au/kids