Year 8 Digital Incursion: Digital Thumbprint

On Tuesday the 26th of May 2020, 8G and 8H were joined by Dom and Brandon for the Digital Thumbprint Incursion.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the Digital Thumbprint Incursion to be performed online. This is the first time that the school is having an online incursion and I’m proud to say that it went really well with barely any problems. Our presenters prepared a digital  presentation with helpful information about cyber safety. It was quite interactive, with students encouraged to add their ideas via the chat function and there were two classes at a time who participated so there was the opportunity for many students to contribute. 

Almost all of us had heard about cyber safety before and how you can avoid it, but when you become the age where you have more social media, it changes for all of us. That is why we were reminded of the importance of social media rules. 

As we embark on teenager life, social media becomes a big part of it. We are getting to the age that we can learn more about cyber safety and leaving a digital footprint. During this incursion, the Year 8 students were reminded about the basic social media rules. As the incursion continued on, we started to learn more about cyber safety than before. A popular former social media user was interviewed. Us students watched a video where she explained how social media caused her to go crazy. She explained that she became so obsessed that she actually measured famous model’s legs, arms and chest width! Then she compared them to her own and forced herself to make changes, like not eating for three days to lose weight. All she wanted was likes on her pictures and once she realized what was happening to her, she quit social media life.

Next were some stories about people, high school students even, who sent inappropriate photos and got themselves on the child offenders list. Brandon and Dom explained about how and why those people managed to get themselves onto the list and also explained how we can avoid it. Social media can affect our health and wellbeing. It may affect our social, physical and mental health, causing stress and anxiety to what other people may think. 

To remind us of all the ways to stay safe on line, we had already learnt over the past years , our presenters, reviewed what you should do if you are the victim of cyber bullying. First, you should block the person bullying you on your social media application, then tell an adult or guardian that you trust to look into the situation. Never should you say something to someone which you wouldn’t tell to their face. Before sending a message on social media, think:  Does this message hurt or offend that person in anyway? If your message may hurt or offend the person you are sending it to, then do not send it.

Thank you to our presenters for helping us to understand social media better than before. Now, we know what the child offenders list is and how to avoid it, the impact social media may have on our daily lives and being reminded how to react if you are the victim in a cyber bullying situation. This information will help us whilst on social media.

On behalf of the Year 8s who attended the Digital Thumbprint Incursion, I would like to thank all the organisers for presenting the school’s first online incursion. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, you still managed to present without any problems!

For additional Resources:

Access student resources 

Parent Resources: 

 www.digitalthumbprint.com.au/parent-resources

For more information on the program and each of the workshops we encourage you to visit: www.digitalthumbprint.com.au/