Victoria Strengthens Online Safety For Students
Children and teenagers get safe on Facebook and Myspace.
School students will log on to Victoria’s first-ever cyber safety sessions today under a new Brumby Labor Government initiative to boost online student safety.
Education Minister Bronwyn Pike said hundreds of students from 27 schools will participate in the inaugural cyber safety sessions.
“The vast majority of school students already have Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and MSN accounts, and it’s important they have the knowledge and know-how to use these social networks safely,” Ms Pike said.
“Stranger danger and cyber bullying have always been associated with schools and playgrounds, now it has extended to the online communities that many students are part of.
“For many years, parents and schools have been warning students about stranger danger, and teaching children not to get into a car or talk to someone they don’t know.
“Today, with so many students accessing online communities, stranger danger is just as real – but now you don’t see the person.
“There is a very real danger of students befriending someone online, and that person turning out to be completely different to who they say they are.
“From today, this initiative will see groups of 50 students take part in online chats with cyber safety experts who will discuss ways to boost online awareness in their schools.
“The Years 3 to 10 students will engage in robust discussions on how they can influence their classmates to be responsible online.
“This pilot program will develop students’ online awareness so they can guard themselves against unwanted attention from strangers.”
Year 3 and 4 students will discuss what being cyber smart means to them on a SuperClubs Plus closed chat site.
Students in Years 5 to 10 will participate in an online video session where they will discuss what cyber bullying is, what it means and what students can do about it.
Years 5 -10 students will then conduct cyber safety research in their schools before reconvening for another online conference with their student group and cyber expert later this month.
They will then create specialised cyber safety plans which will be launched at a later date.
Primary schools involved:
- Aspendale Gardens Primary
- Auburn South Primary
- Balnarring Primary
- Boort Primary School
- Bourchier Street Primary
- California Gully Primary
- Chiltern Primary
- Foster Primary
- Pakenham Hills Primary
- St Dominic’s Primary
- St Joseph’s Primary
- St Thomas of the Apostle
- Strathaird Primary School
- Whittlesea Primary
- Yarrambat Primary
Secondary Schools involved:
- Alexandra Secondary College
- Fairhills Secondary College
- Frankston High School
- Gisborne Secondary College
- Hawkesdale Secondary College
- Kuranjang Secondary College
- MacRobertson Girls’ High School
- Marcellin College
- Ouyen P-12 College
- Ringwood Secondary College
- Sunbury College
- Upper Yarra Secondary College
Topics: 2010, AFP, Australia, Australian Federal Police, Bronwyn Pike, Brumby Labor Government, CEOP, Child Exploitation and Online Protection, children, cyber bullies, cyber safety, cyber security, education, facebook, families, Governance, government, internet, law enforcement, Microsoft, moniter, monitor, MSN accounts, myspace, news, NSW, online, online safety, online sex offenders, online sexual exploitation, parents, scammers, school, security, sex offenders, social networking, social networks, society, stranger danger, students, SuperClubs Plus, teachers, Twitter, Victoria
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