RGS Digital Parenting - Edition 6

DIGITAL parenting tips/advice/what’s trending

SCHOOLTV TIPS

POSITIVE EDUCATION POSITIVE YOUNG MINDS PAGE 5

FINDING YOURSELF PAGE 7

No.6

August 2021

The Rockhampton Grammar School Grow in Character and Scholarship www.rgs.qld.edu.au

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INSIDE 04 COVER STORY

POSITIVE EDUCATION LEARNING MINDFULNESS FROM A YOUNG AGE

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Social challenges surrounding COVID

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Dear Diary Daily wellbeing check-ins

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Cybersafety Avoiding common mistakes

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Agritech The changing face of a traditional industry

hello

The current world of uncertainty we are all navigating is having a profound impact on the mental health and wellbeing of children and adolescents, whether they be directly or indirectly affected.

We will continue to live in an environment filled with uncertainty, having to quickly adapt to ever changing situations.

Technology plays a major role in this, with the volume and pace of information we are faced with often leading to feeling overwhelmed or creating increased anxiety.

Research is now showing the emotional and developmental price being paid from this.

RGS is a supporter of SchoolTV, which has produced a Special Report spear headed by Child Psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg. The report is essential and timely viewing for parents, carers and educators reflecting new research and what uncertainties for families and young people lay ahead.

In this edition of Digital Parenting we look at the growing importance of student wellbeing in schools today. Information and tips that are being shared with our students can also be put into use in the family home and by parents, all benefitting from some wellbeing tips and timeout.

We also look at how technology continues to shape the world we live in, whether that be providing benefits to the workforce or the need to be aware of cyber safety and the permanent digital footprint you can leave behind.

While technology continues to engage a growing space in our society, it’s also important to slow down and be mindful of your own wellbeing – especially in times of unprecedented uncertainty.

Dr Phillip Moulds Headmaster

TECH UPDATE

FUTURE TECH

FIVE TECH TRENDS IN 2021 Even as new technologies are developed, innovation around the application of existing technology is rapidly changing how organisations operate and how we interact with the world. Leaps in computing capacity, data capture and connectivity are accelerating this change. Here are five areas to watch in 2021 and beyond…

• Artificial intelligence – machines with human attributes • Augmented reality – systems that combine real-time 3D vision and sound • Blockchain – providing secure systems • Automation – Machines making a different in the home and in industry

YOUNG VOICE OF HOPE

• Internet of Things – Growth in combining technologies and connecting people Find out more at bit.ly/3llLzWE

Molly Wright is a seven-year-old from the Gold Coast who has a message for parents.

Molly became the youngest person to deliver a TED Talk, with her seven-minute lecture warning that children can suffer when adults are distracted by digital devices. Molly talks about how young minds are growing fast and that’s the time to connect, talk and play with children. The head of TED, Chris Anderson, said Molly had a “wow” factor and deserved a huge audience. “I absolutely love this talk,’’ he said. “To hear a powerful idea like this spoken so eloquently by a child – wow!’’

FINDING A TECH/LIFESTYLE BALANCE SchoolNews Australia conducted a Growing Up Digital Australia study in 2020.

A survey of 2,500 parents, grandparents and caregivers across Australia, found that 83% of participants thought their children were negatively distracted by digital devices.

Here are some small steps families can try by working together to break some digital habits: 1. Take an honest look at current digital habits and screen time in your family.

Agree on some concrete actions that would limit the time each family member spends with their digital device.

2. Have at least two hours without digital screens before going to bed. Keep all smartphones and other mobile devices away from bedrooms.

3. Focus on overall digital wellness by finding a healthy balance between time on digital gadgets and social time with family.

Have digital-free weekends and holidays whenever possible.

Find out more at bit.ly/398sbql

Find out more at bit.ly/3k5p8Wz

What's trending SLEEP CYCLE – Sleep tracker

SMILING MIND

GRATITUDE – Journal App

Sleep better and wake up rested with Sleep Cycle’s smart alarm clock. It analyses your sleep patterns and detects snoring, sleep talking, coughing and other sounds. Plus, you’ll get a detailed analysis as our sleep tracker monitors your bedtime patterns from the moment your head hits the pillow, and access to premium features including relaxing sleep sounds and story library.

A daily mindfulness and mediation guide at your fingertips. Helps you practice mindfulness and learn to pay attention to the present moment with openness, curiosity and without judgement.

The app is a great tool to reminds us about the little things that we can take for granted. You can set multiple reminders for making you consistent at feeling grateful and finding gratitude for new things every day. On difficult days, you can look back and read up your old journal entries. Daily Zen: Every day, the app brings to you inspiring quotes, affirmations, and gratitude stories from other users.

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FEATURE

Here's a snapshot of other areas of interest on SchoolTV

SCHOOL TRANSITIONS Starting prep, transitioning to secondary or even starting a new school can be stressfu.l RESILIENCE Fostering resilience in children requires strengthening the family, the community, as well as children’s own personal resources.

INTERNET ADDICTION Young people today don’t have the maturity to use their digital devices responsibly.

SLEEP Teenagers are the most sleep-deprived demographic, an under-recognised problem.

HELP TO BREAK DOWN BARRIERS

To find out more about SchoolTV visit rgs.qld.schooltv.me

The social challenges surrounding COVID are continuing in 2021 with mental fatigue affecting people of all ages.

There are many platforms people can access to get tips on how to best manage their own situation.

SchoolTV is one online resource delivering powerful and credible information to empower parents with the skills to address common issues facing young people today. SchoolTV delivers reputable information from leading specialists about a range of topics. Many of these topics cover digital matters, including screen addiction, cyberbullying, digital reputation and social networking.

Friendship, resilience, positive parenting, cyber safety and mindfulness are just some of the broad range of topics covered on SchoolTV. A recent SchoolTV special report focused on COVID Fatigue and Youth Mental Health.

As the nation remains on alert and in various stages of lockdown, restrictions continue to be mandated. And we, as a society, persevere to do the best we can to navigate this COVID era. Whilst some of us quietly take comfort from the availability of vaccines, it does introduce new uncertainties for families and young people alike. We continue to remain in a state of suspended animation, wondering when “normal” will return.

The physical impact of the pandemic has mostly spared our young people, however researchers are now reporting that children and adolescents are paying a heavy emotional and developmental price, being affected by a range of psychological disorders.

According to Kids Helpline, emergency interventions to protect young people have skyrocketed over the last 12 months.

Being a young person today is hard, but so too is being the parent of one. A recent international survey reported that parents are struggling to keep their child’s mental health afloat. Young people are feeling like they don’t have much control over their lives. Their developmental processes have been interfered with and their trajectory has been interrupted. Unfortunately the emotional blowback of the pandemic cannot be vaccinated away.

Young people can’t choose what happens to them, but they can choose how to respond. Encouraging them to use programs such as Moodgym moodgym.com.au, will help them change their thinking.

If your child wishes to talk to someone outside of the family unit, encourage them to call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 – anytime, any reason. Alternatively, they can chat online at kidshelpline.com.au Kids Helpline has also created some resources specifically relating to this topic for young people who may be struggling during lockdown.

Find out more at kidshelpline.com.au/coronavirus

THE ROCKHAMPTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL / 3

COVER STORY

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COVER STORY

Positive Education in Year 4 @ RGS Positive psychology is the study of what works" in humans. The aim of the field is to move the general population towards flourishing, the combination of good mental health and subjective wellbeing, which is simply doing good and feeling good'.

Ms Rosie Akers RGS School Psychologist

Christopher Peterson, considered to be a cofounder of the movement alongside Martin Seligman, maintained that the field of positive psychology could be summarised by the simple statement “Other people matter”, emphasising the significance of relationships in wellbeing. Peterson and Seligman collaborated on a project focussing on a fundamental element of positive psychology, the study of character and virtues. Positive education is the application of positive psychology within the education system. The field has clear ties to our School’s maxim Macte virtute et litteris: grow in character and scholarship, as it is the teaching of applied psychological strategies to develop both. At RGS, Year 4s have a year of learning these strategies in an interactive way to compliment their studies.

As one in three young Australians report high, or very high, rates of psychological distress (according to the headspace National Youth Mental Health Survey), increased support for our young people remains critical. Mental health conditions represent the highest burden of disease* in children and young people worldwide. Regrettably, suicide is the leading cause of death in Australians aged 15-44 years. By 2030, the World Health Organisation (WHO) predicts depression will represent the highest burden of disease in adults globally, surpassing injuries due to road accidents, heart disease, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Shockingly, suicide rates are predicted to surpass the global mortality rate of war and natural disasters.

Whilst the world scrambles to meet increasing demands for treatment and management of mental health difficulties, it makes sense to also prioritise strategies that assist individuals to be more resilient in the face of adversity and change.

It just makes so much sense to be teaching groups of young people how to widen their perspective" The program in Year 4 evolved out of an inconspicuous request in 2018 to run a few mindfulness sessions in class. After the initial sessions were completed the question was posed: “Well, can you talk to them about anything else?” Hence, character strengths education was added, and from the next year, the sessions morphed to a year-long, fortnightly program focussing on pillars of wellbeing identified by Seligman: positive relationships, engagement, positive emotions, meaning, achievement and health/vitality. During the COVID-19 lockdown, we were able to widen the discussion and introduce some concepts that may be helpful dealing with change and uncertainty. I personally love how engaged and insightful the Year 4s are. It seems as though they are just at the right point cognitively, where they can apply the developmentally matched content; however they are not yet as self-conscious as teens can be, therefore share more freely.

Transferring the strategies I use with young people individually in my clinical practice to the classroom is something I find very rewarding. It just makes so much sense to be teaching groups of young people how to widen their perspective; savour a happy moment; ground themselves when they are ruminating; use attention training or mindfulness to focus before an exam; identify their strengths and values; or connect with a sense of gratitude.

THE ROCKHAMPTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL / 5

COVER STORY

I love hearing from children who have gone home and taught their siblings and parents to use the strategies, and equally, from parents that their child enjoyed the sessions, found them interesting, and used the strategies when needed. Ultimately, I would like to think that this early, positive experience of discussing feelings and experiences, increases the likelihood they would reach out or encourage their friends to do so if needed later in life.

In addition to building good citizenship and contributing to something bigger than themselves, positive education also focusses on the science of achievement. There is a bidirectional and reciprocal relationship between wellbeing and academic achievement – happy children achieve more; anxious, stressed, or depressed individuals find it much harder to put in their best effort. Leading researcher in the field, Angela Duckworth, author of Grit: Why passion and resilience are the secrets to success emphasises “effort counts twice”. To describe a young person as ‘talented’ fails to acknowledge the countless hours of effortful practice they have put in to get to that point. They may have started with talent and promise in pre-school. Then they practiced, exercised that talent, and became skilled. Then they exercised that skill regularly, with more effortful practice to work towards expertise. It is far from just ‘talent’. As parents, we can inadvertently reinforce this unhealthy emphasis on the outcome, grades. Instead, we can focus on recognising and praising the effort that went into a subject, regardless of the grade.

A fixed mindset keeps us stuck in the box' and gives us permission not to try" Furthermore, the work of Dr Carol Dweck on Mindset is a key focus in the scientific study of achievement. A student saying “I am good at maths” is thought to be a positive and confident way of thinking, helping young people build on any existing talent or skill they possess. This ‘positive thinking’ however, can easily stagnate a young person’s learning journey and they can freeze, mortified when the content becomes more difficult. Suddenly the long-held idea “I am good at maths” does not fit with this situation. I often see this in senior students who have never really had to put in too much effort, schoolwork had come relatively easily to them in the past; because of this they had never learnt to fail, get back up again, and learn from their mistakes. They are often terrified of failure. Worse still, this can lead them to giving up altogether in the senior years, as – “What if I actually put in effort and it is still not good enough (or perfect)?” As you can probably see, perfectionism is closely tied to a fixed mindset, which keeps students stuck in a vicious cycle of underperformance.

Obviously as does the mirror of this – “I am not good at maths.”

Dr Dweck speaks about adding on the word “yet”. “I am not good at maths yet”. The ‘power of yet’ is something every young person AND adult could make good use of. A fixed mindset keeps us ‘stuck in a box’ and gives us permission not to try.

Adding on ‘yet’ opens us up to problem solving ways around a difficult situation or task, seeking out those who may be able to assist us, and incites us to take action. Everyone makes

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mistakes, mistakes are how we learn, modelling this at home can increase self-compassion, being able to forgive ourselves for making a mistake and moving forward with the knowledge that we know how to avoid that situation next time. A growth mindset is foundational to psychological flexibility, which is key to resilience.

In Australia, 16 to 18-year-olds are making major life-path decisions when they are still working out key psychosocial developmental questions like “Who am I?” “What kind of person do I want to be?” This is where character education can be crucial, enabling young people to recognise their strengths. When a young person can identify their strengths and use them in line with their passion and values in the service of others, this leads to a sense of purpose. As parents, we often want the promise of financial security for our children as they commence their working lives, guiding them to professions that offer this, which leads to a ‘job’ (a means to an end) or a ‘career’ (something that pays the bills, and we do for a long time). A job or a career do not bring a sense of purpose, which contributes to a rich, full, and meaningful life. Having a sense of purpose at work shifts a ‘career’ to a ‘calling’. This can explain why someone can have a successful career, reach the pinnacle, and yet feel deeply unhappy and unfulfilled, as they do not gain a sense of purpose from their work. In Year 4 this term, we talk about purpose and meaning, building on the work on character strengths last term to identify values, passions and interests and to see how these can align. At their age, this is not about finding a calling, but contributing to something bigger than themselves encourages leadership, service, and good citizenship and ties in well to their existing school projects.

Positive education is not about ‘Pollyannaism’, it is about the applied teaching of psychological strategies to boost a wholistic sense of wellbeing through relationships, positive emotions, meaning, achievement, engagement and health. Having the opportunity to introduce these concepts to large groups of young people when they are so open, willing, and engaged is an absolute joy and privilege, for which I am very grateful. * Burden of disease is a measure of the financial cost, morbidity, mortality of health conditions

COVER STORY

LEARNING TO FIND YOURSELF I am who I am and that's what I have to be happy with."

A query from a RGS Year 4 teacher about mindfulness in 2018 has morphed into a new world of discovering strategies to actively manage wellbeing.

In 2021, RGS Year 4 students continue to discover valuable tools to help them navigate the years ahead. It’s a starting point to continually build on.

The early introduction to mindfulness includes: Term 1 – Mindfulness/Attention training Term 2 – C haracter Strengths, Relationships, Gratitude & Silver linings Term 3 – Meaning, Purpose & Cultivating positive emotions Term 4 – G rowth Mindset, Health Behaviours (eat, move, sleep) A current RGS Year 7 student still remembers the Year 4 lessons and continues to use some of these tools to help them through life’s tricky moments.

“I remember in Year 4 I was going through some thoughts where I wasn’t 100 percent confident in who I was,’’ they said.

“Then I tried the Smiling Minds app and I felt a lot more confident in myself. I still use that app to help me fall asleep at night, it especially helps me sleep better before exams.”

Helpful resources

The Year 4 sessions allow students in a group to discuss different aspects of wellbeing and share their thoughts collectively.

“You feel more comfortable talking about these things in a group, especially around your friends so you know you’re supported. It was also interesting to know that they were going through different things and they found it comforting as well. It’s good to know they have someone to talk to if they need it and to find out they can actually open up. At that age (in Year 4) we don’t really understand that sort of thing.

“If it wasn’t for Year 4 I probably wouldn’t do Smiling Minds and be comfortable with who I am.

Reflecting on the introduction to this mindset in Year 4, the Year 7 student said it was really important to get into this area of learning at a young age.

“It helps you learn that as you grow up not to doubt how you look, to know not to doubt how you feel. It’s emotions. It’s what everyone goes through. It’s important to talk if you do start doubting who you are and what you look like and how you feel and what your personality is.

Websites

•C haracter Strengths bit.ly/3htVKr5 • Mindset: Learned optimism bit.ly/2VABnAO

Books

• Engagement Flow – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

TEDx talks

• Achievement Grit: Why passion and resilience are the secrets to success – Angela Duckworth

• Meaning bit.ly/3z4kUT9

*A nd don’t forget our What’s Trending Apps on page 2.

• Relationships bit.ly/3lzC06T

“You are who you are. I find that really important. I struggle, I did struggle. I cried a lot back then because I was just a really emotional kid. If I didn’t understand something I would cry.”

Podcasts

It’s the starting point of strategies to help the students later in life – learning life skills that can keep on giving.

• Achievement bit.ly/3lgbqPL

• Mindset bit.ly/3z0GdFj

THE ROCKHAMPTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL / 7

FEATURE

DEAR DIARY The research is clear; the more positive emotion you experience, the more resilient you will be."

The Resilience Project, 2021

Our individual experiences shape our lives, yet the ability to pause and reflect, and authentically examine and shape our experiences into positive learning opportunities, requires self-awareness, knowledge and purposeful, regular practice.

Equipping individuals with such opportunities is at the heart of The Resilience Program. The programme gently guides learners; it helps them to adopt ways to help themselves, and others, navigate life in a productive, healthy way. It cultivates gratitude, empathy and mindfulness, teaching students that these are the keys to attainting resilience and growing in character.

The diary has handy activities and it's easier to organise your week.

The diary is a good, simple way to stop and think about the moment" Genuine learning, as our finest educators know, is underpinned by active engagement. As such, RGS Year 12 students are taking part in a trial of the RGS Resilience Project diary. The diary involves students engaging in a range of daily, weekly and monthly activities that prompt self-awareness and positive reflection. In these moments, these precious times to pause, reflect and respond, and understand the importance 8 / DIGITAL PARENTING

of gratitude, empathy and mindfulness weave their way into the students’ lives.

For instance, gratitude is generated through cues that encourage students to focus on positive aspects of their lives, moments they have now, rather than what they don’t have. When students respond, feelings and thoughts of gratitude are fostered and the positives that surround them are revealed. A grateful perspective permeates a sense of self and shapes our students’ actions and reactions, their thoughts and feelings about themselves and those in their lives.

Of prime importance, is the diary’s appeal to its target audience. The content is age-appropriate, appealing to the modern student’s love of simplicity of style, and use of icons, emojis and joyfully-coloured visuals. Activities invite the student readers to relax, reflect and engage. Goal-setting, engaging in acts of kindness, and learning the skills of procrastination avoidance and productive teamwork are embedded within the diary’s purpose-built lessons.

In all, students learn that expectation is not always met by reality, yet with this realisation, comes the possibility to turn a negative into a positive. This is one of the lessons that can be learned through mindful reflection.

With gratitude, empathy and mindfulness as life-companions, the rigours of life will be much more easily and confidently navigated. Understanding these pillars, internalising them through pausing, reflecting and regular practise of these skills, is certainly an incredibly valuable character-building learning opportunity for our students, as they prepare for a life that will no doubt, exceed all of our expectations.

Each student has their own experience with the diary.

One Year 12 student finds the diary a “brief break” from the daily grind of studies with the inclusion of monthly check-ups with a mindfulness activity. The diary also provides food for thought, helping educate the students about mental and physical health for their future years, when they are more responsible for their actions and don’t have as much influence from their parents or guardians.

Find out more at bit.ly/2XgSCrC

Daily check in questions What do I want to achieve this week?

What is something you do well?

Who is a family member that I am grateful for? Why? Let them know!

Draw an emoji to describe how you are feeling today! Why are you feeling this way?

What went well for me today?

Write down something that one of your friends does well. Share this with them.

What made you laugh today?

Complete a 5 minute meditation. How did you feel after completing this?

FEATURE

The best activity in the diary was the section every week that asked us which smiley face we were feeling on that day. It was a simple and easy way to reflect on how I was feeling that day and what I needed to do to maybe make myself feel a little better"”

FEATURE

POLICE ON CYBERSAFETY Senior Constable Natasha Marshall admits she loves working with teenagers" and is providing young people with a blunt message about using technology correctly, or having to deal with the consequences.

Senior Constable Marshall spoke to RGS Secondary School students about mobile phone safety.

Q. What is your background in the Queensland Police Service and your role with young people in the community?

I have been a Queensland Police officer for 8 years. During this time, I have worked as a General Duties Officer (the people who respond when you call 000) in Caloundra, Beerwah, Yeppoon and Rockhampton. I am the appointed School Based Police Officer at Rockhampton State High School.

I assist the school community and police in a variety of tasks; including; • Promoting positive relationships between the school community and police.

• Promoting understanding of law and legal procedures, particularly in relation to young people.

• Attending to police-related matters within the school such as bullying, cybercrime, assault, stealing, and child abuse.

• Providing information, lectures and programmes.

Q. What is the main message you deliver to students about mobile phone safety?

If you wouldn’t like your parents/grandparents to see what you are doing on your mobile telephone, then you know you shouldn’t be doing it. Limit the personal information you put on your social media profiles, such as listing your mobile number, school, address and Facebook check-ins.

Q. What are some of the common mistakes young people make with mobile phones?

Q. What are some tips to help young people be more responsible with their mobile phones?

• Set a password • Set up emergency phone contacts • Check your privacy settings • Know how to block and report • Only respond to numbers you know • Don’t share private information • If you see bullying, report it.

• Take a break away from your phone!

Not knowing the law does not stop you from being charged for breaking it.

If convicted: – • You may be listed on the sex offender registers, • Unable to travel overseas due countries not allowing people with certain criminal history • Unable to attain a blue card for any employment involving with working with children, such as a coach or tutor.

Q. Any other final advice for mobile phone users?

If you are being bullied, sending or receiving messages or images that you are not comfortable with speak to an adult you trust.

If you don’t want anyone to see what you are doing online, you probably shouldn’t be doing it.

Not being Share Aware!

For young people, image and video sharing can be a fun way to communicate with friends.

But sending ‘nudes’ sexually explicit images of themselves to their friends is against the law and you lose control over where the image ends up.

Young people are too trusting!

Online child sex offenders are smart and constantly looking for ways to facilitate direct contact with young people. Only talk to people on the internet you know and trust. Remember, not everyone online is who they say they are.

Cyberbullying Some young people use the internet to bully others by sending hurtful messages or images. Cyberbullying hurts people and can cause a lot of pain for a long time. In some cases, it can lead to criminal charges. Bullying is never ok.

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3 great resources

•T hink you know www.thinkuknow.org.au/ •T he Carly Ryan Foundation www.carlyryanfoundation.com/ •F amilylink safety and monitoring bit.ly/3EbCaK1

Student voices

FEATURE

Rockhampton Grammar School students from Year 5 to Year 12 were given an insight into the world of cybersafety by one of Australia's foremost experts in the area, Susan McLean. A member of the Victoria Police for 27 years, Susan was introduced to the dark world of technology in her police days and would later become the first Victorian Police Officer appointed to a position involving cyber safety and young people. Here are some RGS student reflections after listening to Susan's talk:

Megan Year 5 “ I leant how badly bullying could affect others and it would be bad if you were effecting others at your own will. It’s important to learn about cybersafety because when you get older you start using those sort of things like Facebook to look up different things. Sometimes it could lead to bad things and you could be hurt by other people’s words.”

Vidath Year 6 “ Social media can become a clear addiction for many people. It could also be dangerous. Many young people are attached to social media screens looking at things like TikTok, Instagram and so on. You have to be careful because it could change a child’s entire life. It can be addictive, but the internet is a very useful quick access site for different types of information. I do find it becomes time wasting in the end. When they are using computers it’s important to be safe otherwise who knows what could happen to yourself. Someone could change your entire life without being known.

Information could be robbed from you.

You can be secretly stalked. It happens to people unknowingly especially for children who are mostly ignorant about these types of occurrences.”

Riley Year 8 “ Cyber safety is important because all over the world people have access to the internet and it can pose many dangers to people. Technology is here to stay so we have to learn to use it correctly and not get ourselves into unnecessary trouble. It’s still a great thing to have technology because it helps us keep in touch with people and learn about new things more quickly, but you need to be sure about who is seeing the information you want to share with family and friends and be careful about the type of information you share so you don’t get in trouble in the future.”

Riley Year 9 “ Cybersafety is how internet users manage their safety when online. It is important to be aware of cybersafety as it allows users to identify when they are falling victim to a cyber-criminal. With a vast majority of the population using the internet, the importance to keep our confidential information safe is increasingly high.

Being aware of cybersafety will allow users to safely store information as well as comfortably make transactions online, knowing that they are not a victim to a scam and will get what they paid for. So if we are all mindful of our safety online, and the potential risks that the online environment has, we will strive for a safer, more inclusive online environment.”

Adelaide Year 7 “ It’s important to be aware of cyber-safety because it is a way to be bullied or to bully.

Nearly everyone has a hold of the internet through devices such as iPhone’s and computers. At the cyber-safety session I learnt that if you have weird emails your employer may not read your email because the first thing they see is your email address. The second place your employer would go to is your Instagram/Facebook account to see your posts/profile picture to see if what you say about yourself is actually true. So, I believe that everyone should be aware of cybersafety to prevent cyberbullying.”

Tyler Year 10 “ The internet is a vast place full of fun and danger. But almost everything about you can be found through the internet, where you live, what activities you do, what you like and don’t like, even when and where you were born. Your full name, where you work and even the school you attended. If you don’t take the proper steps to keep yourself safe online, our personal information could be leaked including credit card details, and even children are at a higher risk of being groomed.”

Travis Year 11 “ Cyber safety is important as personal info such as your home address or banking details can be easily accessed if you’re too complacent. Easy things you can watch out for include not doing your internet banking or transferring any info you consider personal on public Wi-Fi! Also, websites that start with ‘https’ rather than ‘http’, use extra protocols to protect the data you transfer over them. Finally, be careful about what you put on the internet and social media, as future employers can easily trace back old photos and comments your younger self posted – even if you deleted them.”

Chelsea Year 12 “ Cybersafety is important because your comfort interacting with other people online is at risk if you don’t know the proper procedures or can identify red flags in relationships (platonic or otherwise). If you aren’t safe online, you aren’t safe in person. Details can be found out about you on the internet very easily, meaning those who were harassing you online can easily harass you in person if they have the correct connections. Cybersafety is important to ensure the enjoyment of those online, it is important as it helps protect against “trolls” or groomers or unhealthy relationships with those who seek to harm others to get something out of it. Education on red flags and information protection online is paramount, especially as younger kids begin to gain social media accounts.”

THE ROCKHAMPTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL / 11

FEATURE

AGRITECH IS HERE TO STAY The world of agriculture continues to evolve with a growing presence of technology.

Students at The Rockhampton Grammar School are not only keeping up with the technology trends but also delving into critical thinking studies to envisage what agriculture in the future looks like.

RGS Head of Agriculture Mr Hardy Manser is a strong supporter of how technology can benefit the agriculture sector.

“Gone are the days of bouncing around on the back of a tractor,’’ Mr Manser said.

“Agritech is not replacing jobs, it’s enhancing the agricultural production and it’s improving the quality of our workforce.”

Mr Manser said the Australian agriculture workforce was morphing from a bottom heavy worker based workforce triangle to a diamond shape workforce model with a significant increase in the requirement for para-professional agriculturalists which is what will be required by the industry in the future.

While some people are quick to embrace technological changes, others take a more cautious approach to changing their ways of how a job is done.

Mr Manser said it had probably only been in the last five to seven years with students at RGS being more receptive towards technology.

“We’ve moved as an industry and a society from that early adopter phase of technology to mainstream, where consumers are now readily implementing technology into production systems. Before that people looked at the ‘gizmo’ drone and thought it was just a toy,’’ Mr Manser said.

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“Tech is now less of a fad and more of a usable solution on the farm.”

Drones and similar technology can be used to generate things such as NVDI data that assists producers in rapidly gathering data about pasture and crop health, through to precision application of agrichemicals.

Tech is now less of a fad and more of a usable solution on the farm" Students are already tapping into technology including AgriWebb, a livestock farm management software looking at areas like livestock and grazing management, the CQUniversity-developed DataMuster cattle management software – a technology RGS certificate students assisted with at the ground level in its development, and QR codes on machinery have replaced heavy paper-based operation manuals.

Mr Manser said Agriculture teachers also have to teach for what’s not yet invented or what will be there in five to 10 years time.

“We have to teach kids to be critical thinkers. How do you solve a problem and put framework around decision making,’’ Mr Manser said.

FEATURE

We have to give our students a broader picture so that they can solve anything that hits them in 10 years time."

“We have to give our students a broader picture so that they can solve anything that hits them in 10 years time, whether that be drought or what technology to use to solve production problems.

“Some students are already starting to share ideas about the different technological solutions that they have been exposed to as a part of the RGS Agricultural programme to solve real production problems on their family farms.”

Agritech @ RGS

Mr Manser said agriculture had no choice but to change and move forward with technology as a way of remaining competitive in the global food market.

“We don’t know how far it will go. It will be market, consumer and global forces driven, whether technology is the right solution for families. And one solution might be different to a family down the road, so our students need to be thinking producers ready to adopt business practices to remain competitive and maximise profitability.

TECHNOLOGY

PURPOSE

“There’s a lot more awareness about technology but for example beef cattle can learn a lot more from other ag industries.

We need a trans-disciplinary approach to agriculture,’’ Mr Manser said.

TSi and Agriwebb crushside livestock management

A crush side hard computer used for the collection of production data such as vaccination administration, pregnancy status, and live weights.

GPS livestock collars

Students have the opportunity to engage with GPS collars to research animal behaviors.

360 degree imagery, and increasingly VR and AR for training simulation

A 360 degree camera in combination with apps such as RoundMe creates 360 annotated virtual perspectives.

Students use the technology to critically analyse yard design and have an improved empathy for the animals perspective.

Drone Deploy

Drone imagery captured at Belmont Station can be converted using DroneDeploy into simulated NDVI surveys for students to evaluate.

Soil sensors

Collecting primary soil data such as real time temperature, pH, electroconductivity which support management decisions.

“We also need to look at ‘big data’. What do you do with all this data technology can provide. If you’re spending the money to collect the data then the data has to make a decision to improve the profitability of your business and keep the family farm going, expand operations, increase profitability or improve marketability.”

Mr Manser said the agriculture sector was becoming more effective with what they were doing and it is exciting to see RGS students adopt the potential of technological based solutions as options for their future careers and enhancing production in their own paddocks at home.

ERTIES LIAR SITE ON PROP MING A MORE FAMI CO BE IS GY LO TECHNO

THE ROCKHAMPTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL / 13

RGS Capricornus Quarterly Digital Parenting is published by: The Rockhampton Grammar School Archer Street Rockhampton QLD 4700, Australia www.rgs.qld.edu.au (+61) 7 4936 0600 ISSN 1839-4663 CRICOS Number 00507F ABN: 71 055 702 035