Digital Citizenship
Managing Screen Time
At Baulkham Hills North Public School we are committed to partnering with families to ensure that student screen usage is appropriate both at school and in the home. In partnership, we will help students to learn about the continually changing nature of the digital world and equip them with the knowledge to make better decisions.
At school we have been working on initiatives to strengthen all student's sense of digital responsibility and security with the development of a digital citizenship course. The students have also been working towards the attainment of their Digital Licence which will educate them about current and changing online risks, and how to best manage them.
In addition students have engaged in seminars with the Police Youth Liasion Officer who presented topics relevant to our student's online presence.
It is important that students are encouraged to be responsible digital citizens at all times, this will require assistance from parents at home. With the implementation of home learning this is now even more relevant. Students are working in a new way which will expose them to a world of new experiences.
We will continue to teach Digital Citizenship through the home learning program.
The information below has been sourced from the following websites.
Family Sharing
Family sharing and use of parental controls
Apple devices offer parents the ability to restrict overall screen time or individual app usage through the Family Sharing function. We recommend that all BYODD devices are set up with the student's own Apple ID so that the device can be managed.
The Screen Time function on Apple devices can give you a better understanding of how much time your children spend using apps, visiting websites, and on their devices overall. When you use Screen Time with Family Sharing, you can review your child's activity reports and set time limits for specific apps right from your own device. You can also name another family member as a parent/guardian, so that you’re always on the same page when it comes to your children and their screen time.
With Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time, you can block or limit specific apps and features on your child's device, and restrict the settings on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch for explicit content, purchases and downloads, and privacy.
We recommend that you visit the Apple site to learn more about the use of parental controls on your child's iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
Set Rules
Set rules in place
You can help your child find the balance between screen use and other activities by working with your child on some family rules.
Your family’s rules might cover:
where your child can use screens – for example, only in family rooms or not in the car
when your child can use screens – for example, mealtimes are free of TV, computers and phones, or no screen time before school or until chores are finished
how your child can use screens – for example, for making animations or checking a netball shooting technique, but not for playing Candy Crush
how you handle screen time for children of different ages – for example, there might be some games that your older child can play only when their younger sibling is out or has gone to bed.
Making the rules
It’s important to involve all family members when you’re making family rules about screen use. Your rules should be flexible enough to cover school days, weekends and holidays. The rules also need to take into account your child’s changing needs and interests as they grow.
It’s a good idea to revisit the rules every few months and whenever you introduce a new device into your home. This helps you ensure the rules are still meeting everyone’s needs.
More information about family rules - including why rules are important and what to do if your child doesn't follow the rules.
Family media plan
A personalised family media plan can be useful to help set rules for screen usage at home. All families are different so it is important that it suits your family.
A useful tool for creating a family media plan can be created here.
Mindful Messaging
If your child is new to Apple devices they may have discovered the iMessage function. This is exciting for students as it allows them to socialise with peers and family in a new way. Whilst offering social benefits and introducing them to the world of electronic mobile messaging, it can also cause distraction for students and concerns for parents.
Students are not allowed to use any messaging function during the school day. Students will be required to turn off iMessaging during school hours. Teachers will be checking that the iMessage function is turned off at the start of the school day.
To turn off imessaging on your Apple device go to settings > messages > iMessage (turn off) .
Restrict app
You may like to restrict access to the messaging app from a certain time in the afternoon/evening to prevent late night messages.
Parent Messaging and email
We ask that parents do not message or email students during the school day. Please use the regular methods of communication if you need to pass a message to your child throughout the day. Please phone or email the school office who will pass the message on to your child.
The video below may be a useful tool to explain how text/iMessaging is different.
If your child is new to iMessaging you may like to spend some time discussing the difference in electronic messaging to regular conversation.
The video below may be a useful tool to explain how text/iMessaging is different.
Notifications
It is recommended that parents turn off notifications for all apps so that they do not distract students. Banner notifications can be kept if preferred, however sound notifications should be turned off.
To turn off the sound notifications on your Apple device go to notifications > 'select the app you are changing the notifications for' > sounds > none.
Setting up parental controls
Parental controls can be set up on any electronic device
Parental controls are software tools that allow you to monitor and limit what your child sees and does online.
They can be set up to do things like:
block your child from accessing specific websites, apps or functions (like using a device’s camera, or the ability to buy things)
filter different kinds of content — such as ‘adult’ or sexual content, content that may promote self-harm, eating disorders, violence, drugs, gambling, racism and terrorism
allow you to monitor your child’s use of connected devices, with reports on the sites they visit and the apps they use, how often and for how long
set time limits, blocking access after a set time
If a device or program is shared by multiple members of your family, you should be able change the tool settings to reflect each user’s age and skills.
No parental control tool is 100% effective. Helping your child build good online safety habits is just as important.
Explore how to use parental controls:
on your home wi-fi network
built into devices, including computers, mobile devices, gaming consoles and smart TVs
through third-party software
in apps and programs, including streaming services, web browsers and search engines
