Bhí an-chuid cainte sna meáin anuraidh maidir le húinéireacht ghuthán cliste ag leibhéal na bunscoile. Cé gur aithin pobal na scoile na buntáistí a bhaineann leis an idirlín agus an teicneolaíocht maidir le teagasc, foghlaim agus cumarsáid sa scoil, bhí comhaontú i measc phobal na scoile gur dúshlán do dhaltaí, do chlainn agus d’fhoireann na scoile é an borradh i líon nangléasanna le rochtain idirlín. D'aithin foireann agus tuismitheoirí i Scoil Gharbháin go dtacódh togra clainne le teaghlaigh sa scoil bainisitú éifeachtach a dhéanamh ar úsáid ghléasanna cliste i measc na bpáistí. Chuige sin, thug foireann inbhainistíochta na scoile cuireadh don Dr. Maureen Griffin teacht chun na scoile i Mí Dheireadh Fómhair 2023 agus arís i Mí Bealtaine 2024. Siceolaí fóiréinseach í Maureen Griffin, le spéis agus saineolas ar leith i gciontú ar líne.
Le linn na gcuairteanna, bhuail Maureen Griffin le daltaí i Rang 3, 4, 5 agus 6. Labhair sí le daltaí maidir le sábháilteacht ar líne agus bhailigh sí sonraí i leith úsáid an idirlín agus na teicneolaíocht i measc na ndaltaí. Bhuail sí chomh maith le foireann na scoile agus le tuismitheoirí. Le linn na seisiúin seo, chuir an Dr Griffin traenáil ar fáil maidir le hiompar ar líne agus chuir sí sonraí i láthair a bhí bailithe aici ó dhaltaí.
Leag foireann inbhainistíochta na scoile amach an chéad dréacht de Chomhaontú Clainne Scoil Gharbháin, bunaithe ar thaighde idirnáisiúnta, na sonraí a bhí bailithe ag Maureen Griffin ó na daltaí agus na sonraí a bhailigh siad féin ó thuismitheoirí agus ó fhoireann na scoile trí cheistneoirí a dáileadh ar Aladdin. Roinneadh an dréacht seo le foireann na scoile, le Coiste na dTuismitheoirí agus le Dr Griffin. Bailíodh aischothú ó na rannpháirtithe uile agus leasaíodh an chéad dréacht den Chomhaontú bunaithe ar an aiseolas sin.
Ar deireadh thiar, i ndiaidh próiseas bliana, seoladh leabhrán 'Comhaontú um Úsáid an Idirlíon agus na Teicneolaíochta' i Meán Fómhair. Tá os ceann 90% des na teaghlaigh sa scoil ag glacadh páirt sa togra. Táimid thar a bheith buíoch do Choiste na dTuismitheoirí a thug maoiniú airgead don togra, agus don Gharda Síochána a thacaigh linn ar an tslí, agus Maureen Griffin a chur comhairle ár leasa orainn mar phobal scoile ó thús. Tá moladh ar leith tuilte ar Therese Veale a thug a cuid ama agus saineolais go flaithiúil dúinn le linn do a bheith ag dearadh an leabhráin.
Is í cuspóir an Chomhaontaithe Clainne ná tacú le teaghlaigh i Scoil Gharbháin treoirlínte a bhunú agus a chur i bhfeidhm maidir le húsáid an idirlín agus na teicneolaíochta sa bhaile. Beifear ag súil go dtacóidh an Comhaontú le folláine na mball uile de phobal na scoile sna blianta atá amach romhainn.
Ownership of smartphones in primary schools in Ireland gained considerable media coverage last year. Although the school community recognised the many advantages the internet and technology had to teaching, learning and communication in the school, there was a strong consensus that the surge in internet-enabled devices in recent years had presented many challenges for pupils, their families and the school staff.
The staff and many of the parents recognised that a family initiative that helped manage the use of internet-enabled devices among pupils could support the wellbeing of all members of the school community. For this reason, the school’s management team invited Dr. Maureen Griffin to the school in October, 2023 and again in May, 2024.
Dr. Griffin is a forensic psychologist, who specialises in the area of online offending and now provides training for children and those responsible for their care and protection. During her visits she met with all pupils in Rang 3, 4, 5 and 6. She spoke to the pupils about online safety and gathered data in relation to the pupils’ use of technology and internet-enabled devices. Dr. Griffin also met with staff and parents. During these sessions she provided training around online behaviours and presented some of the data gathered earlier that day from pupils.
The first draft of Scoil Gharbháin’s Family Internet and Technology Use Agreement was drafted by the school management team using data gathered by Dr. Griffin during her visit, along with data gathered by the school through parent and pupil questionnaires. This first draft was then shared with all stakeholders and their feedback helped to shape the final draft of the agreement.
After a year long process, the Family Internet and Technology Use Agreement was launched in September. Over 90% of the families have signed up to the agreement and the feedback to date has been very positive. We are very grateful to our Parents' Committee who funded the project, to An Garda Síochána who have endorsed it, and to Maureen Griffin for kick-starting the initiative. We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to Therese Veale who gave her time and expertise generously while designing the booklet.
The objective of Scoil Gharbháin’s Family Internet and Technology Use Agreement is to support families in setting and implementing guidelines around internet and technology use in the home. It is hoped that in formulating this agreement the school is supporting the wellbeing of all members of the school community for years to come.