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• For help fixing audio or sound problems, try the audio troubleshooter. It might be able to fix audio problems automatically.

• To run the troubleshooter, select the Start  button, type audio troubleshooter in the search box, select Find and fix audio playback problems from the list of results, and then select Next.
• If running the troubleshooter doesn't help, see the Check cables, volume section below.

• Try these steps:

  • Check your speaker and headphone connections for loose cables or the wrong jack.

  • Check your power and volume levels, and try turning all the volume controls up.

  • Some speakers and apps have their own volume controls, and you might have to check them all.

  • Connect to a different USB port.

  • Remember that your speakers probably won't work when headphones are plugged in.

• If your cables and volume are okay, see the Check Device Manager section below.

• Many updates require you to restart your device. Save your work and close all open applications. Then, select the Start  button, go to Power , and select either Update and restart or Update and shut down. Need help with Windows Updates? Learn how to Troubleshoot problems updating Windows 10.
• If you're still having sound problems, see the Run the audio troubleshooter section below. 

When Microsoft installs updates on your system, we create a system restore point in case problems arise. Try restoring from that point and see if that fixes your sound problems.

• For more information, see "Restore from a system restore point" in Recovery options in Windows 10.

About Be You

Be You aims to transform Australia’s approach to supporting children’s and young people’s mental health in early learning services and schools. Our vision is that every learning community is positive, inclusive and resilient – a place where every child, young person, educator and family can achieve their best possible mental health.

Be You promotes mental health and wellbeing, from the early years to 18, and offers educators and learning communities evidence-based online professional learning, complemented by a range of tools and resources to turn learning into action. Be You empowers educators, helping them to develop valuable mental health skills and knowledge, while also providing an effective model for implementing a whole-learning community approach to mental health and wellbeing.

Be You is led by Beyond Blue with delivery partners Early Childhood Australia and headspace. Both partners have local teams of trained consultants to provide advice and support to early learning services and schools nationally to help implement a whole-learning community approach to growing Australia’s most mentally healthy generation.

Find out more about Be You here.

Introducing Be You

In the video below Beyond Blue Board Director, Johanna Griggs, provides an introduction to Be You. 

The Be You vision 

The video below shares the vision of Be You for all children, young people and educators to achieve their best possible mental health.

Your Sincerely

Steve Nelson

Acting Associate Principal, Year Coordinator  

The results from Beyond Blue’s landmark national survey Answering the call, conducted as part of the National Mental Health and Wellbeing Study of Police and Emergency Services are now available. Scroll down to download the research reports. 

Beyond Blue is undertaking the National Mental Health and Wellbeing Study of Police and Emergency Services to build a comprehensive picture of the mental health and wellbeing of police and emergency services personnel in Australia. The study is funded by Beyond Blue’s core Commonwealth funding, with additional funding support from the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre. 

“There is nothing more important than the mental health and wellbeing of the people who serve and protect our communities every day. This is a landmark piece of research Beyond Blue is undertaking, and I am delighted that almost every police and emergency services agency in Australia is participating. The information we generate will enable us to improve and strengthen our approach to protecting those who protect us, to make a real difference to people’s lives.”

– Ken Lay AO APM, Chair of the Advisory Group of the National Mental Health and Wellbeing Study of Police and Emergency Services 

A three-phase research study

There are three key phases in the research study:

• Phase 1 was a qualitative project gathering the personal mental health experiences of 25 current and 10 former employees of police and emergency services, and of 12 of their partners and family members. Key themes about the range of mental health experiences and the risk and protective factors faced by participants emerged from this study. The findings of Phase 1 heavily informed the development of the survey tool for Phase 2.This phase was undertaken by Whereto Research and completed in November 2016.

• Phase 2 involves the first nationally representative survey of police and emergency services personnel in Australia – Answering the call. Beyond Blue engaged The University of Western Australia who partnered with Roy Morgan Research to undertake this phase. The results from this national survey are now available (see below).

• Phase 3 a collaborative knowledge-to-action project where police and emergency services agencies will be supported to translate the evidence identified by Phases 1 and 2 of the research to promote wellbeing and mental health, support those affected by poor mental health and prevent suicide. Beyond Blue has developed a Knowledge Translation Guide to assist agencies with this task.

An Advisory Group has been formed to provide strategic guidance for the research study and ensure it is informed by the diversity and depth of expertise in the police and emergency services sector. The group is being chaired by Ken Lay AO APM, Chairman of Ambulance Victoria and former Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, and includes senior leaders and representatives from agencies, unions and community groups, clinicians and academics, a former police officer and family member of an emergency services employee.

Answering the call – national survey findings

Answering the call is the first national survey of the mental health and wellbeing of personnel in the police and emergency services. It was conducted between October 2017 and March 2018 and the results were released in November 2018.

Beyond Blue worked together with police and emergency services agencies, peak bodies, unions and other key groups on this landmark, national survey to provide a detailed picture of the issues affecting the mental health and wellbeing of employees, former employees, and volunteers.

In total, 21,014 police and emergency services volunteers and current and former employees across a range of roles, ranks and locations participated in the survey.

The national survey findings reflect the collective voices of the 21,014 individuals who shared their information with us and made this evidence possible. The results reveal a workforce that is deeply impacted, both by the nature of the work that they do, and the pressures of the environments in which they work. These results compel action. They require a dedicated and collective effort to ensure that we strengthen our approach to protecting those who protect us – to make a real difference to people’s lives.

Download the Answering the call national survey reports:

Executive summary [download PDF)

Final report [download PDF)

Detailed report [download PDF)

Your Sincerely

Adam Anderson

College Executive Chairman

Types of Data collected

Among the types of Personal Data that this Application collects, by itself or through third parties, there are: Cookies and Usage Data.

Complete details on each type of Personal Data collected are provided in the dedicated sections of this privacy policy or by specific explanation texts displayed prior to the Data collection.
Personal Data may be freely provided by the User, or, in case of Usage Data, collected automatically when using this Application.
Unless specified otherwise, all Data requested by this Application is mandatory and failure to provide this Data may make it impossible for this Application to provide its services. In cases where this Application specifically states that some Data is not mandatory, Users are free not to communicate this Data without consequences to the availability or the functioning of the Service.
Users who are uncertain about which Personal Data is mandatory are welcome to contact the Owner.
Any use of Cookies – or of other tracking tools – by this Application or by the owners of third-party services used by this Application serves the purpose of providing the Service required by the User, in addition to any other purposes described in the present document and in the Cookie Policy, if available.

Users are responsible for any third-party Personal Data obtained, published or shared through this Application and confirm that they have the third party's consent to provide the Data to the Owner.

Mode and place of processing the Data

Methods of processing

The Owner takes appropriate security measures to prevent unauthorized access, disclosure, modification, or unauthorized destruction of the Data.
The Data processing is carried out using computers and/or IT enabled tools, following organizational procedures and modes strictly related to the purposes indicated. In addition to the Owner, in some cases, the Data may be accessible to certain types of persons in charge, involved with the operation of this Application (administration, sales, marketing, legal, system administration) or external parties (such as third-party technical service providers, mail carriers, hosting providers, IT companies, communications agencies) appointed, if necessary, as Data Processors by the Owner. The updated list of these parties may be requested from the Owner at any time.

Legal basis of processing

The Owner may process Personal Data relating to Users if one of the following applies:

• Users have given their consent for one or more specific purposes. Note: Under some legislations the Owner may be allowed to process Personal Data until the User objects to such processing (“opt-out”), without having to rely on consent or any other of the following legal bases. This, however, does not apply, whenever the processing of Personal Data is subject to European data protection law;
• provision of Data is necessary for the performance of an agreement with the User and/or for any pre-contractual obligations thereof;
• processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the Owner is subject;
• processing is related to a task that is carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the Owner;
• processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the Owner or by a third party.

In any case, the Owner will gladly help to clarify the specific legal basis that applies to the processing, and in particular whether the provision of Personal Data is a statutory or contractual requirement, or a requirement necessary to enter into a contract.

Place

The Data is processed at the Owner's operating offices and in any other places where the parties involved in the processing are located.

Depending on the User's location, data transfers may involve transferring the User's Data to a country other than their own. To find out more about the place of processing of such transferred Data, Users can check the section containing details about the processing of Personal Data.

Users are also entitled to learn about the legal basis of Data transfers to a country outside the European Union or to any international organization governed by public international law or set up by two or more countries, such as the UN, and about the security measures taken by the Owner to safeguard their Data.

If any such transfer takes place, Users can find out more by checking the relevant sections of this document or inquire with the Owner using the information provided in the contact section.

Retention time

Personal Data shall be processed and stored for as long as required by the purpose they have been collected for.

Therefore:

• Personal Data collected for purposes related to the performance of a contract between the Owner and the User shall be retained until such contract has been fully performed.
• Personal Data collected for the purposes of the Owner’s legitimate interests shall be retained as long as needed to fulfill such purposes. Users may find specific information regarding the legitimate interests pursued by the Owner within the relevant sections of this document or by contacting the Owner.

The Owner may be allowed to retain Personal Data for a longer period whenever the User has given consent to such processing, as long as such consent is not withdrawn. Furthermore, the Owner may be obliged to retain Personal Data for a longer period whenever required to do so for the performance of a legal obligation or upon order of an authority.

Once the retention period expires, Personal Data shall be deleted. Therefore, the right to access, the right to erasure, the right to rectification and the right to data portability cannot be enforced after expiration of the retention period.

The purposes of processing

The Data concerning the User is collected to allow the Owner to provide its Services, as well as for the following purposes: Analytics.

Users can find further detailed information about such purposes of processing and about the specific Personal Data used for each purpose in the respective sections of this document.

Detailed information on the processing of Personal Data

Personal Data is collected for the following purposes and using the following services:

• Analytics

The rights of Users

Users may exercise certain rights regarding their Data processed by the Owner.

In particular, Users have the right to do the following:

• Withdraw their consent at any time. Users have the right to withdraw consent where they have previously given their consent to the processing of their Personal Data.
• Object to processing of their Data. Users have the right to object to the processing of their Data if the processing is carried out on a legal basis other than consent. Further details are provided in the dedicated section below.
• Access their Data. Users have the right to learn if Data is being processed by the Owner, obtain disclosure regarding certain aspects of the processing and obtain a copy of the Data undergoing processing.
• Verify and seek rectification. Users have the right to verify the accuracy of their Data and ask for it to be updated or corrected.
• Restrict the processing of their Data. Users have the right, under certain circumstances, to restrict the processing of their Data. In this case, the Owner will not process their Data for any purpose other than storing it.
• Have their Personal Data deleted or otherwise removed. Users have the right, under certain circumstances, to obtain the erasure of their Data from the Owner.
• Receive their Data and have it transferred to another controller. Users have the right to receive their Data in a structured, commonly used and machine readable format and, if technically feasible, to have it transmitted to another controller without any hindrance. This provision is applicable provided that the Data is processed by automated means and that the processing is based on the User's consent, on a contract which the User is part of or on pre-contractual obligations thereof.
• Lodge a complaint. Users have the right to bring a claim before their competent data protection authority.

Details about the right to object to processing

Where Personal Data is processed for a public interest, in the exercise of an official authority vested in the Owner or for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the Owner, Users may object to such processing by providing a ground related to their particular situation to justify the objection.

Users must know that, however, should their Personal Data be processed for direct marketing purposes, they can object to that processing at any time without providing any justification. To learn, whether the Owner is processing Personal Data for direct marketing purposes, Users may refer to the relevant sections of this document.

How to exercise these rights

Any requests to exercise User rights can be directed to the Owner through the contact details provided in this document. These requests can be exercised free of charge and will be addressed by the Owner as early as possible and always within one month.

Additional information about Data collection and processing

Legal action

The User's Personal Data may be used for legal purposes by the Owner in Court or in the stages leading to possible legal action arising from improper use of this Application or the related Services.
The User declares to be aware that the Owner may be required to reveal personal data upon request of public authorities.

Additional information about User's Personal Data

In addition to the information contained in this privacy policy, this Application may provide the User with additional and contextual information concerning particular Services or the collection and processing of Personal Data upon request.

System logs and maintenance

For operation and maintenance purposes, this Application and any third-party services may collect files that record interaction with this Application (System logs) use other Personal Data (such as the IP Address) for this purpose.

Information not contained in this policy

More details concerning the collection or processing of Personal Data may be requested from the Owner at any time. Please see the contact information at the beginning of this document.

How “Do Not Track” requests are handled

This Application does not support “Do Not Track” requests.
To determine whether any of the third-party services it uses honor the “Do Not Track” requests, please read their privacy policies.

Changes to this privacy policy

The Owner reserves the right to make changes to this privacy policy at any time by giving notice to its Users on this page and possibly within this Application and/or - as far as technically and legally feasible - sending a notice to Users via any contact information available to the Owner. It is strongly recommended to check this page often, referring to the date of the last modification listed at the bottom.

Should the changes affect processing activities performed on the basis of the User’s consent, the Owner shall collect new consent from the User, where required.

Contact information:

contact email: fredericadhitama@outlook.com

Kinds Regards

Peter Smith

Principal

The Block, a flat concrete lot, just replaced Risky Reels on Fortnite's battle royale map. But it won't always be a featureless void. Think back to the long forgotten age of this morning when Fortnite Season 7 and the new creative mode went live. The Block will be where the best player-made creations are put on display for everyone, so long as they make the cut. 

Epic says the feature and creative mode are still fairly new and rough, so you'll need to stick to the following rules to put whatever you make up for consideration.

"25x25 tile area on a flat section of your island. It’s very important that your creations can fit nicely on The Block.

Try to keep your ‘Memory Used’ less than 50,000.  

Efficiency is just as important as creativity!Chests, floor loot and vehicle spawns will be determined by Epic. No need to include these."

Epic will be eyeing social media for candidates, with a focus on those using the #FortniteBlockParty hashtag. We've yet to dive in there ourselves, but over time, this could mean we see recreations of de_dust2 rotate through live play. Maybe a blocky effigy of your mom. 

But really, it's a pretty fascinating idea. Epic is always changing Fortnite's map, and The Block will carry that tradition forward with the players in tandem. 

Read the full announcement over on Epic's Fortnite blog. 

Thanks guys

Annette Johnson

ICT & Games Design Coordinator

Building on a budget? These are the parts you should use to build a powerful, affordable gaming PC.

The security of your computer can affect the safety of your online experience — and your kids’. Talk to your kids about what they can do to help protect your computer and your family’s personal information.

• Teaching Computer Security
• P2P File Sharing Risks
• Phishing
• Apps

Teaching Computer Security

Talk to your kids about:

• Protecting their personal information. Social Security numbers, account numbers, and passwords are examples of information to keep private.
• Watching out for "free" stuff. Free games, ring tones, or other downloads can hide malware. Tell your kids not to download anything unless they trust the source and they've scanned it with security software.
• Using strong email passwords and protect them. The longer the password, the harder it is to crack. Personal information, your login name, common words, or adjacent keys on the keyboard are not safe passwords. Kids can protect their passwords by not sharing them with anyone, including their friends.

In addition, be sure your family computers are protected by reputable security software and use these basic computer security practices.

P2P File Sharing

Some kids share music, games, or software online. Peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing allows people to share these kinds of files through an informal network of computers running the same software. P2P file-sharing has risks:

• You could accidentally provide many people with access to your private files.
• If your kids download copyrighted material, you could get mired in legal issues.
• A shared file could hide spyware, malware, or pornography.

Here are some tips to help your kids share files safely:

• Install file-sharing software properly. Activate the proper settings so that nothing private is shared.
• Before your kids open or play any file they’ve downloaded, advise them to use security software to scan it. Make sure the security software is up-to-date and running when the computer is connected to the internet.

For more tips, read P2P File-Sharing Risks.

Phishing

Phishing is when scam artists send fake text, email, or pop-up messages to get people to share their personal and financial information. Criminals use the information to commit identity theft.

Here are tips you can share with your kids to help them avoid a phishing scam:

• Don't reply to text, email, or pop-up messages that ask for personal or financial information, and don't follow any links in the message.
• Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails you receive, regardless of who sent them. Unexpected files may contain malware.

Get your kids involved, so they can develop their scam “antennas” and careful internet habits. Look for "teachable moments" — if you get a phishing message, show it to your kids. A demonstration can help them recognize a potential phishing scam and help them understand that messages on the internet aren't always what they seem. Learn more about Phishing.

Apps

Do you — or your kids — download "apps" to a phone or social networking page? Downloading may give the app's developers access to personal information that's not related to the purpose of the app. The developers may share the information they collect with marketers or other companies. Suggest that your kids check the privacy policy and their privacy settings to see what information the app can access. And consider this: Is finding out which cartoon character you are really worth sharing the details of your life — or your children's? Learn more about Mobile Apps.

Tagged with: computer security, file sharing, kids, malware, parents, phishing, privacy

Kind Regards

Alex Stewart

College Officers

Protecting your personal information can help reduce your risk of identity theft. There are four main ways to do it: know who you share information with; store and dispose of your personal information securely, especially your Social Security number; ask questions before deciding to share your personal information; and maintain appropriate security on your computers and other electronic devices.

• Keeping Your Personal Information Secure Offline
• Keeping Your Personal Information Secure Online
• Securing Your Social Security Number
• Keeping Your Devices Secure

Keeping Your Personal Information Secure Offline

Lock your financial documents and records in a safe place at home, and lock your wallet or purse in a safe place at work. Keep your information secure from roommates or workers who come into your home.

Limit what you carry. When you go out, take only the identification, credit, and debit cards you need. Leave your Social Security card at home. Make a copy of your Medicare card and black out all but the last four digits on the copy. Carry the copy with you  — unless you are going to use your card at the doctor’s office.

Before you share information at your workplace, a business, your child's school, or a doctor's office, ask why they need it, how they will safeguard it, and the consequences of not sharing.

Shred receipts, credit offers, credit applications, insurance forms, physician statements, checks, bank statements, expired charge cards, and similar documents when you don’t need them any longer.

Destroy the labels on prescription bottles before you throw them out. Don’t share your health plan information with anyone who offers free health services or products.

Take outgoing mail to post office collection boxes or the post office. Promptly remove mail that arrives in your mailbox. If you won’t be home for several days, request a vacation hold on your mail.

When you order new checks, don’t have them mailed to your home, unless you have a secure mailbox with a lock.

Consider opting out of prescreened offers of credit and insurance by mail. You can opt out for 5 years or permanently. To opt out, call 1-888-567-8688 or go to optoutprescreen.com. The 3 nationwide credit reporting companies operate the phone number and website. Prescreened offers can provide many benefits. If you opt out, you may miss out on some offers of credit.

Keeping Your Personal Information Secure Online

Know who you share your information with. Store and dispose of your personal information securely.

Be Alert to Impersonators

Make sure you know who is getting your personal or financial information. Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through the mail or over the Internet unless you’ve initiated the contact or know who you’re dealing with. If a company that claims to have an account with you sends email asking for personal information, don’t click on links in the email. Instead, type the company name into your web browser, go to their site, and contact them through customer service. Or, call the customer service number listed on your account statement. Ask whether the company really sent a request.

Safely Dispose of Personal Information

Before you dispose of a computer, get rid of all the personal information it stores. Use a wipe utility program to overwrite the entire hard drive.

Before you dispose of a mobile device, check your owner’s manual, the service provider’s website, or the device manufacturer’s website for information on how to delete information permanently, and how to save or transfer information to a new device. Remove the memory or subscriber identity module (SIM) card from a mobile device. Remove the phone book, lists of calls made and received, voicemails, messages sent and received, organizer folders, web search history, and photos.

Encrypt Your Data

Keep your browser secure. To guard your online transactions, use encryption software that scrambles information you send over the internet. A “lock” icon on the status bar of your internet browser means your information will be safe when it’s transmitted. Look for the lock before you send personal or financial information online.

Keep Passwords Private

Use strong passwords with your laptop, credit, bank, and other accounts. Be creative: think of a special phrase and use the first letter of each word as your password. Substitute numbers for some words or letters. For example, “I want to see the Pacific Ocean” could become 1W2CtPo.

Don’t Overshare on Social Networking Sites

If you post too much information about yourself, an identity thief can find information about your life, use it to answer ‘challenge’ questions on your accounts, and get access to your money and personal information. Consider limiting access to your networking page to a small group of people. Never post your full name, Social Security number, address, phone number, or account numbers in publicly accessible sites.

Securing Your Social Security Number

Keep a close hold on your Social Security number and ask questions before deciding to share it. Ask if you can use a different kind of identification. If someone asks you to share your SSN or your child’s, ask:

• why they need it
• how it will be used
• how they will protect it
• what happens if you don’t share the number

The decision to share is yours. A business may not provide you with a service or benefit if you don’t provide your number. Sometimes you will have to share your number. Your employer and financial institutions need your SSN for wage and tax reporting purposes. A business may ask for your SSN so they can check your credit when you apply for a loan, rent an apartment, or sign up for utility service.

Keeping Your Devices Secure

Use Security Software

Install anti-virus software, anti-spyware software, and a firewall. Set your preference to update these protections often. Protect against intrusions and infections that can compromise your computer files or passwords by installing security patches for your operating system and other software programs.

Avoid Phishing Emails

Don’t open files, click on links, or download programs sent by strangers. Opening a file from someone you don’t know could expose your system to a computer virus or spyware that captures your passwords or other information you type.

Be Wise About Wi-Fi

Before you send personal information over your laptop or smartphone on a public wireless network in a coffee shop, library, airport, hotel, or other public place, see if your information will be protected. If you use an encrypted website, it protects only the information you send to and from that site. If you use a secure wireless network, all the information you send on that network is protected.

Lock Up Your Laptop

Keep financial information on your laptop only when necessary. Don’t use an automatic login feature that saves your user name and password, and always log off when you’re finished. That way, if your laptop is stolen, it will be harder for a thief to get at your personal information.

Read Privacy Policies

Yes, they can be long and complex, but they tell you how the site maintains accuracy, access, security, and control of the personal information it collects; how it uses the information, and whether it provides information to third parties. If you don’t see or understand a site’s privacy policy, consider doing business elsewhere.

Tagged with: identity theft, personal information, phishing, privacy

Your Sincerely

Peter Smith

Principal

Australian girls and boys, but particularly girls, are dropping maths and science as soon as possible at high school. Rachel Wilson looks at the potential impact of this trend on the Australian economy and student career options.

Are you the parents of a high school girl considering her Year 11 and 12 subject choices? Even if you're not, the issue of girls' participation and attainment in maths and science is an important topic. Let me explain why.

In the international OECD studies of educational attainment at 15 years, known as PISA, Australia has shown declining scores and increasing gender disparity. In maths for example, between the years 2000 and 2013, scores for boys declined from 527 to 510 – a drop of 3%. Over the same period, girls' maths scores declined from 522 to 498 – a 5.6% drop. In contrast, the OECD average improved slightly over this period and some countries dramatically improved their scores. Similar trends to this can be seen in science – but in this data and across a range of other indicators, maths is the primary area of concern.

Perhaps most critical is the decreasing number of girls studying maths and science for their higher school certificates. Recent figures from both Queensland and New South Wales paint a very grim picture with downward trends in participation over the past decade.  

As maths is very important in the development of science skills, this does not bode well for the long-term future of science and industry in Australia. Industry and economic experts prophesise that all new economies will be built on maths and science knowledge and skills, yet in NSW the proportion of girls going on to study advanced maths, physics and chemistry for HSC in NSW is now down to just 1.5%! Our economy and standard of living is in jeopardy as a result of this decline.

However, studying maths and science is not just about doing it for your country. There are also strong personal reasons for supporting girls (and boys!) to study these subjects.

First, maths and science skills are needed for the jobs market. With rising youth unemployment across Australia, an investment in these skills may offer some protection. Internationally the scene is prosperous with predictions of high demands for these skills. In some sectors of the Australian economy industry bodies are crying out for capacity in these skills.

 In engineering, for example, Australian graduates cannot meet demand and fill only 40% of the new positions each year, and companies have to recruit from overseas or accept individuals with lower qualifications. We need young people with maths and science skills to contribute and build national capacity in this area, if our economy is to grow beyond its agricultural and fossil fuel heritage. In doing so, savvy individuals will also secure themselves the employment opportunities that other youth will envy.

I am yet to find another developed economy where the education system doesn't mandate maths in senior high school.

Second, studying maths and science at school sets students up for success in a range of fields at university, further education and in their careers. These benefits stretch beyond employment in traditional science, engineering, technology and mathematics industries. Maths is the strongest school subject predictor of general abilities and studies show that national maths attainment is strongly linked to IQ and shifts in economic development. Simply put, studying maths is likely to make your daughter smarter in a range of ways.

The inverse of this is true too. Not studying maths puts students at a disadvantage in terms of succeeding in a wide range of fields. At the moment, with rates of maths and science study so low in secondary schools (with the exception of biology which is popular among girls), universities have enrolments in fields like health, nursing, architecture and even science degrees, that include students who have not studied maths since year 10. An increasing number of students are dropping the subject as soon as possible, as maths is mandated only until year 10 in the Australian Curriculum. These students struggle at the tertiary level, even if they take mathematics bridging courses. This is because maths skills – reading figure and graphs, calculating proportions and doses and reading research with statistical analyses – are all critical to these professions.

All over the world maths and science are recognised as being critical to education and economies; I am yet to find another developed economy where the education system doesn't mandate maths in senior high school. The top performers in education: Finland, Singapore, Japan and South Korea have close to full participation rates, with 90% plus, studying maths until their final year of school. In NSW 15% of HSC students are studying no maths at all and 65% have selected elementary General Maths. In the UK, where maths is mandated for GCSE (equivalent to our year 11), the House of Lords has launched an enquiry into making maths mandatory for A levels (Year 13). Even in West Africa, a region not known for educational standards, maths is required for the Senior School Certificate.

We need to stem the decline in standards in maths and science, especially among girls. Girls have always had issues engaging with maths and science. Internationally, many countries struggle to develop girls' motivation to study science and maths and historically boys have performed better, particularly in maths. However there are now a growing number of countries in which girls are performing equivalent to or better than boys in both these areas. We cannot blame the low rates of maths and science among our girls on motivation alone.

What has happened in Australia that we find ourselves in this precarious position with declining educational standards? Some small incremental shifts in policy, particularly in relation to upper secondary study, have left us with a choice-orientated system. In such a system, we can hardly blame students, teachers or schools for strategising on how to maximise achievement while minimising effort – which is exactly what's happening. Maths and science are challenging, curriculum-heavy subjects and, with the growth in alternative subjects, demotivated boys and girls find it easy to opt out of maths and science.

While the new Australian Curriculum is designed to bring clear standards and consistency to what students study across a range of key subject areas, it does not mandate any subjects beyond year 10. Perhaps it is time we had a national conversation about making maths and science matter for upper secondary school? If you have a daughter in high school, please have a conversation with her too! 

Your Sincerely

John Smith

College Staff Member 

All students enrolled in a General Year 12 course and/or a Foundation Year 12 course are required to complete the externally set task (EST) developed by the Authority for that course. The EST is compulsory and forms part of the school-based assessment and is included as a separate assessment type with a weighting of 15% for the pair of units.

The ESTs are administered in schools during designated weeks in Term 2 under standard test conditions. The EST will take 50 minutes. The Authority informs schools during Term 3, in the previous year, of the Unit 3 syllabus content on which the task will be based. This notification will enable schools to ensure that the identified content is taught prior to the administration of the EST. The ESTs are marked by teachers in each school using a marking key provided by the Authority.

Detailed information about EST is provided in the PDFExternally Set Tasks Handbook 2018 opens in new window.

Information about disability adjustments can be found in the PDFGuidelines for disability adjustments for timed assessments opens in new window.

•  PDF2019 Externally Set Tasks course specific advice opens in new window
•  PDF2019 Externally Set Tasks total marks opens in new window
•  PDF2018 Externally Set Tasks course specific advice opens in new window
•  PDF2018 Externally Set Tasks total marks opens in new window

The Authority will publish the 2019 Externally Set Tasks course specific advice and 2019 Externally Set Tasks total marks in November 2018.

•  2019 Externally Set Task (EST) content for all Year 12 General and Foundation courses opens in new window

Whether you’re concerned about your online privacy or just getting tired of constant status updates from old school friends that you’ve since realised aren’t actually that cool, there are plenty of reasons why you might want to delete your Facebook account – and it’s not as hard as you might think.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of how to delete Facebook step-by-step, including outlining the difference between ‘deactivating’ your account, and deleting it entirely.

If you’re thinking about deleting your account then you’re not alone. Between the Cambridge Analtyica scandal and increasing worries about the effect social media has on our individual and societal health, people are increasingly turning away from these sites that have come to dominate the internet.

Whatever your reason, deleting or deactivating your account is actually pretty easy. Here's how you do it

How to delete or deactivate a Facebook account – what’s the difference?

There are two different ways to get your Facebook account offline. The first is deactivating, which means:

• You can reactivate your account whenever you want
• People can’t see your Facebook Timeline, or search for you
• Some information may remain visible (like messages you’ve sent)
• Facebook saves your account info (like friends and interests) in case you reactivate

But deleting your account is a much more serious matter. If you delete your account:

• Facebook delays deletion for a few days after the request is made. If you log in during the grace period, the deletion is cancelled
• You can’t regain access to your Facebook account once it’s deleted
• It can take up to 90 days for your data that’s stored in backup systems to be deleted. However, your info isn’t accessible on Facebook during this time
• Some things aren’t stored in your account, like messages that you’ve sent to friends – these will remain active
• Copies of some material (like log records) may remain in Facebook’s database, but are “disassociated from personal identifiers,” according to the company

Basically, deactivating is a way to cool off from Facebook for a while, while deleting is a permanent solution that you should think carefully about before choosing.

Related: Delete an Instagram account

How to deactivate Facebook account

To deactivate your Facebook account, follow these four steps:

1. Click the account menu down arrow at the top right of any Facebook page in your web browser
2. Select ‘Settings’
3. Choose ‘General’ in the left column
4. Click ‘Manage your account’
5. Press ‘Deactivate your account’, and then follow the steps to confirm your decision

To reactivate your account after deactivating it, simply log into Facebook your e-mail and password. Your profile will be entirely reinstated.

Related: How to undo Snapchat’s 2018 update

How to delete Facebook account

Deleting your Facebook account is a serious decision, so make sure it’s something you really want to do. Whether you like it or not, social media is ingrained in society, and your Facebook profile can affect friendships, job prospects, and social opportunities. Remember that there are also ways to secure your Facebook privacy settings., if that’s your particular concern.

Plus, you may miss out on some ‘dank memes’ by deleting Facebook, and however grating it is in places, it’s also useful for plenty of things, such as keeping up with friends from abroad and organising events.

If you’re set on binning the social network off for good, click the following link and choose the ‘Delete my account’ option:

• Delete my Facebook page

Before deleting your account, it may be worth downloading your Facebook data. To do this, follow these steps:

 Click the account menu down arrow at the top right of any Facebook page in your web browser
2. Click ‘Download a copy of your Facebook data’ at the bottom of your General Account Settings
3. Choose ‘Start My Archive’

The file that begins downloading will contain your Facebook profile information, so be very careful about where you keep it.

Related: Black Friday 2018

Mr Peter Smith - Principal

We all use search engines to find information online, and so do our kids. From researching school assignments or being entertained—chances are your kids are using search engines to explore online, but with that open access comes the risk of seeing inappropriate material.

Six tips to searching safely

To help you support your kids and have confidence online, check out these six tips for finding the right stuff.

1. Use child-friendly search engines

As soon as your child starts exploring the internet, steer them in the direction of child-friendly search engines. These provide kid friendly content by screening out from search results inappropriate sites and material.

Try Google Safe Search for Kids, KidzSearch, KidsClick, KidRex and Swiggle. We recommend typing in some words first to test if any undesirable content appears in the search results, but remember some search engines contain advertising and there is always a risk that inappropriate material could still slip through.

2. Use safe search settings

Your home computer usually has a preferred browser to navigate the internet and most of these like Google, Bing and Yahoo! 7 have safe search settings to filter out inappropriate, explicit and adult-oriented content from search results. While not foolproof, they can help when kids stumble across inappropriate content when searching seemingly innocent words and phrases. Also consider opting for the safety mode on popular services such as YouTube and iTunes. The UK Safer Internet Centre provides useful information about the safety features offered by Apple, Safari, Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.

3. Protect devices

Searching the internet can place your computer at risk from viruses and other types of malware. Ensure that all devices are installed with security software that is regularly updated. Teach your kids not to accept files or open email attachments from people they don’t know and trust in real life.

4. Bookmark preferred websites

You can help minimise the risk of your kids accessing unsuitable websites by bookmarking preferred sites accessible from their web browser. This way, they can go directly to favourite websites without having to first conduct a search to locate them online.

5. Check the website’s safety

Check a website’s safety rating before visiting it by using online search tools that help identify malicious websites. If you are worried about a game or social networking site used by your child then check its safety rating. It’s simple to do this: just type in the phrase “is this website safe” into your browser, choose from one of the search results and then enter the website’s URL address into the search field.

6. Talk about safe searching

Talk to your child about safe searching, as well as the kind of websites they can view. Realistically, you can’t supervise their internet use all the time so build trust by explaining any rules and be open to their suggestions about usage. If your child has been exposed to undesirable content, whether accidentally or on purpose, talk them through what they have seen. Encourage them to speak to you about anything they find upsetting while playing games, visiting websites or social networking.

Your Sincerely

Alex Stewart

College Officer