Securing Young Minds: Analysing Primary Teachers’ Perspectives and Practices in Cyber Safety

Authors

Shajoti Amin, University of New South WalesFollow
Eleni Petraki, University of CanberraFollow
Heba El-Fiqi, University of New South WalesFollow
Hussein Abbass, University of New South WalesFollow

Abstract

The present study investigated primary school teachers’ perceptions and attitudes toward teaching young children cyber safety awareness. A mixed-methods survey was employed to obtain teachers’ opinions about current strategies, learning material accessibility, and the effectiveness of using interactive mediums for teaching cybersecurity to school children. The findings confirmed the growing need for integrating cyber awareness in STEM education, with teachers acknowledging the usefulness of the currently available strategies. However, teachers also stated that additional learning materials, such as more engaging resources and games, were required to appeal to young children’s learning styles. Further suggestions were made about using simple language and authentic scenarios in future materials. This paper provides recommendations for designing appropriate learning resources and incorporating educational interactive games to refine cyber awareness and safety education, support teachers and ultimately safeguard children in a fast-growing digital era.

Recommended Citation

Amin, Shajoti; Petraki, Eleni; El-Fiqi, Heba; and Abbass, Hussein, "Securing Young Minds: Analysing Primary Teachers’ Perspectives and Practices in Cyber Safety" (2024). ACIS 2024 Proceedings. 93.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/acis2024/93