From Scare Tactics to Education: Improving Cyber Safety in Schools

In an era where our lives are increasingly intertwined with digital technology, the importance of cyber safety has never been so crucial. The amount of things that technology allows us to have access to is quite insane. From social media interactions to online learning and remote work, the opportunities and challenges technology brings us is endless. It is important that we have a solid understanding of how we can protect our personal information and engage on social media in a well respected manner. Another extremely important topic to remember is how to recognize online threats. By focusing on cyber safety, we can better protect ourselves in the digital world and navigate it with confidence and security.

To begin my blog post, I want to share a video I remember watching in Grade 8. The messages in this video have stayed with me, largely due to the impactful way Josh Shipp presents the information.

Key Takeaways From Josh Shipp’s Video:

“You Are Your Biggest Threat”

• The biggest online threat is you posting or uploading something “stupid.”
• The internet catches EVERYTHING!
• Once something is online – it can be there for years

“Would I Be Cool With My Grandma Seeing This?”

• To protect yourself, ask yourself this question – Would I be cool with my grandma seeing this?
• If it passes the grandma filter of approval, your good to go. If your second guessing your grandma seeing it, second guess yourself from sharing it online.

“Avoid The Temptation to Give Information”

• Avoid online predators
• You need to protect yourself – Do not give out personal information

Reflecting on the Approach

I attended school in the small towns of Sedley and Vibank, where we experienced a mix of both scare tactics and educational teachings regarding cyber safety. The scare tactics were used to instill fear about the dangers of the internet. I do not believe that this is the method that should be used when talking about cyber safety because it is used as a method to over exaggerate things so that people will be more aware of the dangers. This only brings anxiety and confused thoughts, especially to people that do not know much about the topic. In contras, educational teachings proved to be more beneficial as it is a way for students to gain the knowledge and have time to understand cyber safety.

I remember being in elementary school and we had a Saskatchewan Roughrider player come and do a presentation on cyber safety. This presentation fits under the educational teaching approach and I believe this is why I can still remember listening to it. When a message is coming from someone like a sports player I believe that the importance of the message sticks with children better than scare tactics would. I found this article on Scott McHenry’s work with the Red Cross’ anti-bullying education program and it is worth the read!

In EDTC 300 we explored a few videos that represented scare tactics. The videos were Everyone Knows Your Name and MediaSmarts Videos are prime examples that highlight the consequences of careless online activity. They illustrate the potential dangers of sharing personal information online and the impact it can have. While they succeed in getting the point across, I do not think they succeed in giving practical strategies for safe and responsible online behavior.

Effective Strategies for Cyber Safety Education

I believe that integrating cyber safety into the curriculum is an effective strategy for school systems. This will ensure that students receive the knowledge and instruction needed to understand cyber safety. Another strategy would be to incorporate interactive workshops and peer-led discussions. These types of things makes the topic more relatable to the students. By using these effective strategies for cyber safety it will empower students to navigate the online world safely and responsibly.