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Through Aalto University’s Cyber Citizen project, a set of learning materials has been compiled for primary school teachers to use when teaching cybersecurity skills. Developed in collaboration with the University of Jyväskylä’s Department of Teacher Education, the package makes teachers’ work easier by providing ready-made lesson content and activities for grades 3–6. Teachers don’t need to build everything from scratch, and the materials can be used as is or adapted to the needs of each class. The material was designed to ensure that cybersecurity education does not depend on an individual teacher’s time or prior expertise.

The materials comprise two parts:

• Training resources for teachers to learn the key aspects of everyday cybersecurity.
• Ready-made lesson materials and assignments for grades 3–6 to teach, for example, safe internet use, recognizing scams, protecting personal data, and critical thinking.

The materials are licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC 4.0, allowing schools to use and adapt them freely for teaching, provided the author is credited. 

A safe digital everyday life doesn’t happen by itself

Cybersecurity expert Tuomas Heikkinen says the goal of the Cyber Citizen materials is to embed cybersecurity skills into everyday school life.

'Schools have an important role in teaching essential everyday cybersecurity skills, because through school these skills reach almost all children regardless of background. Teaching cybersecurity not only protects students from online threats such as scams, harassment, and phishing, but also equips them to function in the society of the future, where these skills are an increasingly important part of working life and leisure,' Heikkinen says.

Heikkinen notes that children and young people may be very fluent in using digital services technically, but may not yet understand the consequences of their actions or how to keep themselves safe.

'Children’s and young people’s safe digital everyday life does not arise on its own. They need adults’ support and opportunities to learn. When teaching cybersecurity skills, it’s best to start from the things present in their everyday lives. Cybersecurity is about safety, and it has to be practiced, just like traffic safety,' he continues.

Cybersecurity teaching varies by municipality

Cybersecurity is not a separate school subject, it is addressed particularly within ICT competence and as part of different subjects and daily school routines. According to the curriculum, students must be guided to act in digital environments responsibly, safely, and critically. In practice, this means, for example, learning to use the internet safely, recognize scams, and understand the traces their actions leave online. The Finnish National Agency for Education views cybersecurity as a civic skill akin to literacy that everyone needs in everyday life.

A 2022 by the University of Jyväskylä shows that the implementation of cybersecurity education varies considerably between schools, municipalities, and teachers. Because the curriculum provides few detailed guidelines, the amount and emphasis of instruction often depend on a teacher’s own expertise, interests, and available materials.

Teachers benefit as well

Many adults would also benefit from stronger cybersecurity skills. These materials not only support children’s learning, they also strengthen the cybersecurity of the entire institution.

'Content aimed at teachers helps staff operate safely in everyday school life, where a lot of student-related information is handled, such as personal data and academic records. Every teacher affects the school’s cybersecurity because they use the school’s devices and systems daily. As teachers’ competence strengthens, the safety of students and the entire institution improves, Heikkinen says.

Link to the materials:

The Cyber Citizen project is funded by the Ministry of Transport and Communications and implemented by Aalto University.

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