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The “ETTCS - Empowering Teachers to Trigger Cybersecurity at School” project: new resources to tackle Cybersecurity at school available!

"ETTCS-CyberTeach" is an Erasmus Plus project to prepare teachers on cybersecurity and ensure secure learning environments.

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Alessia Bevilacqua

ETTCS (CyberTeach) Results.

ETTCS - Empowering Teachers to Trigger Cybersecurity at School (CyberTeach)” is an Erasmus Plus project that intends to tackle the issue of cybersecurity starting specifically from teachers. The project aims to prepare teachers on cybersecurity and the spread of information to ensure the creation of safer educational environments and the transfer of their knowledge to students. 

Cybersecurity is a critical issue for educational institutions, including schools. In today's digital age, schools rely on technology and the internet for various administrative, educational, and communication purposes. Protecting sensitive information, ensuring student and staff safety, and maintaining the integrity of educational resources are essential aspects of cybersecurity in schools. 

First of all, schools collect and store a significant amount of sensitive data, including student records, grades, and personal information. Protecting this data from unauthorized access, breaches, or data theft is crucial.

It is also important to ensure the security of schools’ computer networks, Wi-Fi systems, and online resources to prevent hacking, data breaches, and unauthorized access. Moreover, with the increasing use of online learning platforms and digital resources, it is essential to secure these platforms to maintain the integrity of the educational process.

Keeping software, operating systems, and security systems up to date with the latest patches and updates is vital to prevent vulnerabilities that can be exploited by cybercriminals. Schools should establish clear and comprehensive cybersecurity policies and enforce them consistently and regularly to back up important data and create and regularly update a plan for data recovery in case of a cyber incident, to address them effectively. This plan should include procedures for reporting, investigating, and mitigating security breaches. Schools should also consider seeking help from cybersecurity experts or hiring IT professionals with expertise in school cybersecurity to assist with risk assessment and protection measures.

Many schools use digital tools and platforms for communication and collaboration. Cybersecurity measures help ensure that students are safe online and protect them from cyberbullying, harassment, and other online threats.

At the same time, one of the most important things – and this is one of the goals of our “CyberTeach” project – is to promote cybersecurity awareness and training among teachers, staff, and students. They should be aware of best practices for safe online behavior and how to recognize and report security incidents. 

Teaching students about cybersecurity enhances their digital literacy and equips them with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the digital world safely. It empowers them to use technology responsibly and securely.

Parents and guardians should also be involved, communicating with them about the school's cybersecurity measures and how they can help protect their children's information and educate them about online safety.

Cybersecurity in schools is not just a matter of protecting data but also safeguarding students, staff, and the overall learning environment. It plays a pivotal role in maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of educational resources and ensuring the safety of those within the school community. It is an ongoing effort, and it's essential to stay up to date with the latest threats and security best practices to protect students, staff, and sensitive information from cyber threats. As technology continues to evolve, the importance of cybersecurity in schools will only increase.

Teachers can be the drivers for increased awareness about these issues, and their preparation on cybersecurity can help not only guarantee secure learning environments but also make students better prepared to deal with threats they may encounter on their own.

With our project and its results, we want to fill the gap caused by misinformation or poor cybersecurity literacy through an extensive training programme, providing teachers with the basics of cybersecurity and all the necessary information to master this subject and be better prepared to face these challenges. 

All materials produced are available online on the project’s website, where it is possible to find:

  • The Cybersecurity Curriculum: a training course on cybersecurity designed and created by cybersecurity experts, consisting of 5 modules and articulated on 3 levels of complexity (beginner, intermediate, professional). The course materials focus on various topics such as basic concepts of security, networking, Cloud Security, IoT Security, e-Government Security, etc. and each module includes slide presentations, use of tools, gamification activities, quizzes and more. Users will be able to constantly monitor their learning with periodic tests and easily understand what to improve. In the end, users can obtain certificates of competence acquired directly from the platform and connect with a community of cybersecurity enthusiasts and experts!

  • The Curriculum is available online on an open and innovative eLearning platform, that improves the digital and cybersecurity skills of teachers and their students, enabling synchronous and asynchronous teaching and learning activities. The platform allows access to all cyber training content, real-time collaboration, and progress monitoring. Training materials can be accessed from both desktop and mobile devices, intuitively and quickly.
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