Review Gold Open Access 2024

Shaping the foundation of the SuperCyberKids Learning Framework: a comprehensive analysis of cybersecurity education initiatives

Frontiers in Education
Journal · Vol. 9 · Art. 1375853
Abstract

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, cybersecurity education for children is paramount. The SuperCyberKids project, funded under the EU Erasmus+ programme, aims to address this need by developing a comprehensive educational ecosystem for children aged 8 to 13 and their teachers. Central to this initiative is the SuperCyberKids Learning Framework (SCKLF), which incorporates a game-based approach to enhance engagement and motivation through a bespoke digital learning platform and broader ecosystem. This paper focuses on the second pillar of SCKLF, a detailed survey of 65 cybersecurity education initiatives, offering a practical perspective on the current state of cybersecurity education. The survey covered initiatives within and beyond the European Union, emphasizing the target age group. The analysis of these initiatives provides invaluable insights into the practical application of cybersecurity education and played a crucial role in shaping the SCKLF. By highlighting the diversity of approaches and strategies in cybersecurity education, this research contributes to a more holistic and applied perspective, ensuring the framework’s relevance and effectiveness in fostering digital resilience among young learners. © © 2024 Manganello, Earp, Fante, Bassi, Fabbri, Matteucci, Vaccarelli, Olesen, de Vibraye, Callaghan and Gentile.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Digital learning Children’s online safety Cybersecurity education Cybersecurity education initiatives SuperCyberKids Learning Framework

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations
Istituto Per Le Tecnologie Didattiche, Genoa, Genoa, GE, Italy
Institute of Informatics and Telematics, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome, RM, Italy
School of Digital Technologies, Tallinn University, Tallinn, Harjumaa, Estonia
Institute for Educational Technology, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Rome, RM, Italy
Funding & Acknowledgements
European Commission, EC
Funding text 1: The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The work presented in this paper has been carried out within the \u2018SuperCyberKids project\u2019, funded by the European Union (Project No. 101087250 - ERASMUS-EDU-2022-PI-FORWARD). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.; Funding text 2: Addressing these challenges, the SuperCyberKids project supported by the EU Erasmus+ programme (Project No. 101087250 - ERASMUS-EDU-2022-PI-FORWARD), aims to create an educational ecosystem centered on cybersecurity, targeting children aged 8 to 13 and their teachers. Utilizing a game-based approach, the SuperCyberKids (SCK) project seeks to enhance motivation and engagement through a gamified platform featuring two cybersecurity games: Nabbovaldo and the Cyber Blackmail () and Spoofy. The project\u2019s core deliverables include this educational ecosystem and guidelines for its implementation. To validate these outcomes, four pilot tests will be conducted across Europe, including localized versions in Italy, Estonia, and Germany. The project\u2019s outcomes will culminate in a handbook outlining best practices in cybersecurity education for children aged 8\u201313, offering recommendations for various stakeholders, including researchers, educators, parents, and game designers. Additionally, it will produce policy recommendations for entities involved in cybersecurity education.
European Education and Culture Executive Agency, EACEA
Funding text 1: The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The work presented in this paper has been carried out within the \u2018SuperCyberKids project\u2019, funded by the European Union (Project No. 101087250 - ERASMUS-EDU-2022-PI-FORWARD). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.; Funding text 2: Addressing these challenges, the SuperCyberKids project supported by the EU Erasmus+ programme (Project No. 101087250 - ERASMUS-EDU-2022-PI-FORWARD), aims to create an educational ecosystem centered on cybersecurity, targeting children aged 8 to 13 and their teachers. Utilizing a game-based approach, the SuperCyberKids (SCK) project seeks to enhance motivation and engagement through a gamified platform featuring two cybersecurity games: Nabbovaldo and the Cyber Blackmail () and Spoofy. The project\u2019s core deliverables include this educational ecosystem and guidelines for its implementation. To validate these outcomes, four pilot tests will be conducted across Europe, including localized versions in Italy, Estonia, and Germany. The project\u2019s outcomes will culminate in a handbook outlining best practices in cybersecurity education for children aged 8\u201313, offering recommendations for various stakeholders, including researchers, educators, parents, and game designers. Additionally, it will produce policy recommendations for entities involved in cybersecurity education.
Erasmus+
Grant: 101087250 - ERASMUS-EDU-2022-PI-FORWARD
Funding text 1: The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The work presented in this paper has been carried out within the \u2018SuperCyberKids project\u2019, funded by the European Union (Project No. 101087250 - ERASMUS-EDU-2022-PI-FORWARD). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.; Funding text 2: Addressing these challenges, the SuperCyberKids project supported by the EU Erasmus+ programme (Project No. 101087250 - ERASMUS-EDU-2022-PI-FORWARD), aims to create an educational ecosystem centered on cybersecurity, targeting children aged 8 to 13 and their teachers. Utilizing a game-based approach, the SuperCyberKids (SCK) project seeks to enhance motivation and engagement through a gamified platform featuring two cybersecurity games: Nabbovaldo and the Cyber Blackmail () and Spoofy. The project\u2019s core deliverables include this educational ecosystem and guidelines for its implementation. To validate these outcomes, four pilot tests will be conducted across Europe, including localized versions in Italy, Estonia, and Germany. The project\u2019s outcomes will culminate in a handbook outlining best practices in cybersecurity education for children aged 8\u201313, offering recommendations for various stakeholders, including researchers, educators, parents, and game designers. Additionally, it will produce policy recommendations for entities involved in cybersecurity education.
Erasmus+
Funding text 1: The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The work presented in this paper has been carried out within the \u2018SuperCyberKids project\u2019, funded by the European Union (Project No. 101087250 - ERASMUS-EDU-2022-PI-FORWARD). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.; Funding text 2: Addressing these challenges, the SuperCyberKids project supported by the EU Erasmus+ programme (Project No. 101087250 - ERASMUS-EDU-2022-PI-FORWARD), aims to create an educational ecosystem centered on cybersecurity, targeting children aged 8 to 13 and their teachers. Utilizing a game-based approach, the SuperCyberKids (SCK) project seeks to enhance motivation and engagement through a gamified platform featuring two cybersecurity games: Nabbovaldo and the Cyber Blackmail () and Spoofy. The project\u2019s core deliverables include this educational ecosystem and guidelines for its implementation. To validate these outcomes, four pilot tests will be conducted across Europe, including localized versions in Italy, Estonia, and Germany. The project\u2019s outcomes will culminate in a handbook outlining best practices in cybersecurity education for children aged 8\u201313, offering recommendations for various stakeholders, including researchers, educators, parents, and game designers. Additionally, it will produce policy recommendations for entities involved in cybersecurity education.
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