Teens and cybersecurity in the classroom is now a subject both parents and educators need to take seriously. This past weekend, I attended my 20th high school reunion.
We had the opportunity to walk thru the high school and the classrooms as part of the reunion. Funny, we didn’t see an overhead projector.
There were no VCRs on carts. There were smart boards and computers, and later this month as the classrooms fill – they will be filled with students on their various devices.
Teens and Cybersecurity in the Classroom
Teens in the classroom now a days have their phones, laptops, tablets and/or smart watches that give them access to just about anything and everything. From cheating to being a distraction, while there is a place for technology in the classroom – there also has to be limits.
McAfee commissioned MSI International to conduct an online global survey to learn more about the current state of cybersecurity, device usage, cyberbullying and cyber education in the classroom. 3,902 high school students, grades 9th-12th grade – ages 14 – 18-years in the U.S., UK, Australia and Canada were surveyed. Specifically, in the U.S. 1,201 high school students (9th -12th grade) ages 14 – 18-years were surveyed.
Here is what McAfee learned about teens and cybersecurity in the classroom. These are things both parents and educators need to know!
Technology has become an everyday part of the classroom experience for students.
- More than half (57%) of students spend three or more hours per day using an
internet connected device during school hours for school-specific work. (U.S. 63%)
A majority of schools are taking the necessary steps to protect and educate students and devices from cyberthreats – but there are still gaps.
- Most students (80%) globally and in the U.S. think their school takes the necessary
steps to ensure the school-owned devices they use are protected from cyberthreats. - Schools are taking the time to educate students. A majority (86%) have been
provided with cybersecurity education/guidelines. (U.S. 84%)
Students are still trying to get around school security measures.
- When it comes to getting around cyber restrictions put in place by schools, 24% of
the students have successfully accessed banned content. (U.S. 31%) - 48% of teens reported at least trying to access the banned content.
Cyberbullying starts early and students experience it in various ways.
- Almost one out of every four (22%) (U.S. 30%) students have been cyberbullied, and
44% (U.S. 51%) are experiencing or seeing it before the 9th grade. - Facebook (69%) (U.S. 71%), Instagram (46%) (U.S. 62%) and Snapchat (38%) (U.S. 49%)
are the most used social networks for cyberbullying.
Students use their devices for more than just posting selfies.
- Almost half of students (47%) (U.S. 62%) claim to have seen or heard of another student using a connected device in the classroom to cheat on an exam, quiz, project or other assignment – with only 21% (U.S. 29%) admitting to doing it themselves.
- Boys are more likely to use a connected device to cheat than girls (21% vs.
14%).
Devices in the classroom are here to stay.
- 86% of the students spend at least one hour per day using an internet-connected device
during school hours for school-specific work. (U.S. 89%) - Fifty-seven percent students spend at least three hours per day using an internet-connected
device during school hours for school-specific work. (U.S. 63%)
Schools are taking the time to educate students about cybersecurity and device usage guidelines.
- 80% of students surveyed globally and in the U.S., think that their school takes the necessary
steps to ensure the school-owned devices they use are protected from cyberthreats. - A small percentage of students (5%) don’t think their school takes the necessary steps to
ensure school devices are secure and 15% don’t know.- U.S.: 4% of students don’t think their school doesn’t take the necessary steps, and 15%
don’t know
- U.S.: 4% of students don’t think their school doesn’t take the necessary steps, and 15%
- Most students (86%) feel up-to- date and informed about cybersecurity education/guidelines from their school before accessing school-owned connected devices (U.S. 84%)
- 45% receive regularly education/guidelines throughout the year (U.S. 44%)
- 30% received instructions only once before they started using connected devices (U.S. 32%)
- 11% report that their teacher tried to talk about staying safe online but the student knew more about cybersecurity than the teacher. (U.S. 8%)
- 14% didn’t receive any cybersecurity education/guidelines before being allowed to access school-owned connected devices. (U.S. 16%)
- As student get older they receive less guidance.
- 16% of 16 – 18-year old students didn’t receive any education/guidelines versus 11% of 14 –15-year-olds.
As teens age, cybersecurity education becomes less of a priority.
- 38% of parents regularly talk with their (14-18- year old) children about how to stay safe (U.S.
46%) - 50% of parents of 14-15- year-olds regularly talk about staying safe online, but for 16-18- year-
olds this percentage dropped to 30%. (U.S. 67% dropped to 33%) - 14% of 16-18- olds globally and in the U.S., have never talked with their parents about how to
stay safe online.
Almost one out of every four (22%) students have been cyberbullied, and a shocking 44% are experiencing or seeing it before the 9th grade.
- 22% of the students surveyed claimed to have been cyberbullied. (U.S. 30%)
- U.S.: Females get cyberbullied more often (30%) than males (29%)
- Facebook (69%), Instagram (46%) and Snapchat (38%) are the most used social networks for
cyberbullying.- U.S.: Facebook (71%), Instagram (62%) and Snapchat (49%) are the most used social
networks for cyberbullying.
- U.S.: Facebook (71%), Instagram (62%) and Snapchat (49%) are the most used social
- 44% of the students surveyed have experienced or seen cyberbullying before 9th grade. (U.S. 51%)
- Most children (68%) would feel comfortable talking to a teacher, coach or school administrator if they had been cyberbullied. (U.S. 71%)
- More than half of the student (54%) feel that teachers and school administrators openly discuss cyberbullying and are trying to prevent it. (U.S. 55%)
- One third of students (34%) feel that cyber bullies aren’t being reprimanded or disciplined enough. (U.S. 32%)
Students are finding ways around school online security restrictions.
- When it comes to getting around cyber restrictions put in place by schools, 24% of the
students have successfully accessed banned content. (U.S. 31%) - Almost half (45%) of the students were able to access any (21%), or some (24%) social media
sites on school-owned connected devices.- U.S.: More than half (54%) of the students were able to access any (29%), or some (25%)
social media sites on school-owned connected devices.
- U.S.: More than half (54%) of the students were able to access any (29%), or some (25%)
- Most visited social media websites, using school-owned connected devices in the classroom, are YouTube (37%), Facebook or Facebook Messenger (28%) and Instagram (10%)
- U.S.: YouTube (34%), Facebook or Facebook Messenger (24%) and Instagram (14%)
Cheating in the classroom is happening through school-owned and personal devices.
- 21% of the students admit to using a connected device in the classroom to cheat on an
exam, quiz, project, or other assignment (U.S. 29%) - Almost half of students (47%) claim to have seen or heard of another student using a
connected device in the classroom to cheat on an exam, quiz, project or other assignment.
(U.S. 62%)
Tips for Teens on Staying Safe Online:
1. Mind what you share – Personal information should be shared in moderation and only when necessary. Also, ensure that you are enabling privacy settings within social networks. Without privacy setting enabled your profile is open to everyone, which could increase the chances of being bullied or personal photos being downloaded and manipulated.
2. Keep passwords private – Avoid sharing passwords with anyone other than parents or guardians. Once you share your password you no longer have control of your account.
3. Ignore, block or unfriend. Block and report cyberbullies by clicking on the ‘report’ icon that is provided across social networks. If the issue persists, ask for help from your parents or teachers to resolve the problem.
4. Talk to trusted adults – If you are cyberbullied, talk to your parents, teachers, coaches or counselor for support when.
Tips for Parents:
1. Talk to your teens – The best way to ensure your teen is staying safe online is to talk to them. Ask them about what they do online and encourage safe online behavior like avoiding interacting with individuals they don’t know in real life.
2. Use the social networks that your kids are using – Not only will you gain a better
understanding about what your kids do online, but you will also become a more trustedsource because you will know the ins and outs of their favorite apps/networks.
3. Protecting all your devices – Be sure to install comprehensive security software, like McAfee Live Safe, across all family devices. Having security software is essential to protecting your family’s devices and privacy.
Tips for Schools on Cyber Education & Device Usage:
1. Create student contracts in the classroom – The first step to creating guidelines for devices in class is to clearly spell out the terms of a ‘classroom device usage’ so there is no room for misunderstanding.
Certain conditions such as staying on task and being considerate of others’ privacy must be upheld by students for devices to be used for in-classroom work.
2. Create a commitment to cybersecurity education – Regular, relevant and up-to- date online safety education for students is a must. If schools incorporate smartphones, laptops or tablets into the classroom, students need to be educated and reminded about responsible device usage.
Understanding how to avoid online pitfalls and dangers, truly respect other students’ privacy, and appropriate online behavior including tone, manners and etiquette are good topics.
3. Keep parents updated and involved – Parents need education too. Schools should frequently update parents about how technology is used in the classroom setting. Not only does this promote understanding and support from parents but, equally importantly, it helps bridge the technology gap between parents and their kids.
Infographic and teen cybersecurity in the classroom survey stats provided by McAfee.
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