Information Security at Schools: A Practical Game-Based Application with Sustained Impact

Margit Scholl, Regina Schuktomow

The process of awareness raising should be seen as an important factor in enhancing knowledge of information security issues and developing appropriate behavior in response to them. In the project described here, this is carried out by means of awareness training based on experience-oriented learning scenarios, coaching, and mentoring concepts. These have been partially modified or newly developed on the basis of previous projects, drawing on concrete everyday school situations, using appropriate language, and applying three different levels of difficulty. A total of about 600 pupils from five pilot schools in Berlin and Brandenburg are participating in this research project. In the classes involved, information events, online surveys, trainings, and creative workshops were offered.

Attempts are also being made to train teachers and provide parents with information to help ensure an ongoing impact in schools with long-term effects. Pupils were able to take the exam for the IT security module of the International Computer Driving License. One teacher per pilot school was able to take part in the very extensive training and certification to become an information security officer. After all the trainings and experience-oriented measures that have been carried out, it is clear that teachers have developed and implemented new teaching ideas, and that the important topic of information security has been made more understandable for pupils.

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