Peer-reviewed article
An Investigation on Cyber Safety Awareness among Teachers and Parents.
Teresa M. Lester ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study investigated how teachers and parents understand and manage cyber safety for children and young people. Using surveys and interviews, researchers examined the resources teachers and parents use to stay informed about online threats and to educate themselves. The study found that many teachers and parents want to protect children online but feel frustrated because technology changes faster than their ability to keep up. The researchers suggest that more readily available training and free resources for teachers and parents could help address this gap.
Key points
- Young people spend more than a full-time work week on media
- Many teachers and parents are actively trying to learn about cyber safety and monitor children
- Teachers and parents feel frustrated that technology changes too rapidly for their efforts to feel adequate
- There is a need for more readily available training on cyber safety for teachers and parents in K-12 settings
- Some principals and news channels are already making efforts to educate their communities about technology changes
Limitations
The document does not specify which country or countries the study was conducted in, making it impossible to determine geographic scope. The document provides no information about the actual outcomes for children's online safety or whether increased awareness among teachers and parents leads to measurable improvements in child protection.
Abstract
The purpose of this mixed-methods investigation was to determine how teachers and parents understood and educated themselves on cyber safety. This research explored how teachers and parents found and used resources available to stay informed of the constant threats and changes for students while online. The amount of time young people spend with media has grown to where it’s even more than a full-time work week . . . When children are spending this much time doing anything, we need to understand how it’s affecting them for good and bad. (Henry J. Kaiser Foundation, 2010, p. 2). It is now more important than ever for researchers, policymakers, teachers, and parents to stay on top of the impact technology has on students’/children’s lives. Using an online mixed-methods survey and interviews, the researcher sought to determine, compare, and examine the levels of understanding and perspectives of teachers and parents on cyber safety issues and training. This study was used to determine if there was a need for more readily available training on the issues concerning cyber safety for teachers/parents to ensure the safety of students/children in K-12 schools and communities. This research found that many teachers and parents are working to learn about cyber safety and monitor students/children but feel frustrated that technology changes so fast that their efforts sometimes feel inadequate. Adding to the knowledge base of free resources for teachers and parents might help in this endeavor. News channels and some principals are already making efforts to educate their communities about technology changes where possible to keep teachers and parents informed and to help the community make better decisions for students and children.