IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i8p4763-d794958.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Cybersecurity Skills among European High-School Students: A New Approach in the Design of Sustainable Educational Development in Cybersecurity

Author

Listed:
  • Borka Jerman Blažič

    (International Postgraduate School Jožef Stefan, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia)

  • Andrej Jerman Blažič

    (Laboratory for Open Systems and Networks, Josef Stefan Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia)

Abstract

Cybersecurity has increasingly become a headline feature in news media in recent years, generally prompted by spectacular security breaches in various information systems. The importance of cybersecurity awareness for the sustainable development of society is now recognized widely, but the problem of how to build an educational ecosystem which will include the most relevant target audiences that need to develop cybersecurity skills, is not yet solved. This paper elaborates the state of cybersecurity skills and knowledge in European high-school students by collecting data from the students, their teachers and parents by means of surveys and interviews in nine European countries. The analysis of the information collected has revealed the required topics from the area of cybersecurity that need to be introduced in high school educational programs and the most suitable delivery methods for educational content, such as videos and serious games. A selection of thirteen serious games related to cybersecurity was evaluated and then presented to a class of high-school students. The study of the collected data has shown that cybersecurity education at high school level requires innovative and interactive approaches that build the required skills for a more effective sustainable education and social development.

Suggested Citation

  • Borka Jerman Blažič & Andrej Jerman Blažič, 2022. "Cybersecurity Skills among European High-School Students: A New Approach in the Design of Sustainable Educational Development in Cybersecurity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-23, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:8:p:4763-:d:794958
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/8/4763/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/8/4763/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Noemi Peña Miguel & Javier Corral Lage & Ana Mata Galindez, 2020. "Assessment of the Development of Professional Skills in University Students: Sustainability and Serious Games," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-18, January.
    2. Renata Pereira Oliveira & Cristina Gomes de Souza & Augusto da Cunha Reis & Wallice Medeiros de Souza, 2021. "Gamification in E-Learning and Sustainability: A Theoretical Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-20, October.
    3. May Portuguez Castro & Marcela Georgina Gómez Zermeño, 2020. "Challenge Based Learning: Innovative Pedagogy for Sustainability through e-Learning in Higher Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-15, May.
    4. Merijke Coenraad & Anthony Pellicone & Diane Jass Ketelhut & Michel Cukier & Jan Plane & David Weintrop, 2020. "Experiencing Cybersecurity One Game at a Time: A Systematic Review of Cybersecurity Digital Games," Simulation & Gaming, , vol. 51(5), pages 586-611, October.
    5. Amer Mutrik Sayaf & Mahdi Mohammed Alamri & Mohammed Ayid Alqahtani & Waleed Mugahed Al-Rahmi, 2021. "Information and Communications Technology Used in Higher Education: An Empirical Study on Digital Learning as Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-19, June.
    6. Tong Zhang & Zaffar A. Shaikh & Alexei V. Yumashev & Monika Chłąd, 2020. "Applied Model of E-Learning in the Framework of Education for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-15, August.
    7. Hassan, Lobna & Dias, Antonio & Hamari, Juho, 2019. "How motivational feedback increases user’s benefits and continued use: A study on gamification, quantified-self and social networking," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 151-162.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Juliana Fosua Gyasi & Lanqin Zheng & Yidan Zhou, 2021. "Perusing the Past to Propel the Future: A Systematic Review of STEM Learning Activity Based on Activity Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-27, August.
    2. J. Tuomas Harviainen, 2020. "Roles, Plays, and the Roles We Play While Playing Games," Simulation & Gaming, , vol. 51(5), pages 583-585, October.
    3. Mohammed Abdullatif Almulla & Waleed Mugahed Al-Rahmi, 2023. "Integrated Social Cognitive Theory with Learning Input Factors: The Effects of Problem-Solving Skills and Critical Thinking Skills on Learning Performance Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-26, February.
    4. Maria José Sousa & Ana Lúcia Marôco & Sónia P. Gonçalves & Andreia de Bem Machado, 2022. "Digital Learning Is an Educational Format towards Sustainable Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-16, January.
    5. Deepti Mishra & Alok Mishra, 2020. "Sustainability Inclusion in Informatics Curriculum Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-16, July.
    6. Teodora Odett BREAZ, 2021. "A Theoretical Approach On The Sustainable Development Strategy For Higher Education," Annales Universitatis Apulensis Series Oeconomica, Faculty of Sciences, "1 Decembrie 1918" University, Alba Iulia, vol. 2(23), pages 1-2.
    7. Aldo Alvarez-Risco & Shyla Del-Aguila-Arcentales & Marc A. Rosen & Verónica García-Ibarra & Sandra Maycotte-Felkel & Gabriel Mauricio Martínez-Toro, 2021. "Expectations and Interests of University Students in COVID-19 Times about Sustainable Development Goals: Evidence from Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-19, March.
    8. Uthman Alturki & Ahmed Aldraiweesh, 2024. "The impact of self-determination theory: the moderating functions of social media (SM) use in education and affective learning engagement," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16, December.
    9. Ben Kajwang, 2022. "Role of training needs assessment on the training outcomes in insurance sector in Kenya," Bussecon Review of Social Sciences (2687-2285), Bussecon International Academy, vol. 4(1), pages 37-44, January.
    10. Chenguang Li & Zhenjun Qiu & Tao Fu, 2021. "The Role of Policy Perceptions and Entrepreneurs’ Preferences in Firms’ Response to Industry 4.0: The Case of Chinese Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-19, October.
    11. Constantin Aurelian Ionescu & Liliana Paschia & Nicoleta Luminita Gudanescu Nicolau & Sorina Geanina Stanescu & Veronica Maria Neacsu Stancescu & Mihaela Denisa Coman & Marilena Carmen Uzlau, 2020. "Sustainability Analysis of the E-Learning Education System during Pandemic Period—COVID-19 in Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-22, October.
    12. Jawad Abbas & Uthman Alturki & Misbah Habib & Ahmed Aldraiweesh & Waleed Mugahed Al-Rahmi, 2021. "Factors Affecting Students in the Selection of Country for Higher Education: A Comparative Analysis of International Students in Germany and the UK," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-17, September.
    13. Xi Chen & Shaopeng Yu, 2024. "Synergizing Culture and Tourism Talents: Empowering Tourism Enterprises for Success," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(3), pages 12439-12471, September.
    14. Alina Mihaela Dima & Mihail Busu & Vanesa Madalina Vargas, 2022. "The mediating role of students’ ability to adapt to online activities on the relationship between perceived university culture and academic performance," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 13(4), pages 1253-1281, December.
    15. Adel Ben Youssef & Mounir Dahmani, 2008. "The Impact of ICT on Student Performance in Higher Education: Direct Effects, Indirect Effects and Organisational Change," Post-Print halshs-00936560, HAL.
    16. Ana-Inés Renta-Davids & Marta Camarero-Figuerola & Juana-María Tierno-García, 2020. "Assessment of the Quality Education Awareness Competence of Pre-Service Educators Using Vignettes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-18, December.
    17. Ben Kajwang, 2022. "Role of training needs assessment on the training outcomes in insurance sector in Kenya," Bussecon Review of Social Sciences (2687-2285), Bussecon International Academy, vol. 4(1), pages 37-44, January.
    18. Lane Peterson Fronczek & Martin Mende & Maura L. Scott & Gergana Y. Nenkov & Anders Gustafsson, 2023. "Friend or foe? Can anthropomorphizing self-tracking devices backfire on marketers and consumers?," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(5), pages 1075-1097, September.
    19. Daina Gudonienė & Agnė Paulauskaitė-Tarasevičienė & Asta Daunorienė & Vilma Sukackė, 2021. "A Case Study on Emerging Learning Pathways in SDG-Focused Engineering Studies through Applying CBL," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-19, July.
    20. Nadine Bachmann & Shailesh Tripathi & Manuel Brunner & Herbert Jodlbauer, 2022. "The Contribution of Data-Driven Technologies in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-33, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:8:p:4763-:d:794958. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.