The growing dependence of K-12 schools (kindergarten, primary and secondary education) on digital technologies has led to increased cybercrime. Unlike other information and communication technology sectors, the EdTech industry tends to escape critical research enquiry as well as governmental scrutiny. EdTech businesses work in a fast-paced, relatively unregulated environment and their cybersecurity measures remain largely unknown. Instead, the state of cybersecurity in K- 12 education is often seen from the perspective of what the education community – teachers, school administrators, and students – does or doesn’t do to prevent and minimise cyber insecurity.
EDDS organised an event, hosted at LSE, to discuss the recent report (Hillman, 2022) on the state of cybersecurity in education by bringing major stakeholders in education including EdTech businesses, K-12 education representatives, policymakers, and organisations providing cybersecurity initiatives and programs that aim to prevent cyber insecurity in education. The webinar showcased the work of GESS, an international working group with members from the education community in New Zealand, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, who have been working hard to map major global cybersecurity frameworks and develop one that is dedicated to the EdTech sector and K-12 education.
Crucial topics were covered during the event - form the struggles of schools to address growing cyber insecurities, to cybersecurity awareness, programs, and training that various organisations are running across the UK and Europe. Watch our webinar in full here.
The event was hosted by the London School of Economics and Political Science. Read the report on the state of cybersecurity in K-12 education: voices from the EdTech sector here.
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