Teaching Cybersecurity: My Online Safety Offers Classroom-Ready Resources

Cybersecurity is becoming a classroom issue, not just an IT department concern. Engaged Learning’s “My Online Safety” series brings together resources to help teachers address online risks, artificial intelligence, misinformation and safe digital habits with students.

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For educators looking for practical entry points, the series, developed with funding from the Government of Canada, offers a useful way to open conversations that are increasingly part of students’ everyday lives.

(Teaching in French? See the Ma sécurité en ligne series!)

Cybersecurity education moves closer to daily teaching

Passwords, phishing attempts, artificial intelligence (AI), deepfakes, misinformation, privacy settings: these are no longer topics reserved for technology specialists. They shape how students learn, communicate, search for information and build their digital identity.

Engaged Learning’s My Online Safety resources respond to that reality with an accessible approach: helping educators teach cybersecurity and help students build safer and more critical digital habits through concrete scenarios and ready-to-use activities. One interactive quiz, for example, invites students to answer five everyday online safety scenarios and practise safer digital habits.

The goal is not to turn every teacher into a cybersecurity expert. Rather, it is to support conversations that help students recognize risks, pause before clicking, question what they see online and understand how their choices affect their safety and that of others.

Practical resources for digital citizenship

This series aligns with Engaged Learning’s broader work on digital literacy. In 2024, École branchée and Engaged Learning offered bilingual workshops to the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) on topics including AI, screen time and cybersecurity. The workshops emphasized small, manageable steps, such as introducing short discussions or activities, so educators can integrate digital citizenship without overloading their curriculum.

Why this matters for schools

Cybersecurity education is also about student autonomy. When learners understand how data privacy, online behaviour and digital traces work, they are better equipped to take part in connected learning environments.

Cover of Cybersecurity in School Magazine Issue

Engaged Learning’s whole Navigating Cybersecurity in Education issue (still available for purchase and included with subscription) already made the case that while educators may not naturally place cybersecurity at the top of their priorities, the growing role of technology in learning, mental health, biometrics and school systems makes it a topic students need help understanding.

For schools, this can become a shared culture rather than a one-time lesson: modelling safe practices, discussing online dilemmas, questioning AI-generated content and encouraging students to develop reflexes they can use beyond the classroom.

FAQ

What is My Online Safety?

A collection of Engaged Learning resources designed to help teach cybersecurity and online safety in schools.

Who is it for?

Teachers, pedagogical consultants and school leaders who want practical ways to address digital citizenship, AI, misinformation and safe online habits.

Do teachers need technical expertise?

No. The resources are designed to support accessible classroom conversations and activities.

Share your successful teaching practices and innovative school or classroom projects!

Let’s shine a light on the superstars of Canadian education… like you!

About the Author

Picture of Audrey Miller

Audrey Miller

Audrey Miller is Executive Director and Publisher of L'École branchée, the non-profit behind Engaged Learning. With a background in educational technology and public communication, she focuses on professional learning, digital transformation, and elevating the teaching profession. Active in Canadian education since 1997, Audrey received an EdTech award from AQUOPS in 2013 and was inducted into Quebec’s Order of Excellence in Education in 2019. She also serves on the Strategic Advisory Committee of ACELF. Outside of work, she enjoys cheering on her kids at basketball games and caring for her pet rabbits.

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