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Why do I need
Cyber Licence?

Every day, children are vulnerable to cyber attacks hidden to the human eye. Parents, teachers, and governments cannot see the hidden dangers surrounding our young.

Benefits of the Licence include parent/carer peace of mind, reduced stress, and increased user confidence.

Cyber licence is needed because it:

  • is relevant and important to every Australian on the Internet.
  • operates separately from the K-12 curriculum, but is informed by it.
  • identifies that the first line of defence is you.

What is
Cyber Licence?

As digital usage increases, so does the risk of cybercrime and loss of personal data. Cyber Licence is a protective mechanism that acts as lines of defence to reduce the risk of dangers online. Advancing through Cyber Licence stages progressively brings in these lines of defence.

Cyber Licence aims to create a national standard for which to measure cyber secure behaviour against, by assessing competency for cyber security best practices, aligned with six stages. There are six components for each of the six stages. They are unique identity, identity theft, deception, prevention, attitude & behaviours, and careers.

1 Understand cyber awareness and its importance
2 Understand the main types of cyberthreats and the basics of data protection
3 Understand the importance of privacy protection and device and software updates
4 Understand preventative measures against identity theft and hacking
5 Comprehensive understanding of cyberthreats and how to recognise criminal psychology tactics
6 Comprehensive understanding of data protection, ethics in cyber security, and cyber security careers

Each stage caters to the needs of young children through to adults based on sets of questions, meticulously aligned with various age groups' earliest and typical digital device and service use.

Resources

We’ve collated a range of freely accessible online resources for teachers, students and adults. Each educational resource helps to increase one’s level of personal cyber security. The university research behind Cyber Licence is also available below.

(Most have links to the Australian curriculum.)
Resource Name Age Group Related Cyber Stage
Hector’s World

Lower Primary, Middle Primary

Animated videos supported by lesson plans and worksheets. Lesson 6 focuses on using strong passwords and keeping computers safe.

1 2 3 4 5 6
Cybersmart Challenge (& Cybersmart Hero)

Lower Primary, Middle Primary, Upper Primary

Three modules comprising a teacher's guide, lesson plans, videos, songsheets, flashcards, worksheets and certificates.

1 2 3 4 5 6
Mighty Heroes

Lower Primary

Features four heroes and their online safety superpowers. Includes videos and supporting educator notes

1 2 3 4 5 6
Swoosh, Glide and Rule Number 5

Lower Primary

Picture book, narrated video of the book and puzzle activity promoting five helpful device rules

1 2 3 4 5 6
Game On

Upper Primary

Drama series of five videos with lesson plans, worksheets, teacher guide and activities.

1 2 3 4 5 6
eSmart Digital Licence+

Years 4 to 6, Ages 10 to 14

Requires registering an account but provides eight modules to help teach Digital Intelligence. Modules 4, 5, and 6 focus on aspects of cyber security

1 2 3 4 5 6
Cyber Sprinters

Ages 7 to 11

UK-designed digital game with educator resources including three lesson plans and home activities.

1 2 3 4 5 6
CyberFirst Navigators

Ages 11 to 14

Based on the UK curriculum, an Interactive online video with teacher resources including three lesson plans.

1 2 3 4 5 6
Cyber Safety

Years 5 to 8

A series of eight sessions with lesson plans, activities, worksheets and extension ideas

1 2 3 4 5 6
K12 Cybersecurity Learning Standards

K-12 students

US-based framework focused on the fundamentals of cyber security education with guidelines from kindergarten to year 12 specifying learning goals

1 2 3 4 5 6
Resource Name Age Group Related Cyber Stage
Kind Kingdom

Middle Primary

It's Cool to Be Kind. Be Internet Kind. Engaging, animated online game teaching cyber security and safety.

1 2 3 4 5 6
Tower of Treasure

Middle Primary

Secure Your Secrets. Be Internet Strong. The educator's guide provides 5 units of 7 lessons comprising lesson plans, activities, discussion questions, and an online game.

1 2 3 4 5 6
Mindful Mountain

Middle Primary

Share with Care. Be Internet Smart. Game-based learning. Engaging, animated online game teaching cyber security and safety.

1 2 3 4 5 6
Student activities

Years 5 to 8

Requires registering an account but provides six x 1 hour lessons about Digital Exploration. Lessons 1 and 5 focus on aspects of cyber security.

1 2 3 4 5 6
Reality River

Middle Primary

Don't Fall for Fake. Be Internet Alert. Embark on Quests. Engaging, animated online game teaching cyber security and safety.

1 2 3 4 5 6
Resource Name Age Group Related Cyber Stage
Protecting your PII

Adults

Web page defining personally identifiable information and how to keep it secure. Incudes resources and helplines.

1 2 3 4 5 6
Protecting your family

Adults and seniors

Learn the basics of protecting your family from common cyber threats. Features tips, resources and a quiz.

1 2 3 4 5 6
Have you been hacked?

Adults

An online quiz to find out what to do if you think you're the victim of a cyber crime

1 2 3 4 5 6
Cyber security awareness toolkit

Adults

A toolkit of resources comprising fact sheets, posters, infographics and FAQ's on how to implement the basics of cyber security

1 2 3 4 5 6
Have I been scammed?

Adults

An online quiz to find out how resilient you are to scams, cyber crime and identity theft

1 2 3 4 5 6
Read the research findings that provide the foundation suggesting Cyber Licence is a useful and positive solution not only for K-12 students and teachers but for every Australian on the Internet.

Interim Report

Cyber security curriculum in Western Australian primary and secondary schools.

Final Report

Going Beyond: Cyber security curriculum in Western Australian primary and secondary schools.

Journal Article

A systematic review of K-12 cyber security education around the world.

Who is behind
Cyber Licence?

Cyber Licence is the result of an extensive research consultation project led by Associate Professor Nicola Johnson with a diverse team with members of the School of Education and the School of Science, Edith Cowan University.

Together the Research team has worked with experts across industry, education, government and with other researchers and parents. The Research team working with the project’s stakeholders, are collectively referred to as Cyber Security Research & Implementation Initiative (CSERII).

Meet the team:

Assoc. Professor Nicola Johnson

Project Lead (School of Education)

A portrait image of Assoc. Professor Nicola Johnson

Dr Leslie Sikos

Researcher (School of Science, Computers and Security)

A portrait image of Dr Leslie Sikos

Dr Ahmed Ibrahim

Researcher (School of Science, Computers and Security)

A portrait image of Dr Ahmed Ibrahim

Ms Marnie McKee

Research Assistant (School of Education)

A portrait image of Ms Marnie McKee

Cyber Security Research & Implementation Initiative (CSERII)

PARENTS,
 CHILDREN
 AND FAMILIES EDUCATION PARTNERS,
 SCHOOLS, PRINCIPALS GOVERNMENT RESEARCH & IMPLEMENTATION INITIATIVE, LED BY
 THE ECU RESEARCH TEAM INDUSTRY
 EXPERT
 PARTNERS
PARENTS, CHILDREN
 AND FAMILIES EDUCATION PARTNERS,
 SCHOOLS, PRINCIPALS GOVERNMENT RESEARCH & IMPLEMENTATION INITIATIVE, LED BY THE
 ECU RESEARCH TEAM INDUSTRY EXPERT
 PARTNERS

Working together since 2022, CSERII has identified that:

  • 1 Cyber security is a priority equivalent to workplace safety, backyard pool safety, sun safe practices and seat belts.
  • 2 Cyber security is best addressed through awareness and education, at the individual user level.
  • 3 Cyber security is society-wide, and therefore cannot be resolved by addressing K-12 school education or teacher professional learning in isolation.
  • 4 Schools are not in a position to be left alone to resolve society-wide issues alone.
  • 5 A trickle-down effect is an effective approach that may well induce positive changes in attitudes, values and behaviour with cyber security. This would be especially significant when coupled with ongoing national awareness campaigning and government endorsement; and
  • 6 Cyber Licence is a best solution for every Australian on the Internet, to help secure our digital economy’s future.

Register your
interest

To register your interest in support of the Cyber Licence or to suggest additional resources, email us for more information at: cyberlicence@ecu.edu.au