Students from five primary schools in North Macedonia took active part in the celebration of Safer Internet Day 2022, implementing different activities within the project “Using games to learn cyber security and misinformation”, supported and financed by US Embassy Skopje
Starting from 7.2.2022 until 11.2.2022 different activities were carried out with students from lower grades (VI and VII grades) in primary schools “Krste Misirkov” Skopje, “Straso Pingjur” Negotino, “Sando Masev” Strumica, “Panajot Ginovski” Skopje and “Petre Pop Arsov” Bogomila. Through those activities students’ knowledge and skills concerning cyber security and misinformation were improved. Using peer learning approach, where students from the upper grades (VIII and IX grade) had a role of a teachers, students from lower grades gained new knowledge, strengthened their understanding of the topic and developed skills for safe use of cyberspace.
Students from upper grades (8th and 9th) presented materials connected to cyber security and misinformation, with the focus on possible cases of violations in cyber space and access to misinformation, started individual and group discussions, implemented gamification in order to achieve students’ active participation and tested students’ knowledge on thе topic. In some schools the activities were carried out in the physical classrooms, but in some of them students from upper grades managed to give excellent hybrid teaching, due to the situation with pandemic. Teachers just facilitated the process and eventually took part in some discussions. Through peer learning, students from lower grades on a fun and engaging way learnt about cyber security and empowered their skills for online behavior in the virtual world.
Created educational materials from upper grades’ students concerning cybersecurity and misinformation, which were used during the lectures given to lower grades students, after the end of the activities will be available as open educational resources and teachers and students will have an opportunity to use them for empowering their skills concerning cybersecurity and misinformation.
