Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) joins the Ministry of Education and the Educational Computing Network of Ontario (ECNO) by recognizing October as Cyber Awareness Month!
The campaign brings awareness to the importance of staying safe online by encouraging important discussions about cyber awareness in the classroom, promoting increased awareness of online risks, and encouraging safer and more secure practices across school communities when using digital technologies and the internet.
Each week the Board will be highlighting one theme of the campaign, which includes resources that are specifically designed for two age/grade groups: Kindergarten to Grade 8 and Grade 9 to 12.
Learn more by visiting the K-12 Cyber Awareness Month website.
Week 1: Cyber safety basics
Cyber safety basics emphasizes the importance of protecting personal information online by maintaining privacy, creating strong passwords, understanding the risks of oversharing on social media, and knowing steps to take if compromised.
It also covers recognizing and avoiding online scams and phishing by identifying suspicious communications, knowing how to respond to phishing attempts, and the importance of reporting scams.
Resources:
Week 2: Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI focuses on understanding how AI is used in everyday digital tools such as voice assistants, recommendation systems, and chatbots. Students learn how AI gathers and uses data, why it’s important to think critically about AI-generated content, and how to use AI tools responsibly.
This theme also explores the benefits and risks of AI, including issues around accuracy, bias, and privacy, to help students make informed choices. AI is a useful and interesting tool in education, and it’s important that users understand its implications and limits.
Resources:
Week 3: Digital wellness
Digital wellness highlights the importance of balancing screen time with offline life to support mental health and well-being. It encourages students to recognize signs of digital overload, take regular tech breaks, and build healthy online habits. This theme also explores how digital activities can affect emotions, sleep, focus, and self-esteem, and provides strategies for using technology in ways that feel positive, mindful, and manageable.
Resources:
Week 4: Social media and gaming: Your online community
Social Media and Gaming: Your Online Community explores how students interact with others through platforms like social media, messaging apps, and online games. It emphasizes respectful digital communication, recognizing and responding to cyberbullying, and the importance of kindness and consent online.
Students also learn about digital citizenship, the risks of sharing personal information, and how to build safe, inclusive, and supportive online spaces.
Resources:
