A novel project to protect Grade R learners against cyberbullies has been launched by the Nelson Mandela University.
The Cybersafety Project hopes to create awareness among young children about cyberbullying, inappropriate content and “stranger danger”.
This first-of-a-kind project entails the creation of a Cybersmart Squad, where cartoon characters based on the Big Five animals in South Africa “teach young children how to interact responsibly online to become good digital citizens”, according to Professor Kerry-Lynn Thomson, director of the university’s Centre for Research in Information and Cyber Security (CRICS).
The project uses age-appropriate content, including animated videos and worksheets, to teach children about cybersafety in a fun, interactive way.
The project is a collaboration between Thomson and Professor Noluxolo Gcaza of CRICS, in the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Technology, and digital animator Nomfundo Khumalo, from the Department of Media and Communication in the Faculty of Humanities.
Thomson said most existing cybersafety awareness initiatives in South Africa and globally are aimed at older children who are required to, for example, read content and take quizzes in an attempt to raise cybersecurity awareness.
“We turned our attention to Grade R learners – who may or may not be online yet – to focus on and encourage the behaviours and attitudes of good digital citizenship.
“The Cybersmart Squad is based on the Big Five animals in South Africa: Lethu the Lion, Esihle the Elephant, Lily the Leopard, Ryno the Rhino and Babalo the Buffalo. Each of the characters has a ‘superpower’ – courage, kindness, safety, respect and honesty, respectively – which should extend from the ‘real playground’ to the ‘digital playground’, too,” said Thomson.
Through these “superpowers”, the Cybersmart Squad aim to teach Grade R children about the “superpowers”, or characteristics, which could help guard them against cyberthreats, such as cyberbullying.
Thomson referred to a global survey by YouGov which revealed that South Africa has the fourth highest rate of cyberbullying worldwide.
“The survey found one out of every five teens falls prey to cyberbullying and 84% of classmates know of someone who has been victimised. Against this backdrop, it is crucial to ensure that children are prepared to navigate the online environment safely and responsibly.”
“Cyberbullying often leads to emotional distress, with victims experiencing fear, anxiety, depression, anger and sadness, and it can erode a child’s self-esteem and self-worth, causing them to doubt their abilities and self-image,” said Thomson. Furthermore, it could affect a child’s academic performance.
This is where the Cybersmart Squad come in with their “superpowers”, based on the characteristics of being a good digital citizen, said Gcaza.
“The Cybersmart Squad demonstrates how each of the ‘superpowers’ can be used to help address various online threats. These ‘superpowers’ promote empathy and support for others.”
The team are running a pilot at Beachwood Pre-Primary in Nelson Mandela Bay, with the aim of involving more schools in 2024, while the Department of Basic Education has expressed an interest in the project.
“Ideally, wWe believe that the integration of the Cybersmart Squad into the South African Grade R curricula would be beneficial for all the Grade R learners,” said Thomson.