Design future cybersecurity PD with contextual guidance, AI-related topics, and up-to-date resource alternatives¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 3 claims (3 for) · 2 studies (1 associational, 1 design), q2 · 0 of 2 report an effect size · 3 claims rest on one study

Description¶

Based on interview and survey findings about challenges and needs, the authors recommend that future cybersecurity PD incorporate case studies and interactive activities tailored to participants' specific roles, add AI-related content, and keep resources current. Participants "emphasized the need for contextual guidance, including real-world cybersecurity examples, AI-related topics addressing risks like data breaches, and regular updates to resources with alternatives for tools blocked by their school districts". They also stressed clear communication and transparency when commonly used resources are blocked for security reasons.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• PD designers able to gather participant role-specific needs and maintain updated resource lists

Constraints¶

• Recommendations come from one PD evaluation with 50 participants in one southeastern state; the authors note generalizability may be limited

Target Learners¶

• K-12 teachers
• technology facilitators
• school administrators

Target Learning Goals¶

• applying cybersecurity practices to participants' specific roles and contexts, including AI-related data privacy risks

Claims¶

• Interviewed teachers cite poor AI output quality and risks to students' cognitive engagement as main obstacles, and subject-specific use cases as their top professional-development need [+W]
• Participants expressed overall positive perceptions of the PD, with all survey items except one rated above 4 on a five-point scale [+W]
• The Edtech Cybersecurity and Privacy AAA PD significantly increased K-12 school personnel knowledge from pre-test to post-test [+W]

Related Strategies¶

• Embed ethics in AI capacity building using hands-on approaches, case studies, and role reversal

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Florence Martin, Min Zhuang, Erik Byker, WeiChao Wang, Julie Bacak, Lynn Ahlgrim-Delzell. (2025). Multimedia-based cybersecurity and privacy professional development on educational technology for K-12 personnel. Education Tech Research Dev (2026) 74:849–873. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-025-10575-x