Towards a cross-cultural education framework for online safety awareness

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine effective online safety awareness education for young people in less developed countries. The research followed an explanatory mixed methods design starting with an online survey (quantitative element) and then interesting or anomalous findings were followed up with one-on-one interviews (qualitative element). The data gathered on the online habits and views of young people were fed into the Young People Online Model. It was also used to create online safety workshops. The standout issue from this research is the prevalence of cyberbullying, and this was used as the core theme. They were carried out using the action-research approach, whereby after each workshop, the facilitators would reflect and analyse and suggest improvements for the next one. Design/methodology/approach The majority of online safety awareness education programmes have been developed in and for advanced countries. In less developed countries, there are fewer programmes as well as a lack of research on the factors that influence the online behaviour of young people online. The Young People Online Education Framework seeks to address this and provide educators, researchers and policymakers an evidence driven construct for developing education programmes informed by issues affecting young people in their respective country/region. Findings The framework was applied in Thailand. As there were very few previous studies, original research was conducted via surveys and interviews. It was found that a high proportion of young people had experienced negative interactions online with cyberbullying the main concern. This was confirmed during the workshop phase indicating the need for more research and workshops. There is a plan to continue the research in Thailand, and it is hoped that other researchers will make use of the framework to extend its scope and application. Originality/value A novel feature of this framework is the cultural mask. The cultural context of learners is often overlooked in education, especially when education programmes are imported from other countries. This research contends that effective learning strategies and programmes will have a better chance to succeed if the cultural makeup of the target audience is considered and that all topics and activities are parsed through the cultural mask element of the framework.