Oct 26, 2007 2:17 pm US/Eastern
Interactive Game Teaches Students Internet Safety
KDKA.com Intern Ashley Cooper
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
An interactive game developed to teach students internet safety is helping local schools keep children safe.
The State Attorney General and Carnegie Mellon University have teamed up to help educate kids, parents, and schools about online safety.
As part of the effort, the Information Networking Institute (INI) and Carnegie Mellon CyLab officially launched, "Carnegie Cadets: The MySecureCyberspace Game," at J.H. Brooks Elementary School to a class of fifth graders.
The game targets upper elementary school children, specifically fourth and fifth graders, and is designed to teach children what to stay away from on the internet.
In the game, students register to the Carnegie Cyber Academy where they have to complete three missions. The missions are located in different buildings in cyberspace. They have to pass all of the missions while fighting cyber villains such as Elvirus and MC Spammer. Points are awarded after each mission and students buy virtual items to decorate a virtual dorm room.
Each mission focuses on different lessons. For example, filtering out spam email, keeping personal information private, and identifying website dangers. In the end, safety is the most important part.
During his visit to the Moon Township elementary school today, Corbett asked the class, "How many of you go on the internet when you go home?" All hands went straight up.
"Do you talk to people on the internet you don't know?" A resounding, "Noooo," filled the room. "That's the answer I wanted to hear," Tom Corbett added.
Dena Haritos Tsamitis, Director of Information Networking Institute and Director of Education, Training, & Outreach, CyLab at CMU said, "Children learn about the benefits of cyberspace but also learn about what risks are associated with being online."
She said it's important that children learn ways to stay safe on the internet from the beginning. Then they will be able to distinguish risky behaviors from non-risky behaviors and stay safe online.
Almost all students are on computers at school. That is the driving force for launching this cyber-safety program into the curriculum.
The fifth graders at J.H. Brooks said they really enjoy playing the game and are excited they can now access the game from home.
The game is now available online and can be downloaded for free at Carnegie Cyber Academy.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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