Empowering Students for a Cyber-Safe Future
Insights from the January 2025 Cybersecurity Awareness Workshop
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55420/2693.9193.v16.n2.367Keywords:
cybersecurity, cybersecurity awareness, cybersecurity education, community college, phishing detection, digital safety, password securityAbstract
This study evaluates the effectiveness of a short‑term cybersecurity awareness intervention implemented through a series of virtual workshops delivered in January 2025 by the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at Hostos Community College. The workshops aimed to improve participants’ cybersecurity knowledge, confidence in identifying cyber threats, and intentions to adopt safer digital behaviors. Data were collected from 31 participants through pre‑ and post‑training self‑assessment surveys and qualitative feedback forms. Descriptive statistics and paired comparisons were used to analyze perceived knowledge changes. Results indicate that participants reporting good or excellent cybersecurity understanding increased from 39% (M=2.1, SD=0.83) before the workshop to 90% (M=4.1, SD=0.62) after the workshop. A paired t‑test showed statistically significant improvement in perceived cybersecurity knowledge (t(30)=9.72, p<0.001). Findings suggest that short, interactive cybersecurity awareness initiatives can significantly strengthen digital safety knowledge among community college students and community members.
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