DOI: 10.17478/jegys.1989405 ISSN: 2149-360X

Examining the social validity of a Cybersecurity Awareness Training Program in AI-Supported Education (CATP-AIsE) for gifted students

Halil Senturk
Show PDF Cite
Despite the rapid integration of AI-supported tools into special education settings, empirical evidence regarding cybersecurity awareness among gifted students remains extremely limited. This mixed-methods study examined whether AI-supported, scenario-based educational interventions could produce measurable improvements in the cybersecurity awareness of gifted students (N = 50, aged 11–14) enrolled in a Science and Art Center program in Türkiye. Quantitative data were collected using the Cybersecurity Awareness Scale administered before and after a four-week intervention, while qualitative data were obtained through scenario-based, AI-supported activities focusing on password security and phishing recognition. Paired-samples t-test results indicated statistically significant improvements across all five dimensions of cybersecurity awareness (p < .001), with a large overall effect size (Cohen’s d = 1.85). Qualitative thematic analysis revealed three key cognitive transformations: Learning Through Immediate Feedback, Systems Thinking, and Digital Skepticism. These findings suggest that AI-supported, scenario-based instruction may offer a promising mechanism for bridging the knowledge–behavior gap in gifted education and provide preliminary evidence for integrating cybersecurity awareness into specialized educational programs. Important methodological limitations, including the absence of a control group and issues related to multiple comparisons, are discussed.

More from our Archive