Welcome
Topic outline
Introduction to Unit 15
Why this Unit?
Welcome to the Internet Safety, Cybersecurity and Digital Citizenship programme. This course will equip you with with essential knowledge and skills to use the internet responsibly, protect against cyber threats, and promote positive digital citizenship. It emphasizes safe online practices, safeguarding digital identity, and understanding of Tanzania’s legal framework on cybercrime. Through interactive activities, discussions, quizzes, and projects, you will gain the skills to become a digital role model and promote a safe, ethical, and responsible online learning environment. We encourage active participation and collaboration as we work together to build a culture of digital safety and citizenship in Tanzania.
Unit Competencies
By the end of this Unit, a learner should be able to:
- Identify major internet safety risks and apply strategies for safe online practices.
- Demonstrate skills in protecting personal data and devices from cyber threats.
- Practice responsible and ethical behavior in digital environments.
- Guide learners to become informed, safe, and responsible digital citizens.
Recommended Time: 2 hours
- Identify major internet safety risks and apply strategies for safe online practices.
Lesson 1: Internet Safety and Cybercrime
Lesson Sub-competencies
By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to:
- Explain key concepts of internet safety, cybersecurity, and digital citizenship.
- Identify and prevent common online threats (e.g., phishing, malware, identity theft, cyberbullying).
What is internet safety?
Internet safety is the act of securing your private information and property on the internet to ensure that it is protected from criminals. Since your computer and other devices including mobile devices are continuously connected to the internet, reasonable security measures should be in place to safeguard from accidental and/or malicious activities of criminals.
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Common forms of Cybercrime
With more people depending on the internet for various social-economic activities such as communication, banking, shopping, and education, cybercrime has become a major threat to personal privacy, financial security, and safety.
Try this short quiz to test your understanding
- Receive a grade
Lesson 2: Legal Framework on Cybercrime in Tanzania
What is the legal position here in Tanzania in terms of cybercrime and your protection? We have many policies relating to cybercrime. Read the summary below.
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How much of that did you retain? Let us try a short test to see what you understand. Try the quiz below.
- Receive a grade
LESSON 3: Strategies to ensure Online Safety
Lesson Sub-competencies
By the end of this lesson learners should be able to:
- Demonstrate the ability to protect personal accounts and data by creating strong passwords, using two-factor authentication, and managing privacy settings.
- Develop responsible online behavior, including how to avoid cyberbullying, safeguard digital identity, and report harmful activities.
Dear Teachers, In today’s digital learning environment, ensuring online safety has become a vital responsibility for both educators and learners. Online safety refers to the practices and strategies that protect individuals from risks such as cyberbullying, identity theft, scams, exposure to harmful content, and misuse of personal data. For teachers, this means not only safeguarding their own digital presence but also equipping students with the skills to navigate the internet responsibly. A safe online learning environment builds trust, encourages creativity, and supports effective teaching and learning.- View
You are now aware of Internet Security and Cybercrime. Now it’s time to apply your knowledge to real-life by responding to the following scenario. You are a teacher in a Tanzanian secondary school that has recently introduced digital learning using school tablets and access to online platforms. Read the following scenario carefully, then post your response in the forum. After posting, read at least two other teachers’ posts and reply with constructive feedback or alternative suggestions.
Access the forum below.
- Make forum posts: 1
Lesson 4: Promoting Digital Citizenship in Education
The concept of Digital Citizenship in Education
Digital Citizenship refers to the responsible and ethical use of technology in teaching, learning, and daily life. In education, it equips teachers and learners with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to interact safely, respectfully, and effectively in digital environments. A digitally responsible teacher models good online behavior, including protecting personal information, practicing respectful communication, and using technology to enhance learning rather than distract from it.
The document and video below describe the concept of Digital Citizenship. Read, and watch, carefully and respond to the questions that follow.
- Receive a grade
Unit Discussion
Now that you have completed the training on online safety, cybersecurity, and digital citizenship, it’s time to reflect on how these principles can be applied in your specific school environment.
Every school has its own challenges — differences in access to technology, student digital skills, internet connectivity, and school culture. This discussion will help you share practical strategies for embedding what you have learned into your daily teaching and school practices.
Access the forum below.
- Make forum posts: 1
Unit Assessment
After completing all the unit activities it's time to test your understanding. Take the short unit test below.
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Summary and Conclussion
Internet safety is about protecting personal data, devices, and digital identity from online threats such as hacking, phishing, identity theft, malware, and cyberbullying — all of which are forms of cybercrime. In Tanzania, the Cybercrimes Act (2015) provides the legal basis for addressing these offences, with penalties including fines and imprisonment to ensure accountability and justice. Understanding these laws helps schools, teachers, and students comply with legal expectations and reduce risk.
Safe online behaviour requires practical actions such as using strong passwords, updating software, enabling privacy settings, avoiding suspicious links, and educating others about digital risks. Promoting digital citizenship — responsible, ethical, and informed use of technology — is essential, and teachers have a key role in modelling and teaching it. By combining legal awareness, online safety strategies, and responsible digital behaviour, schools can create safer digital environments for teaching and learning.
Attribution, References and Licence
References:
- Althibyani, H. A., & Al-Zahrani, A. M. (2023). Investigating the effect of students’ knowledge, beliefs, and digital citizenship skills on the prevention of cybercrime. Sustainability, 15(15), Article 11512. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151511512
- Estellés, M., & Doyle, A. (2025). From safeguarding to critical digital citizenship? A systematic review of approaches to online safety education. Review of Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.70056 ;
- Althibyani, H. A., & Al-Zahrani, A. M. (2023). Investigating the effect of students’ knowledge, beliefs, and digital citizenship skills on the prevention of cybercrime. Sustainability, 15(15), Article 11512. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151511512
Internet Safety, Cybersecurity and Digital Citizenship by Tanzanian Ministry of Education Science, Technology and Vocational Training is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.