Passive Learning vs. Active Learning at a Digital Age

Prevention is not always possible, but education is a must to work towards balance.

I read a comment the other day about how there is no way to really teach about cybersecurity given that tech is always evolving and to simply leave it to professionals.

While I agree that playing catch up generally always ends in a futile chase, like a rabbit who has a carrot dangling in front of it, I think ‘catch up’ has multiple faces, depending on which direction we’re facing.

- Sarah Anarna

Parts of it is done via passing laws, regulations, better privacy policies, better management. All of that is necessary and I believe we are working towards. That said, I’d also like to add that ‘catch up’ includes another proactive choice to partner with the preventative measures we’re taking regarding laws and regulations. Something that we can, as the people and as individuals, can implement in partnership with democracy and the leadership of our communities. After all, as we all know, it often takes several years to modify laws and regulations, requiring massive movements to get to the place we want to be. That the process regarding the law requires… well.. a due process.

But this… the education aspect, is within our hands, the hands of the people. Something we can choose to build for ourselves, within our community. This is within our power right now, within a shorter time frame simply by choosing to have conversations about it. This is something we can choose to do AS we work towards better laws and as we navigate the regulation process.

It is not about choosing one or the other. It is about partnering the smaller communities with the larger democracy so that we can work better together as a whole.

- Sarah Anarna

Why Talk and Teach More on Cybersecurity

If we don’t think that being proactive about educating and teaching better ways to protect our digital information, learning more about cybersecurity, here are a few other reasons why:

• The amount of people who require help and assistance to find community and build an in person relationship with those they can do life with

• The amount of people who store their information on the cloud

• The amount of people who rely on making purchases online, even if it’s not just about want, but because of necessity

• The amount of people, especially now, who need independent journalists to remain safe, protected, and to have a voice

• The amount of people now who feel that staying inside, indoors, away from physically getting hurt, and are therefore only staying connected digitally

• The amount of crisis that’s going on in the world and the need, more than ever, for human connection and safety

• The amount of people that now rely on tele therapy

• The amount of availability the medical system has for in person appointments and now rely on tele therapy to accommodate the scheduling AND people with disabilities

• The amount of people who require the use of apps, websites, phone calls, webcams or ring cams, to accomplish tasks, errands, maintain a level of care and safety for their home.

• The amount of people who rely on digital communication to do day to day living

• The fact that most of us purchase travel tickets, flights and more, online (this isn’t just limited to 9/11)

• The fact that books are becoming more limited, and most are relying on e-books, audiobooks, etc to learn. Me included. Which is then our source of learning, our source of education, our source of information, and our source + our children’s source on what shapes their thinking.

  If none of that is enough for us to take learning about the way our approach to using technology as well as learning how to navigate the digital world better, I have more, and I can save that for later.

My main takeaway from my previous experience:

As a former dog trainer that has worked with severely anxious or aggressive cases, as well as someone who’s experienced the hell of a cyber attack, sometimes we may not be able to prevent every possibility that can happen, but we can definitely learn and get better at having a better understanding. So that when the time comes, we feel more capable to handle the situation or minimize its impact.