Abstract
Research on innovative, integrated outreach programs guided three separate week-long outreach camps held across two summers (2018 and 2019). These camps introduced computer science through real-world applications and hands-on activities, each dealing with cybersecurity principles. The camps utilized low-cost hardware and free software to provide a total of 84 students (aged 10 to 18 years) a unique learning experience. Based on feedback from the 2018 camp, a new pre/post survey was developed to assess changes in participant knowledge and interest. Student participants in the 2019 iteration showed drastic changes in their cybersecurity content recall (33% pre vs. 96% post), cybersecurity concept identification within real-world scenarios, and exhibited an increased ability to recognize potential cybersecurity threats in their every-day lives (22% pre vs. 69% post). Finally, students’ self-reported interest-level before and after the camp show a positive increase across all student participants, with the number of students who where highly interested in cybersecurity more than doubling from 31% pre-camp to 65% post-camp. Implications for educators are large as these activities and experiences can be interwoven into traditional schooling as well as less formal camps as pure computer science or through integrated STEM.
Highlights
Introduction and ContextComputer science topics have spread into many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields as related skills have become a prerequisite for solving technical problems
The CIA triad is integral to cybersecurity and drives many of the decisions made in the field
This research study was situated at the crossroads of three challenges currently facing computer science educators: (1) need for outreach programs and open-source activities as educators report being under-prepared to provide quality computer science education to meet the growing demand for computer science professionals; (2) need for outreach considerations that support continued learning and include instilling confidence and motivation, employing hands-on and student-centered activities, and promoting technical skills desirable by future employers; and (3) need for sensible learning experiences for diverse students that can be promoted through novel, cost-effective outreach activities
Summary
Introduction and ContextComputer science topics have spread into many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields as related skills have become a prerequisite for solving technical problems. By 2029, employment in computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 11% while creating over half a million new jobs [1]. This has prompted a growing demand for computer science literacy, creating a gap between current education offerings and industry/labor demands. While many educators equate coding and computer science, and while coding is fundamental to many computer science courses, computer science involves computational thinking, algorithm and program design, and problem-solving processes [2]. Many current courses focus solely on programming instead of the broader and more transferable concepts and content found within computer science and computation thinking spaces
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