A Hands-On, Arduino-Based Approach to Develop Student Engineering Skills and Introduce Cybersecurity Concepts to K-12 Students

摘要

Without a doubt, today's generation is one driven by computer-based technologies. The vast majority of students uses computers and mobile devices on a daily basis and regularly posts on social media sites. As computer-related fields continue to grow, a future job market rich in technology-based careers seems inevitable. At the same time, as personal and sensitive data is increasingly stored online, the task of protecting this information represents another already-flourishing career field certain to grow in the coming years. While many students can efficiently operate computers and mobile devices, most of these same students view computers as a sort of "black box" system, with little understanding of the inner workings of a computer. Consequently, students frequently take for granted the security of the information they store or post online. To encourage students to pursue STEM career paths well represented in the job market, this paper will discuss a set of lessons developed for high school students to introduce basic computer science principles, as well as the concept of cybersecurity. Our NSF-funded program (Graduate Stem Fellows in K-12 Education, or GK-12) pairs University graduate students with area high school teachers in an effort to encourage high school students to pursue careers in the STEM (Science, Technology, Math, and Engineering) fields. To accomplish this, curriculum is developed by the teacher and graduate student, and based around the 14 Engineering Grand Challenges set forth by the National Academy of Engineering. Through each lesson, students are introduced to applications of the skills they are learning in the classroom and given an opportunity to practice those skills in a real-life setting. The study discussed here is one set of lessons jointly developed by a GK-12 fellow and a high-school teacher. Throughout the course of the year, students participate in a series of hands-on activities relating to computer technologies and cybersecurity, including case studies, small group projects, and class discussions. Students conduct surveys of their peers and construct infographic displays illustrating cybersecurity-related data, such as average password length. At the same time, students begin building basic circuits, and using Arduino microcontrollers accomplish simple tasks, such as causing a single LED light to blink at a defined rate. The year culminates in the design and creation of Arduino-based biomimetic devices for user identification, where students apply their new computer programming and circuitry skills to build fingerprint scanner devices. Student learning, as well as any changes in projected career paths, is assessed by pre- and post-surveys. The authors hypothesized that completion of the project would result in increased student interest in pursuing STEM careers, as well as knowledge regarding project-related material. This project could be applied in high school classrooms to teach students about computer programming and circuitry, and to encourage students to consider STEM and cybersecurity-related career paths.