K-2
Select and operate appropriate software to perform a variety of tasks, and recognize that users have different needs and preferences for the technology they use.
People use computing devices to perform a variety of tasks accurately and quickly. Students should be able to select the appropriate app/program to use for tasks they are required to complete. For example, if students are asked to draw a picture, they should be able to open and use a drawing app/program to complete this task, or if they are asked to create a presentation, they should be able to open and use presentation software. In addition, with teacher guidance, students should compare and discuss preferences for software with the same primary functionality. Students could compare different web browsers or word processing, presentation, or drawing programs.
K-2
Use appropriate terminology in identifying and describing the function of common physical components of computing systems (hardware).
A computing system is composed of hardware and software.Hardware consists of physical components. Students should be able to identify and describe the function of external hardware, such as desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet devices, monitors, keyboards, mice, and printers.
K-2
Describe basic hardware and software problems using accurate terminology.
Problems with computing systems have different causes. Students at this level do not need to understand those causes, but they should be able to communicate a problem with accurate terminology (e.g., when an app or program is not working as expected, a device will not turn on, the sound does not work, etc.). Ideally, students would be able to use simple troubleshooting strategies, including turning a device off and on to reboot it, closing and reopening an app, turning on speakers, or plugging in headphones. These are, however, not specified in the standard, because these problems may not occur.
K-2
Explain what passwords are and why we use them, and use strong passwords to protect devices and information from unauthorized access.
Learning to protect one's device or information from unwanted use by others is an essential first step in learning about cybersecurity. Students are not required to use multiple strong passwords. They should appropriately use and protect the passwords they are required to use.
3-5
Describe how internal and external parts of computing devices function to form a system.
Computing devices often depend on other devices or components. For example, a robot depends on a physically attached light sensor to detect changes in brightness, whereas the light sensor depends on the robot for power. Keyboard input or a mouse click could cause an action to happen or information to be displayed on a screen; this could only happen because the computer has a processor to evaluate what is happening externally and produce corresponding responses. Students should describe how devices and components interact using correct terminology.
3-5
Model how computer hardware and software work together as a system to accomplish tasks.
In order for a person to accomplish tasks with a computer, both hardware and software are needed. At this stage, a model should only include the basic elements of a computer system, such as input, output, processor, sensors, and storage. Students could draw a model on paper or in a drawing program, program an animation to demonstrate it, or demonstrate it by acting this out in some way.
3-5
Determine potential solutions to solve simple hardware and software problems using common troubleshooting strategies.
Although computing systems may vary, common troubleshooting strategies can be used on all of them. Students should be able to identify solutions to problems such as the device not responding, no power, no network, app crashing, no sound, or password entry not working. Should errors occur at school, the goal would be that students would use various strategies, such as rebooting the device, checking for power, checking network availability, closing and reopening an app, making sure speakers are turned on or headphones are plugged in, and making sure that the caps lock key is not on, to solve these problems, when possible.
3-5
Model how information is broken down into smaller pieces, transmitted as packets through multiple devices over networks and the Internet, and reassembled at the destination.
Information is sent and received over physical or wireless paths. It is broken down into smaller pieces called packets, which are sent independently and reassembled at the destination. Students should demonstrate their understanding of this flow of information by, for instance, drawing a model of the way packets are transmitted, programming an animation to show how packets are transmitted, or demonstrating this through an unplugged activity which has them act it out in some way.
3-5
Discuss real-world cybersecurity problems and how personal information can be protected.
Just as we protect our personal property offline, we also need to protect our devices and the information stored on them. Information can be protected using various security measures. These measures can be physical and/or digital. Students could discuss or use a journaling or blogging activity to explain, orally or in writing, about topics that relate to personal cybersecurity issues. Discussion topics could be based on current events related to cybersecurity or topics that are applicable to students, such as the necessity of backing up data to guard against loss, how to create strong passwords and the importance of not sharing passwords, or why we should install and keep anti-virus software updated to protect data and systems.
6-8
Recommend improvements to the design of computing devices, based on an analysis of how users interact with the devices.
The study of human–computer interaction (HCI) can improve the design of devices, including both hardware and software. Students should make recommendations for existing devices (e.g., a laptop, phone, or tablet) or design their own components or interface (e.g., create their own controllers). Teachers can guide students to consider usability through several lenses, including accessibility, ergonomics, and learnability. For example, assistive devices provide capabilities such as scanning written information and converting it to speech.
6-8
Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and exchange data.
Collecting and exchanging data involves input, output, storage, and processing. When possible, students should select the hardware and software components for their project designs by considering factors such as functionality, cost, size, speed, accessibility, and aesthetics. For example, components for a mobile app could include accelerometer, GPS, and speech recognition. The choice of a device that connects wirelessly through a Bluetooth connection versus a physical USB connection involves a tradeoff between mobility and the need for an additional power source for the wireless device.
6-8
Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components
Since a computing device may interact with interconnected devices within a system, problems may not be due to the specific computing device itself but to devices connected to it. Just as pilots use checklists to troubleshoot problems with aircraft systems, students should use a similar, structured process to troubleshoot problems with computing systems and ensure that potential solutions are not overlooked. Examples of troubleshooting strategies include following a troubleshooting flow diagram, making changes to software to see if hardware will work, checking connections and settings, and swapping in working components.
6-8
Model the role of protocols in transmitting data across networks and the Internet
Protocols are rules that define how messages between computers are sent. They determine how quickly and securely information is transmitted across networks and the Internet, as well as how to handle errors in transmission. Students should model how data is sent using protocols to choose the fastest path, to deal with missing information, and to deliver sensitive data securely. For example, students could devise a plan for resending lost information or for interpreting a picture that has missing pieces. The priority at this grade level is understanding the purpose of protocols and how they enable secure and errorless communication. Knowledge of the details of how specific protocols work is not expected.
6-8
Explain how physical and digital security measures protect electronic information.
Information that is stored online is vulnerable to unwanted access. Examples of physical security measures to protect data include keeping passwords hidden, locking doors, making backup copies on external storage devices, and erasing a storage device before it is reused. Examples of digital security measures include secure router admin passwords, firewalls that limit access to private networks, and the use of a protocol such as HTTPS to ensure secure data transmission.
6-8
Apply multiple methods of encryption to model the secure transmission of information.
Encryption can be as simple as letter substitution or as complicated as modern methods used to secure networks and the Internet. Students should encode and decode messages using a variety of encryption methods, and they should understand the different levels of complexity used to hide or secure information. For example, students could secure messages using methods such as Caesar cyphers or steganography (i.e., hiding messages inside a picture or other data). They can also model more complicated methods, such as public key encryption, through unplugged activities.
9-10
Explain how abstractions hide the underlying implementation details of computing systems embedded in everyday objects.
Computing devices are often integrated with other systems, including biological, mechanical, and social systems. A medical device can be embedded inside a person to monitor and regulate his or her health, a hearing aid (a type of assistive device) can filter out certain frequencies and magnify others, a monitoring device installed in a motor vehicle can track a person’s driving patterns and habits, and a facial recognition device can be integrated into a security system to identify a person. The creation of integrated or embedded systems is not an expectation at this level. Students might select an embedded device such as a car stereo, identify the types of data (radio station presets, volume level) and procedures (increase volume, store/recall saved station, mute) it includes, and explain how the implementation details are hidden from the user.
9-10
Compare levels of abstraction and interactions between application software, system software, and hardware layers.
At its most basic level, a computer is composed of physical hardware and electrical impulses. Multiple layers of software are built upon the hardware and interact with the layers above and below them to reduce complexity. System software manages a computing device’s resources so that software can interact with hardware. For example, text editing software interacts with the operating system to receive input from the keyboard, convert the input to bits for storage, and interpret the bits as readable text to display on the monitor. System software is used on many different types of devices, such as smart TVs, assistive devices, virtual components, cloud components, and drones. For example, students may explore the progression from voltage to binary signal to logic gates to adders and so on. Knowledge of specific, advanced terms for computer architecture, such as BIOS, kernel, or bus, is not expected at this level.
9-10
Develop guidelines that convey systematic troubleshooting strategies that others can use to identify and fix errors.
Troubleshooting complex problems involves the use of multiple sources when researching, evaluating, and implementing potential solutions. Troubleshooting also relies on experience, such as when people recognize that a problem is similar to one they have seen before or adapt solutions that have worked in the past. Examples of complex troubleshooting strategies include resolving connectivity problems, adjusting system configurations and settings, ensuring hardware and software compatibility, and transferring data from one device to another. Students could create a flow chart, a job aid for a help desk employee, or an expert system.
9-10
Evaluate the scalability and reliability of networks, by describing the relationship between routers, switches, servers, topology, and addressing.
Each device is assigned an address that uniquely identifies it on the network. Routers function by comparing IP addresses to determine the pathways packets should take to reach their destination. Switches function by comparing MAC addresses to determine which computers or network segments will receive frames. Students could use online network simulators to experiment with these factors.
9-10
Give examples to illustrate how sensitive data can be affected by malware and other attacks.
Network security depends on a combination of hardware, software, and practices that control access to data and systems. The needs of users and the sensitivity of data determine the level of security implemented. Potential security problems, such as denial-of-service attacks, ransomware, viruses, worms, spyware, and phishing, present threats to sensitive data. Students might reflect on case studies or current events in which governments or organizations experienced data leaks or data loss as a result of these types of attacks.
9-10
Recommend security measures to address various scenarios based on factors such as efficiency, feasibility, and ethical impacts.
Security measures may include physical security tokens, two-factor authentication, and biometric verification. Potential security problems, such as denial-of-service attacks, ransomware, viruses, worms, spyware, and phishing, exemplify why sensitive data should be securely stored and transmitted. The timely and reliable access to data and information services by authorized users, referred to as availability, is ensured through adequate bandwidth, backups, and other measures. Students should systematically evaluate the feasibility of using computational tools to solve given problems or subproblems, such as through a cost-benefit analysis. Eventually, students should include more factors in their evaluations, such as how efficiency affects feasibility or whether a proposed approach raises ethical concerns.
9-10
Compare various security measures, considering tradeoffs between the usability and security of a computing system.
Security measures may include physical security tokens, two-factor authentication, and biometric verification, but choosing security measures involves tradeoffs between the usability and security of the system. The needs of users and the sensitivity of data determine the level of security implemented. Students might discuss computer security policies in place at the local level that present a tradeoff between usability and security, such as a web filter that prevents access to many educational sites but keeps the campus network safe.
9-10
Explain tradeoffs when selecting and implementing cybersecurity recommendations.
Network security depends on a combination of hardware, software, and practices that control access to data and systems. The needs of users and the sensitivity of data determine the level of security implemented. Every security measure involves tradeoffs between the accessibility and security of the system. Students should be able to describe, justify, and document choices they make using terminology appropriate for the intended audience and purpose. Students could debate issues from the perspective of diverse audiences, including individuals, corporations, privacy advocates, security experts, and government.
11-12
Categorize the roles of operating system software.
Examples of roles could include memory management, data storage/retrieval, processes management, and access control.
11-12
Illustrate ways computing systems implement logic, input, and output through hardware components.
Examples of components could include logic gates and IO pins.
11-12
Describe the issues that impact network functionality (e.g., bandwidth, load, delay, topology).
Recommend use of free online network simulators to explore how these issues impact network functionality.
11-12
Compare ways software developers protect devices and information from unauthorized access.
Examples of security concerns to consider: encryption and authentication strategies, secure coding, and safeguarding keys.