This post features teachers who use CyberStart as part of their ICT lesson plans.
“If you want to create excitement about your programme or class, then CyberStart is the way to go!”
Matthew, Carolyn, Stephen and Katrina share their experiences of using CyberStart’s ICT lesson plans to get their students engaged in learning cyber security and computer science.
What is your main motivation for sharing CyberStart with your students?
Matthew - Tolles Career & Technical Center:
It’s AWESOME. I need a sandbox/playground environment for my cyber security students to think outside the box… like a Cyber Security Analyst.
Carolyn - Brick Township High School:
The challenges were great computational thinking exercises – which is always good for programming. Plus I wanted to expose them to cyber security since it is so important.
Stephen - West Fargo Sheyenne High School:
The main motivation was that it was a fun and engaging way to learn cyber security. It is very difficult to set up cyber security labs and CyberStart makes it easy to teach the basic concepts of cyber security.
Katrina - Riverbend High:
This is great training that simulates real-world problems and works perfectly with my cyber courses.
No matter your students’ levels of interest or experience in cyber security, CyberStart’s gamified training platform is easily accessible and quickly gets players hooked while learning real-world skills.
How did you promote CyberStart to your students?
Matthew - Tolles Career & Technical Center:
I required it in class.
Carolyn - Brick Township High School:
My Computer Science students were able to do the challenges at the end of each class when they finished their task.
I am also the Computer Club Advisor and we promoted it to the whole school through morning announcements and had a BTHS “contest” of our own – giving out prizes to top students in the school. The club then hosted weekly after-school sessions to do the challenges.
Stephen - West Fargo Sheyenne High School:
I used CyberStart as a unit to teach cyber security.
Katrina - Riverbend High:
I introduced CyberStart to each class and used it as part of my curriculum.
Use CyberStart as a fun challenge in lessons, to host capture the flag style competitions, to delve deeper into complex topics or as an engaging activity in your after-school club.
Did you have any background in cyber security before introducing your students to CyberStart?
Matthew - Tolles Career & Technical Center:
One year of teaching cyber security to high school students at a very basic level.
Carolyn - Brick Township High School:
I teach five different Computer Science courses, so I would touch on it in my courses (encryption exercises, etc.). Nothing in-depth like CyberStart.
Stephen - West Fargo Sheyenne High School:
Yes.
Katrina - Riverbend High:
Very little.
Teachers don’t need cyber security experience to teach, as students take learning into their own hands with CyberStart’s self-learning platform.
Out of 10, how likely are you to recommend CyberStart’s ICT lesson plans to a friend or colleague?
Matthew - Tolles Career & Technical Center:
10/10. It is an environment that would be extremely difficult to reproduce. It requires outside-the-box thinking. It is gamified so that the kids see it more like a video game. Curiosity DRIVES everyone. I employ questions to make them curious… once they start they enjoy it.
Carolyn - Brick Township High School:
10/10.
Stephen - West Fargo Sheyenne High School:
10/10. I actually recommended it to a colleague this year for his class. He said his students really enjoyed it and his students wanted to keep doing CyberStart over doing the other units for the class.
Katrina - Riverbend High:
10/10. Again, this is a great programme to get kids engaged and interested in the possibilities that a cyber career could offer.
Already loved by thousands of educators, CyberStart is the most proven cyber security training platform for young adults.
What would you say to another educator considering telling students to sign up?
Matthew - Tolles Career & Technical Center:
Whatever they need to hear in order to get their students on it. I had a senior add Cyber Security as a minor. She’ll be majoring in Psychology. It gives students a perspective on cyber security that you cannot provide elsewhere.
Carolyn - Brick Township High School:
DO IT!! The students all loved it.
Stephen - West Fargo Sheyenne High School:
I would let other educators know that it is an easy two weeks of lesson planning because CyberStart does all the hard work for you.
Katrina - Riverbend High:
This is one of the most engaging and best cyber recruitment and training platforms out there. If you want to create excitement about your programme or class, then CyberStart is the way to go!
Ready to skyrocket your students’ enthusiasm and cyber security skills? Then sign up to discover CyberStart’s ICT lesson plans and play 12 free challenges in your class.
Or provide your class with access to all 200+ challenges and the entire Field Manual by contacting sales@cyberstart.com for discounted educational price plans.
