The Cybersecurity Curriculum Framework is now available online here and we need your feedback. The opportunity for public comment on the framework will be January 1 – February 28, 2020. We need anyone teaching, working, or advocating for cybersecurity education, as well as cybersecurity professionals, government employees, post-secondary educators, and any other individuals in cybersecurity to review the framework and let us know your thoughts.
You might be wondering…what is the Cybersecurity Curriculum Framework? That is a great question. The Cybersecurity Curriculum Framework is an outline of what should be taught in a dedicated high school “Introduction to Cybersecurity” course. A curriculum framework is important because it:
1. enables educators to effectively plan properly sequenced activities that target desired learning outcomes and,
2. serves as a baseline for curriculum providers, teachers, and industry to create curriculum attractive to high school students, some of whom will hopefully pursue a profession in cybersecurity.
Perhaps even more important than providing qualified individuals for the workforce is the development of thinkers with a cybersecurity mindset that can enhance whichever profession they choose to pursue. The nation needs individuals who can think like our adversaries and defend our critical infrastructure from attack, as well as know how to keep their own personal data secure. The Cybersecurity Curriculum Framework supports the development of curriculum that gives students a broad and deep foundation in cybersecurity.
The Cybersecurity Curriculum Framework has been under development for over a year and was designed by educators from high school and higher education, who collectively have vast experience teaching computer science and cybersecurity. During the development stage, feedback was sought across the country from high school educators teaching computer science and/or cybersecurity courses, cybersecurity educators from higher education institutions, and members of government and industry that have a need for highly skilled cybersecurity workers.
And now that the Cybersecurity Curriculum Framework is publicly available, there will be an opportunity for additional feedback. The steps we are asking that you take include:
1. Request access to the Framework here.
2. Read the Framework stem to stern.
3. Provide you feedback in the open comment window - January 1 through February 28 here.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the lead developer, Dr. Melissa Dark, mdark@cryptologicfoundation.org
