We talked to an expert with 40+ years of cybersecurity experience. As written, the badge explorer 3-5 requirements do not make a lot of sense to them. They skimmed through the booklets and mentioned that it appeared someone got their info off an internet search and didn’t consult an industry expert before publishing. Even back when they were published in 2019, some of the printed info was a bit outdated. Not entirely incorrect, but terms weren’t used quite right, or hadn’t been used in a decade or so.
The expert we consulted with will not go on record for an interview, but did offer to help us re-do lesson plans to tackle Cybersecurity for kids… he had a bunch of suggestions and while we would have to do the work, he’d review them for free.
As the booklets stand – the easiest way to earn them is to read the booklet in one meeting and do the very few things they actually ask you to do (like crack a code). The Ruben Goldberg machine mentioned in one might be the hardest – but if you have access to the board game MouseTrap – it works. Considering the machine is just an example of why simplicity is best – you could even just watch a video of the machine. Three badges, one 90 minute meeting. It’s a bit of a snore fest to us and the info is a little off, but easy 3 badge win.
Do we restart these badges and focus on something hands on for each badge and make it an actual fun lesson troops can choose to do?
Ideas discussed were:
- building Paper Computers
- a simple Virus Attack Game
- possibly a tower defense game for the older scouts
- a cybersecurity version of the board games Clue or Forbidden Island, etc.
- a version of Guess Who? but focusing on who to trust, information that can be shared, or even identity theft
- a Carmen Sandiego type game on identity theft
Code breaking doesn’t usually hold the attention for a full meeting so scouts really need something extra even in that badge.
Of course, we’d try to stay somewhat in line with the 5 requirements, but… Man, not sure we want to tackle this project.
Thoughts?
The Badge Archive 