The micro:bit Module’s Important Role in Cybersecurity Education in United States

The micro:bit module has clearly become the leading hardware instructional tool in cybersecurity education.      

I’ve been professionally immersed in coding, robotics, and physical computing specifically in education for 25 years. Parallax has contributed to the trends around different processors, languages, hardware platforms, and programming environments. Through all we’ve seen, the micro:bit clearly stands out as an exceptional tool. I expect it to be useful for many years to come and would encourage all educators to make it part of their STEM program. We are not alone in our efforts, which include our partner Cyber.org and the well-organized Micro:bit Educational Foundation for a few years now. Federally-funded efforts are a big part of this success, too.   

The proliferation of the micro:bit in cybersecurity education became very clear to me at the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) K-12 Conference in St. Louis, Missouri in December. This conference is supported by a program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the U.S. Department of Commerce as part of the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (that’s a lot of acronyms, isn’t it?). The micro:bit was part of many presentations, including three Parallax trainings where we introduced 30+ educators to our cybersecurity tutorials. 

Educators may ask “Why do we need a physical hardware device to teach cybersecurity?” Most new physical computers are connected to the internet (Internet of Things, or IoT). We may be  familiar with Alexa, Siri, and DJI Drones and their End User License Agreements (EULAs) that we click through and accept. But what about our vehicles, thermostats and cameras in our homes, and embedded devices all around us? All of these have real vulnerabilities created through coding and hardware design. Students need to be familiar with these designs to have a cybersecurity background. 

Why is the micro:bit module so useful for cybersecurity education?

• Micro:bit Python interpreter. Python is easy to learn, has extensive libraries, easy script development, is useful with data analysis, and most importantly is of interest to employers. 
• Micro:bit hardware includes a built-in wireless radio, sensors, and displays which are fully accessible with nothing more than a USB cable. No driver installation; connect it and it just works. The modules are only $20. 
• Micro:bit Python Editor runs in a browser and the hardware appears as a USB device to any computer. Schools typically need no approval from IT departments. No personal information is collected so COPPA/FERPA compliance is therefore not an issue. 
• Parallax cybersecurity curriculum is a full semester of cybersecurity tutorials, assessment material and teacher’s guides for middle school through university levels. 
• Cyber.org’s cybersecurity curriculum uses the micro:bit throughout its K-12 programs.  

Our courses at the conference were well-attended and popular with the educators. At one of our presentations, Ed Mondragon of Granite School District stood up and politely interrupted Andy and said to the participants “I strongly encourage you to attend all of Parallax’s courses — they’re the best in the industry!” With that in mind, we invite all educators to attend any of our upcoming cybersecurity courses. 

Our success depends on yours, so feel free to get in contact with us anytime to tell us about your classroom needs. 

Ken Gracey, Parallax Inc.
education@parallax.com 
Educator Hotline (916) 701-8625