New GSUSA Cyber Security badges

[RememberSchiff]

https://www.engadget.com/2017/06/16/girl-scouts-cybersecurity-badges-fall-2018/

 

The GSUSA has partnered with Palo Alto Networks to release new cybersecurity badges over the next two years, the first slated for release in September 2018.

 

They won't just be about minimizing hacking vectors: Younger Scouts will also learn about data privacy, cyberbullying and how to protect themselves online. Badges for older ones will focus on developing coding skills, learning about white hat hacking and creating firewalls. While preventative training has been erratically present in Scouting for some time -- the Boy Scouts, for example, have had the Cyber Chip youth internet safety certification since 2012 -- the Girl Scouts' new set of badges looks to span a respectable breadth of online issues and opportunities.

 

If you're surprised the Girl Scouts have a new badge teaching important tech literacy, you haven't been paying attention. Back in 2011, the organization added ones for Computer Expert and Digital Movie Maker followed by an attempt in 2013 to introduce one for video games. Following the release of a badge dedicated to nurturing science, technology, engineering and math interests in 2015, the Girl Scouts partnered with Netflix last October to encourage young members to pursue STEM careers.

[Gwaihir]

Great for the Girl Scouts, not all that surprising.  I'm sure it'll be a good program.

 

Personally, there is SO much STEM available, in school, in after circulars, in organizations... things like scoutcraft and vocational skills (of which there is a dearth of skilled bodies to fill the ever growing job availability as masters in their craft retire) are left far behind.  I say this as a tech,  but enough with the heavy handed push for STEM in scouting.  Being well-rounded and opened to a multitude of experiences is something our society and culture severely lack.  Anyway, that's my .02 on the matter. 

Edited June 19, 2017 by Gwaihir

[RebekahTN]

My problem with some of these new badges, I have no knowledge of the subject matter they are trying to teach and because they are "extra" and don't come with the book, I have to pay $3.00 to see if it's even anything either I or another parent could teach. I'm not sure how I am supposed to teach a daisy K-1 how to  design a roller coaster and/or robot. I'm sure it would be cool to do, but I have no clue how that works. I also have no clue on coding and firewalls. I can see me spending hours about hours trying to figure out enough about coding to teach it to someone else. This IS where I would ask for help from others, but I think some of these new ones are a bit unrealistic. Flying Flyer design? or Leapbot design for 2nd grader? Programming robots? I wouldn't mind learning but I have a feeling that at K-3rd grade it would be more the parents/leaders doing it for the child. 10 year olds maybe... But then again like I said, I can't even review the requirements without paying $3.00 per badge. Maybe it's something high school teenagers would enjoy teaching the girls...

[ItsBrian]

40 minutes ago, RebekahTN said:

My problem with some of these new badges, I have no knowledge of the subject matter they are trying to teach and because they are "extra" and don't come with the book, I have to pay $3.00 to see if it's even anything either I or another parent could teach. I'm not sure how I am supposed to teach a daisy K-1 how to  design a roller coaster and/or robot. I'm sure it would be cool to do, but I have no clue how that works. I also have no clue on coding and firewalls. I can see me spending hours about hours trying to figure out enough about coding to teach it to someone else. This IS where I would ask for help from others, but I think some of these new ones are a bit unrealistic. Flying Flyer design? or Leapbot design for 2nd grader? Programming robots? I wouldn't mind learning but I have a feeling that at K-3rd grade it would be more the parents/leaders doing it for the child. 10 year olds maybe... But then again like I said, I can't even review the requirements without paying $3.00 per badge. Maybe it's something high school teenagers would enjoy teaching the girls...

I would reach out to local businesses. Ex: a tech company for coding or STEM

[Treflienne]

Given how limited the number of badge choices is for the girls, I was interested in the new STEM badges available.  So last summer I shelled out money and bought the pamphlets for the new Daisy, Brownie, and Junior robotics badges.

I was really disappointed in them.  Here is an example from one of them:
Junior Robotics. (for 4th-5th graders)
Badge 2 Designing Robots.  (This badge has 5 steps)

Step 3 Plan your robot.

   "Engineers look for needs in our world and build robots that solve problems both big and small. If you could build a robot that solves a global problem, what would your robot do?  What would it look like/ What parts would it need?  Brainstorm and sketch your ideas for robots that can help others.  Share your sketches with other Juniors to improve your designs, and choose one to create a prototype of in Step 4"

Step 4 Create a Prototype

    "Engineers create prototypes, a quick way to show an idea to  others or to try it out.  It can be as simple as a drawing or  created with common materials, such as cardboard, paper, and string.  Now is your chance to build a prototype of your robot.  Remember, you're creating a robot, not a simple machine, so you'll also need to create a step-by-step program for your robot to 'run.'"

This badge sees really unsubstantial, merely let's-pretend and arts-n-crafts.

Kids this age are capable of more.  When my son was this age, he was programming Lego mindstorms robots, and learning to write simple programs in Python.

[RebekahTN]

On 3/26/2018 at 9:28 PM, Treflienne said:

I was really disappointed in them.  Here is an example from one of them:
Junior Robotics. (for 4th-5th graders)
Badge 2 Designing Robots.  (This badge has 5 steps)

Step 3 Plan your robot.

   "Engineers look for needs in our world and build robots that solve problems both big and small. If you could build a robot that solves a global problem, what would your robot do?  What would it look like/ What parts would it need?  Brainstorm and sketch your ideas for robots that can help others.  Share your sketches with other Juniors to improve your designs, and choose one to create a prototype of in Step 4"

Step 4 Create a Prototype

    "Engineers create prototypes, a quick way to show an idea to  others or to try it out.  It can be as simple as a drawing or  created with common materials, such as cardboard, paper, and string.  Now is your chance to build a prototype of your robot.  Remember, you're creating a robot, not a simple machine, so you'll also need to create a step-by-step program for your robot to 'run.'"

This badge sees really unsubstantial, merely let's-pretend and arts-n-crafts.

Kids this age are capable of more.  When my son was this age, he was programming Lego mindstorms robots, and learning to write simple programs in Python.

See, I was thinking they would need to actually build a robot even for Brownies... How does drawing one or even making one out of cardboard get you interested in robotics? I was thinking getting kits and actually building one for each girl, or a bigger one they all put together would make this badge pretty expensive. I guess if you just draw it, it won't but I am like you and believe even Brownies could do more than just think about building a robot. They won't even know if their prototype works since it's only a drawing or made from cardboard.... I'll pass on this one I beleive. 

The college mechatronics class teacher brought a simple robot to my daughters school for a STEM night that was pretty interesting. They had to use syringes to control it's movements and had to work together to pick up blocks and move them to a specific spot. So maybe do the cardboard thing and then see if a mechatronics teacher could do a little class or tour of the school.... or do that first so they at least know what they are trying to do for the badge.

What I have seen of some of the last badges, it seems a  need was seen, STEM, and they quickly put something together. I forget which one I was looking at but it was pretty much in lesson plan format instead of picking one of each 5 steps. That would be easier to teach I guess, but what happens if your area doesn't have the resources needed to complete such specific steps. For instances there are some steps of badges that have steps to choose that would be much funner and easier than what we end up doing just because we live in a small town and can't just go to the zoo or visit an aquarium or go to a broadway show. I mean we could but we would have the cost of driving 2.5 hours, extra meals and gas and all that. 

[Treflienne]

1 hour ago, RebekahTN said:

and they quickly put something together.

That is actually my impression in general of the materials that came out with the wholesale revamp around the time of the 100th anniversary.  I think they tried to change too much all at once, and had trouble doing it well.  A few badges seem coherent and well thought out.   Other badges seem really scattered.  And the Daisy Petal characters and the Dez spider were bizarre.