Classroom Resource

Someone Could Listen

Subject Area

Digital Literacy and Computer Science

Grade(s)

9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

Unencrypted communication over the Internet works a lot like sending a postcard: it can be read by anybody along the delivery route. Communication is routed through intermediary computers and systems, which are connected to many more computers and systems. Encryption, or encoding information so it appears scrambled to anyone who doesn’t know the key, is a way to wrap a postcard in an envelope. While it can never be 100% secure, stronger encryption makes it harder for people to get to the contents.

The lesson elements in this module teach students about the privacy principle “Communication over a network, unless strongly encrypted, is never just between two parties”. They are designed to be independent and flexible, so you can incorporate them into any size lesson plan. Student resources are available at https://teachingprivacy.org/someone-could-listen/. 

Summary of Learning Objectives: Students can articulate how the multi-step, multi-party pathways of networked communication affect users’ privacy; students can identify and use more secure communication options.

Target Age: High school, college undergraduate.

Learning Objectives: 

  1. Students can describe how intermediary devices, and the services that provide them, are involved in transmitting information from point A to point B on the Internet.
  2. Students can explain how the interconnected, many-layered structure of the Internet affects the security and privacy of online communication.
  3. Students can identify the difference between a private network and a shared network and can describe some of the potential risks of using a shared network.
  4. Students can describe how encryption decreases the chances of outside parties infiltrating private communications and accessing private information.
  5. Students can explain why their security depends (in part) on their own decisions and behavior.
  6. Students can give some examples of common encryption protocols, identify what layer of an electronic communication each of those protocols protects, and describe how they would verify that those protocols were being used.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 09-12

DLCS18.HS.R1

Identify, demonstrate, and apply personal safe use of digital devices.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.HS.R1

Knowledge

Students know:
  • how to safely use digital devices.
  • that failure to use digital devices safely can have an impact on access at school as well as the protection of personal data.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • identify personal safe use of digital devices.
  • demonstrate personal safe use of digital devices.
  • apply personal safe use of digital devices.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • it is important to protect personal data when sharing information on the internet.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 09-12

DLCS18.HS.11

Model and demonstrate behaviors that are safe, legal, and ethical while living, learning, and working in an interconnected digital world.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.HS.11

Vocabulary

  • ethics
  • digital world
a.
    cookies
  • virus
  • malware
  • packet sniffing
  • spyware
  • phishing
b.
  • browser history
c.
  • personal data
d.
    data mining
  • digital marketing
  • online wallets
  • personal information
  • data accessibility
  • passwords.
e.
  • cyberbullying
  • harassment
  • sexual communication
f.
  • online safety

Knowledge

Students know:
  • safe, legal, and ethical behaviors for online behavior.
a.
  • tracking methods are often used to improve digital tools and advertising.
  • hazards exist when unknown entities have access to a user's digital habits.
b.
  • methods to counteract the use of tracking.
c.
  • that often, end-user licensing agreements (EULA) are often written to protect the entity that created the digital tool, rather than the user of the digital tool.
  • that EULAs and terms of service agreements can grant access to the user's personal data.
  • that personal data can include images, posts, personal information (phone number, address, birth date, access to friends), and browsing data.
d.
  • often there exists an inverse relationship between online privacy/personal security and convenience.
e.
  • that inappropriate digital behavior can have physical, legal, and ethical consequences.
f.
  • that negative digital behaviors can have lasting consequences.
  • that some behaviors are illegal.
  • strategies to lessen the impact of negative digital behaviors and assess when to apply them.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • interact digitally while exercising safe, legal, and ethical behaviors.
a.
  • identify tracking methods used to gather data.
  • identify hazards that exist when tracking methods are used.
b.
  • list techniques to avoid tracking.
  • apply techniques to avoid tracking.
c.
  • interpret the terms of EULAs and terms of service agreements.
  • make an educated decision to agree to EULAs and terms of service agreements.
d.
  • weigh the risks of using a digital tool to one's personal security.
  • identify potential risks to using various digital tools.
  • evaluate a digital tool's security.
e.
  • identify inappropriate digital behaviors.
  • identify consequences of inappropriate digital behaviors.
f.
  • identify negative digital behaviors.
  • share strategies to to lessen the impact of negative digital behaviors.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • because the Internet can be such a persisting environment, it is vital to interact with safe, legal, and ethical behaviors.
a.
  • entities use tracking methods to make products more appealing to their users.
  • hazards exists when tracking data can be tied to individual users.
b.
  • privacy can be violated when tracking is used.
  • techniques exist to mitigate the effects of tracking methods.
c.
  • nothing is free—you often give up data to use digital resources for no charge.
  • it is important to educate yourself on EULAs and terms of service agreements.
d.
  • free digital tools can compromise one's privacy and security.
  • it is important to be aware of what one is trading for use of a service.
e.
  • inappropriate digital behavior can have physical, legal, and ethical consequences.
  • consequences of inappropriate digital behaviors can have life-altering consequences.
f.
  • digital identity is tied to online digital behavior.
  • negative digital behaviors can have lasting consequences.
  • some digital activity is illegal.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 09-12

DLCS18.HS.12

Describe how sensitive data can be affected by malware and other attacks.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.HS.12

Vocabulary

personal data, malware, cyber attacks

Knowledge

Students know:
  • how malware works.
  • how sensitive data can be affected by malware and other attacks.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • identify when a computer issue is potentially caused by malware.
  • remove malware from a computing device.
  • explain ways to protect computing devices from malware.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • malware is harmful to computing devices and personal data.
  • software exists to remove malware from computing devices.
  • software exists to protect computing devices from a malware attack.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 09-12

DLCS18.HS.13

Compare various security measures of a computer system.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.HS.13

Vocabulary

Cyber security, computer systems

Knowledge

Students know:
  • how to identify security measures of a computing system.
  • how to evaluate usability, security, portability, or scalability of the security measures of a computing system.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • identify security measures of a computing system.
  • evaluate usability, security, portability, or scalability of the security measures of a computing system.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Usability, security, portability, or scalability are important features of computer security measures.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 09-12

DLCS18.HS.16

Identify laws regarding the use of technology and their consequences and implications.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.HS.16

Vocabulary

  • net neutrality
  • hacking
  • intellectual property
  • piracy plagiarism

Knowledge

Students know:
  • technology changes at a rapid rate.
  • all things that are possible with technology may not be ethical.
  • that laws exist or are created to encourage individuals and entities to operate in an ethical manner.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • identify laws relative to the use of technology.
  • identify consequences of violating laws relative to the use of technology.
  • identify implications of laws relative to the use of technology.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • technology changes at a rapid rate.
  • all things that are possible with technology may not be ethical.
  • that laws exist or are created to encourage individuals and entities to operate in an ethical manner.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 09-12

DLCS18.HS.20

Evaluate strategies to manage digital identity and reputation with awareness of the permanent impact of actions in a digital world.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.HS.20

Vocabulary

  • digital identity

Knowledge

Students know:
  • that often individuals are judged by their publicly visible online presence prior to meeting people in person.
  • that strategies exist to manage what is publicly posted online about you.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • identify both positive and negative posts online.
  • identify consequences associated with negative online posting.
  • manage their digital identity and minimize negative repercussions.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • data posted online may not remain private.
  • all data shared online will have some impact on one's digital identity.
  • one must be mindful of the data attached to one's digital identity.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 09-12

DLCS18.HS.29

Summarize the role of compression and encryption in modifying the structure of digital artifacts and the varieties of information carried in the metadata of these artifacts.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.HS.29

Vocabulary

  • compression
  • encryption
  • metadata

Knowledge

Students know:
  • that when a file is altered in any way, changes may be seen in the file metadata.
  • compression and encryption are two methods used when sharing data.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • explain the roles of compression and encryption.
  • summarize the effects of compression and encryption on the metadata of a digital artifact.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • any process applied to data has the potential to alter the structure of the data.
  • it is important to be aware of potential changes to data structure when electing to use a process.
Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 09-12

DLCS18.HS.30

Evaluate the tradeoffs involved in choosing methods for the organization of data elements and the location of data storage, including the advantages and disadvantages of networked computing.

Unpacked Content

UP:DLCS18.HS.30

Vocabulary

  • client server
  • peer-to-peer
  • cloud computing

Knowledge

Students know:
  • that many options exist for the storage and organization of data.
  • that selecting one storage option over another will have both advantages and disadvantages.
  • that it is important to understand the tradeoffs involved with selecting one method over another.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • research methods of data organization and storage.
  • examine advantages and disadvantages of networked computing.
  • evaluate the tradeoffs involved in choosing methods for the organization of data elements and the location of data storage, including the advantages and disadvantages of networked computing.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • how and where data is stored can affect how the data is accessed and/or processed.
  • how and where data is stored can affect the safety of that data.
  • it is important to carefully weigh how and where data is stored.
Link to Resource
https://teachingprivacy.org/module-4-someone-could-listen/

CR Resource Type

Lesson/Unit Plan

Resource Provider

Other

Resource Provider other

International Computer Science Institute
Accessibility
License

License Type

BY

Approved Date

ALSDE LOGO

This site may contain links to other websites or content belonging to or originating from third parties or links to websites and features in banners or other advertising. Such external links are not investigated, monitored, or checked for accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness by us. WE DO NOT WARRANT, ENDORSE, GUARANTEE, OR ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY INFORMATION OFFERED BY THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES LINKED THROUGH THIS SITE.
Alabama Learning Exchange © 2002-2023 by Alabama State Department of Education is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Design by Adaptive Theme