STTR Phase I:A simulation tool to teach cybersecurity and digital fluency practices

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to develop an effective, engaging education platform to teach cybersecurity awareness and best practices to protect against cyber threats. Identity theftaffects millions of individuals every year, costing billions of dollars and severe personal difficulties to those affected. Privacy education is essential to address the potential dangers facing the billions of people using these platforms.This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project plans to develop an online simulation product that engages citizens to experience cybersecurity simulations that emulate various real-world cyberthreats while implementing evidence-based learning research in digital media and instructional systems technologies. For educational service providers, this solution will provide an effective standards-based computer science and digital fluency learning approach to cybersecurity for the school-age population. By using developmentally appropriate instructional and teaching strategies, the solution plans to address and measure effectiveness across a wide range of age groups, demographics and education levels.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.