AN ANTONIO — It’s a game that’s more than just flashcards — It’s a new card game taking several classrooms by storm.
“So, it’s just a simple, fun way to get people thinking about cyber security,” said Larry Sjelin with the University of Texas at San Antonio’s Center for Infrastructure and Assurance.
A team of UTSA developers designed and created the pilot program, which is offered at McNair Middle School in Southwest Independent School District, and several other schools.
Called Cyber Threat Defender, the multiplayer game is aimed at all school grades, including college and professional levels.
“I have a few students who come in and say, ‘Are we on the computers again? Can we just play the card game?’” said Michael Maldonado, a McNair Middle School teacher.
What makes the card deck so appealing is the similarity to other popular games such as Pokémon, or Magic.
“This class was everything to me. When I first joined, I knew very little about computers,” said student David Ramirez.
In a growing field where thousands of jobs are ready to be filled, educators hope students will pursue a career in information security.
“These are the kids that, you know, seemed to be born with a cellphone in their hand right now. So, you know, you can never start too young with these individuals,” said Sjelin.
“And so this card game really opens up that opportunity by telling kids this something you can do. And, that it’s not something beyond your grasp,” said Maldonado.
Bright and young minds — the future of information defense.