Teacher Camps & Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI)
Educator Development
This initiative is funded by the National Security Agency (NSA) through the GenCyber program and is only available to schools designated as Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity.
This program is a rigorous 64-hour professional development course combining online sessions, in-person workshops, hands-on lab activities, lesson plan development, and statewide collaboration.
Program Innovation
Foundational elements of the MCGTC incorporate materials used in the College’s Introduction to Cybersecurity course. This material is available at no charge to K-12 educators across the state and is suitable for use as a 1-semester dual-enrollment offerring at the secondary level.
This pathway for online cybersecurity insutrction significantly benefits students and educators in small and/or rural schools. Additionally, the Teacher Camp includes guidance regarding the incorpration of Montana’s Indian Education for All initative into the cybersecurity curriculum.
Indian Education for All
The Office of Public Instruction provides schools and staff with knowledge, skills, and education content to ensure Indian Education for All means cultural enrichment, academic engagement, and equitable pedagogy for students.
This initiative supports the University of Montana’s committment to providing students, faculty, and staff with a better understanding of First Peoples of Montana.
Participants explore what Indian Education for All in Montana means through the Montana Constitution, statuses, and Montana University System Board of Regents polices related to American Indian students. Further, individuals gain knowledge about, and appreciation for, each of the Montana tribes and their unique worldviews. This initiative aims to promote American Indian student achievement.
Practical Outcomes
- Enhanced pedagogical knowledge
- Curriculum development
- Increased technical proficiency
- Career pathway awareness
- Resource and network access
- Support for diverse learning
- Skill development for increaesed student engagement
- Teacher empowerment for teaching compelx, technical subject matter
Program Outcomes
- Learn the 7 essential GenCyber concepts.
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Investigate foundational cybersecurity concepts:
- Basic Networking
- Threats and Vulnerabiilities
- Authentication
- Password Security
- Hardware Devices
- Offensive and Defensive Strategies
- Wireless Security
- Conduct hands-on activities with social network security, phishing, cryptography, computer ethics, web security, reconnaissance, and cyber defense strategies.
- Explore the University of Montana high school dual enrollment course ITS-130 – Essential Cybersecurity for potential incorporation of content into existing district curricula.
- Utilize online resources for potential incorporation into existing district curricula and to furhter individual knowledge.
- Develop lesson plans that integrate cybersecurity and privacy concepts.
- Consider how to incorporate Indian Education for All into cybersecurity curricula.
GenCyber Program Foundations
Computer Ethics
The following six core cybersecurity concepts emphasize the moral principles and standards that should guide the use of technology and the protection of data. Implementing these GenCyber concepts collectively focus on responsible and safe online behavior.
Confidentiality
Ensuring that information is not disclosed to unauthorized individuals, devices, or processes.
Availability
Ensuring that systems and data are accessible and usable by authorized users when needed, even during an attack or outage.
Think Like an Adversary
Anticipating potential attack strategies and identifying system weakness from an attacker's perspective to better defend the system.
Integrity
The property that information or systems have not been modified or destroyed in an unauthorized manner, maintaining their accuracy and reliability.
Defense in Depth
A comprehensive strategy of using multiple layers of security measures (i.e., firewall, passwords, encryption) to protect a system, so if one layer fails, another is in place to stop the attack.
Simplicity
Designing information and security systems to be as simple as possible -- efficiency, reliability, and easily implementable security leading to fewer complex interactions to exploit.
Teacher Camp FAQs
Who is eligible to apply for the GenCyber teacher camps?
The GenCyber teach camp is geared toward educators in regular and special education, across all K-12 grade levels. Any middle school or high school educator, public or private, is welcome to apply for the camp.
How competitive is the application process?
The program is a rigorous 64-hour professional development course combining online sessions, in-person workshops, hands-on lab activities, lesson plan development, and statewide collaboration. This program is selective, and participation is
offered only to educators who apply and are accepted based on demonstrated commitment to cybersecurity integration and instructional leadership. Any
middle school or high school educator, public or private, is welcome to apply for the camp. Those demonstrating innovation in their classrooms and a dedication to continuous professional growth are strong candidates.
What does it cost participants to enroll in the teacher camp?
GenCyber teacher camps are provided at no cost to participants.
What are the program benefits for enrolled participants?
- CyberMontana will provide travel and meal assistance to participants from outside the Missoula area.
- Participants will earn up to a $1,000 phased stipend upon completion of the program.
- Participants receive up to 64 professional development units from the Montana Office of Public Instruction.
- Participants may optionally receive 4 University of Montana graduate credits in education.
- Participants will receive no-cost access to the Montana Cyber Range, the HackTheBox platform, and the CompTIA TestOut platform, with the option of receiving a no-cost voucher for the CompTIA Security+ certification exam.
Teacher Camps & OPI
Interested in learning more about the next session?
Contact CyberMontana to learn how the Missoula College GenCyber teacher camp contributes to your OPI Teaching Endorsement.