Encryption is one of the key elements of online and information security, without which the world would not "exist". With the help of encryption, we can safely shop online, visit ATMs, anonymously surf the web and use e-mail.
The process enables us to safely send information by making the original text unreadable or incomprehensible to anyone for whom the text is not intended. The text can only be read or decrypted by a person who knows the secret key used to encode the message. This process is called encryption (Schiller, Micheuz, 2014).
Thomas and Peter (2014) describe the importance of the early learning of encryption, since, according to initiatives around the world, information security is regarded as a key competence. In Slovenia, encryption skills do not form part of computer science curricula. In Switzerland, they introduced classical cryptography in the last year of high school. A study was conducted on participating students, revealing both an interest in the topic matter itself and a lot of interest for furthering their encryption instruction[GCC1] (Dorfmavr, 2007). Due to the growing interest in encryption studies, the aim of this thesis will be to review current encryption teaching in primary schools [GCC2], along with investigating and describing the types of encryption most commonly taught. Based on the obtained information, I will also propose specific learning objectives for the teaching of encryption and discuss the didactic approaches likely to be helpful to all teachers who wish to teach encryption.
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