I-Corps L: Investigating Commercialization Strategies for the CryptoClub

在过去的15年里，课外项目有了迅速的发展。尽管课外教育并不是一个新概念，但关注为所有儿童提供高质量的致富机会，而不仅仅是那些负担得起这些机会的儿童，是相对较新的。课外项目中的一个挑战是找到与学校相关但不一定与学校相似的活动。经常有报道说，提供为非正式环境设计的数学活动的课程材料短缺。课外项目经常提供数学主题的辅导，使用的是日常生活中的材料。一些人购买了带有各种操纵性工具的“数学工具包”。有些人使用实践科学活动，通常是孤立的一堂课的活动。有一些STEM课程的主题在几个课程中持续下去，例如机器人。其他人则表示，他们没有非正式数学课程的材料。在拟议的“CryptoClub”课外项目中，中学生将在应用数学制作和破译密码的同时探索密码学。这门学科的趣味性和神秘性将吸引学生，课外环境将允许他们按照自己的节奏学习。一些活动将涉及四处走动，例如跟随一系列加密的线索寻找隐藏的宝藏，或者在接力赛中来回奔跑，争夺第一个收集和解密秘密信息部分的人。其他活动包括更安静地坐着，深入思考可能有助于破解密码的模式。另一方面，在拟议的CryptoClub在线方法中，CryptoClub网站将提供更多机会，以有趣的方式应用和学习密码学。它目前包括用于加密和解密的密码工具，用户解密消息或提交自己的加密消息的消息和笑话板，关于密码学的历史漫画，以及涉及秘密消息的冒险游戏。

There has been a rapid expansion in afterschool programs in the past fifteen years. Although afterschool is not a new idea, the focus on quality enrichment opportunities for all children, not just those who can afford them is relatively new. One challenge in afterschool programs is to find activities that are school-relevant, but not necessarily school-like. It is often reported that there is a shortage of curricular materials that offer mathematics activities designed for informal settings. Afterschool programs often offer tutoring in math topics, using materials from the regular day. Some purchase "Math Kits" with a collection of manipulatives. Some use hands-on science activities that are typically isolated one-lesson activities. There are some STEM curricula with a theme that is sustained over several sessions, such as robotics. Others report that they do not have material for informal math programs.In the proposed "CryptoClub" afterschool program, middle-grade students will explore cryptography while applying mathematics to make and break secret codes. The playfulness and mystery of the subject will be engaging to students, and the afterschool environment will allow them to learn at their own pace. Some activities will involve moving around, for example following a trail of encrypted clues to find a hidden treasure, or running back and forth in a relay race, competing to be the first to gather and decrypt the parts of a secret message. Other activities will involve sitting more quietly and thinking deeply about patterns that might help break a code. On the other hand, in the proposed CryptoClub Online approach, the CryptoClub Website will provide additional opportunities for applying and learning cryptography in a playful way. It currently includes cipher tools for encrypting and decrypting, message and joke boards where users decrypt messages or submit their own encrypted messages, historical comics about cryptography, and adventure games that involve secret messages.