The Questacon Cyber Castle Challenge

Q:  How do you teach school children about the important issue of cyber security?  

A:  Add a layer of Minecraft.  

Questacon’s Cyber Castle Challenge is set in the world of Minecraft but the gameplay reflects real world scenarios in cyber security.  

It’s a cool way to teach school children about cyber security and was developed as part of Australia’s 2020 Cyber Security Strategy, a federal government initiative aimed at creating a more secure online world for Australians and bolstering awareness of cyber threats.  

The game develops creativity, collaboration and critical thinking, skills which are necessary for tackling the cyber security problems of the future. Players are required to identify dangers, come up with solutions and test how viable they are. 

The Questacon Cyber Program team recently won the Best STEM promoter award from the Australian Information Security Association. Watch how it works.  

Learn more about Questacon’s Cyber Castle Challenge and how to bring it into your classroom:

Take the Cyber Castle Challenge
Transcript

[Music plays and an image appears of a number 35 made from coloured shapes, and text appears: Years of Science Inspiration 1988 to 2023]

[Image changes to show the presenter in the foreground talking to the camera, and students can be seen working on computers in the background]

Presenter: The Cyber Castle Challenge is an exciting game that we at Questacon have created in the Minecraft Education Edition platform.

[Image changes to show two presenters standing facing a group of students who are getting up off the carpet in front of them, and then the image changes to show students working on computers]

It aims to teach students aged 8 to 13 years of age all about cyber security, jobs and skills.

[Image changes to show Student 1 talking to the camera, and then the image changes to show Student 1 playing the game on a computer]

Student 1: I like the game because you have to work as a team to try and defend your chickens.

[Image changes to show a view of a female student using a computer, then the image changes to show a side view of a female student looking down, and then the image changes to show Student 2 talking to the camera]

Student: The game relates to cyber security because the chickens are like your information. The foxes are like hackers. And then the castle is like your computer.

[Images move through to show a student’s hand using the keyboard, then the image changes to show a student playing the game on a computer, and then the image changes to show Student 3 talking to the camera]

Student 3: And the fox is trying to attack your chickens by viruses, malware and hackers.

[Image changes to show students playing the game on their computers]

Cyber security in the real world is protecting your information so that no one finds out who you are or where you live online.

[Image changes to show a close view of a student’s hand operating the computer mouse as they work on a computer, and then the image changes to show Student 4 talking to the camera]

Student 4: We should play this in class because it’s good for learning about private security and cyber safety and it’s really fun.

[Music plays and the image changes to show the number 35 made from coloured shapes, and the Australian Government Coat of Arms and Questacon logo and text appears: Questacon Community Celebration, Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 November 9am to 5pm, Celebrate 35 years of science inspiration, Free activities, science shows and roving entertainment, Discounted entry to the Centre, www.questacon.edu.au]