09.01.2025

“Planet of the Internet": New free computer science learning material

Teaching children computer science in a fun way is now even easier. "Planet of the Internet" is available free of charge as an Open Educational Resource (OER).

“Planet of the Internet” from the Hector computer science curriculum is a collection of playful course units for understanding the Internet. The “Planet des Internets” materials can now be downloaded free of charge. 

The Hector Informatics Curriculum, developed in collaboration with the Hector Research Institute, has made its learning game "Planet of the Internet" freely available as an Open Educational Resource (OER). This resource provides a practical way for children to understand fundamental concepts in computer science.

What is "Planet of the Internet"?

 “Planet of the Internet” is not a classic teaching unit or a game in the true sense of the word. It is a collection of playful lessons that teach concepts related to the Internet. Although the lessons contain playful activities and elements, they follow a clear didactic structure.

The material provides a practical way for children to understand key computer science concepts. Topics such as how the internet works, network structures, and online safety are taught in an understandable way. Children playfully explore the Internet, learn about important components such as clients and servers, go through the stages of an Internet connection, and learn how to create secure passwords. 

How to Access It:

All materials, including detailed instructions, can be accessed easily and free of charge on the OER Baden-Württemberg platform. 

Download "Planet of the Internet"


Systematically building competences

The learning objectives of the course “Planet of the Internet - Does the Internet have a home?” are based on the learning objective of the ‘Competences for Computer Science Education in Primary Education’ („Kompetenzen für informatische Bildung im Primarbereich") for the age group: “Pupils name basic components of the Internet and describe how data is transferred on the Internet using fixed agreements (protocols).”

Results on the impact of the lessons on students' perceptions of internet-related topics were published in the following scientific article:
_{M. Nutz, K. Kunz und K. Tsarava, "Development and Empirical Assessment of an Intervention on the Internet's Structure and Functioning for Third and Fourth Graders," 2024 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON), Kos Island, Greece, 2024, pp. 01-10. https://doi.org/10.1109/EDUCON60312.2024.10578725}   
 

Model example: Computer science curriculum at primary schools 

Despite the growing importance of computer science skills, computer science lessons have hardly been offered at primary schools in many German states. Extracurricular programs, such as the Hector Children’s Academies’ computer science curriculum, close this gap by introducing children to central computer science concepts in a playful way. The journal Informatische Bildung in Schulen (IBiS) recently highlighted this curriculum as a prime example. In an article by Katerina T., Katrin Kunz and Ulrich Trautwein, the effectiveness of the curriculum in teaching computer science skills at an early age was emphasised. The Hector Institute supports the development of teaching materials that enable children to learn even complex computer science topics in a clear and child-friendly way.