A method of experimentation where two variants (A and B) are compared to determine which performs better.

A mathematical model for a certain kind of data structure that specifies the data stored and the operations that can be performed on the data, but not how they are implemented.

(process): The process of reducing complexity by focusing on the main idea. By hiding details irrelevant to the question at hand and bringing together related and useful details, abstraction reduces complexity and allows one to focus on the problem.
(product): A new representation of a thing, a system, or a problem that helpfully reframes a problem by hiding details irrelevant to the question at hand.

A security technique that regulates who or what can access resources in a computing environment.

A list of permissions attached to a network resource (like a router interface) that specifies which users or system processes are granted access and what operations are allowed.

The quality of a system being usable by people with the widest possible range of abilities inclyding those with disabilities, often guided by standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 and Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) standards.

The responsibility of individuals and organizations to explain and be responsible for their decisions and actions including data practices, security policies, ethical implications and the outcomes of their models.

A measure of how correct a computational tool is. Examples include how accurate an AI model’s predictions are or how precise a sensor’s measurement is.

A component that controls a mechanism or system by responding to a control signal and converting energy into physical action. Motors, servos, lights, and speakers are examples of actuators.

Tools or devices that help people with disabilities use technology (i.e. screen readers or switch controls).

Security measures implemented through policies, procedures, standards, and guidelines(e.g., training, background checks, policy documents) to prevent harm.

An attack against an AI model where small, imperceptible changes are made to input data to cause the model to make an incorrect classification.

Principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty. In UI design, this refers to the visual appeal and overall look and feel of the interface.

a whole that is made of constituent parts

A flexible project management approach that emphasizes iterative development, continuous improvement, and collaboration.

An iterative approach to software development that emphasizes rapid delivery in short cycles (sprints), continuous improvement, and adaptation to change.

A coding environment that incorporates artificial intelligence features, such as predictive coding, code summarization, and intelligent error detection, to help developers write and manage code more efficiently.

Suggestions for new or modified test cases generated by an Artificial Intelligence tool, often based on code analysis, coverage gaps, or historical failure data.

A step-by-step process to complete a task.

The systematic and repeatable errors in a computer system that create unfair outcomes, such as favoring one group over another. In AI systems this is often due to bias in the training data.

A general strategy or design approach that underlies a class of algorithms.

The arrangement of elements on a page in relation to one another.

The process of creating the illusion of motion by displaying a sequence of images or frames. In games, this is used to bring characters, objects, and environments to life.

Short written notes added to storyboard panels to explain player actions, system responses, emotional cues, or scene details.

The process of removing personally identifiable information from a dataset so that the people it describes remain anonymous.

A preparatory movement that builds up to the main action.

The design and organization of a computational system’s components, including how they are connected and how they function together.

A malicious technique in which an attacker sends falsified Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) messages over a local area network to link their MAC address with the IP address of a legitimate computer or server on the network.

A data structure used to store a fixed-size, sequential collection of elements of the same data type. It can be accessed through an index. Although they vary slightly between languages, generally [A, B, C, D] is an array of letters where the second element of the array is B.

A data structure similar to an array but with a variable size that can grow or shrink as needed.

A hypothetical type of AI that possesses the ability to understand, learn, and apply its intelligence to solve any problem that a human being can.

A computer system that relies on algorithms that is able to simulate intelligent behavior and perform tasks that ordinarily require human intelligence

A transformational perspective that recognizes and values the rich cultural practices embedded in all communities.

Devices or software that help individuals with disabilities use a computer or interactive media, such as screen readers or alternative input devices.

An encryption method that uses a pair of mathematically linked keys- a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption (e.g., RSA, used in TLS/SSL).

A variable that holds data associated with a class.

The act of examining currently running programs and services on a system (e.g., using the ps or Task Manager equivalent) to ensure they are legitimate and correctly configured.

The process of verifying the claimed identity of a user or system (e.g., username/password, biometrics, multi-factor authentication).

The process of determining what an authenticated user is permitted to do or access (e.g., read-only, read/write, administrator privileges) which are referred to as rights and permissions.

A feature that predicts the rest of a word or phrase that a user is typing.

The process of automating a system so that it acts without human intervention.

Ensuring that systems and data are accessible to authorized users when needed (e.g., via backups and redundancy).

The maximum data transfer rate of a network or Internet connection. It measures how much data can be sent over a specific connection in a given amount of time.

A graph or chart that uses narrow columns of different heights to show and compare different amounts

The established, expected, and documented pattern of network traffic and system activity considered normal for a given environment.

A set of 12 foundational concepts that guide animators. The most common and accessible for students include

A hierarchical AI method that structures complex NPC behaviors into a tree-like flow of decisions and actions, allowing for more complex and responsive behaviors than an FSM.

Students who speak one or more languages other than English and who are learning English. They represent more than four hundred different language groups. The primary language that a student speaks is but one descriptor.

Although federal policy documentation still uses the term English Language Learner, many states are moving towards more asset-based terms like this one.

A pattern in a design or system that unintentionally advantages, disadvantages, misrepresents, or excludes certain groups of users.

Systematic errors or skewed representations in a dataset that cause the AI model to inaccurately or unfairly generalize or perform worse for specific subgroups (e.g., underrepresented demographics).

Techniques used to identify and mitigate biases that may exist in datasets or algorithms.

An efficient search algorithm that finds the position of a target value within a sorted array. It repeatedly divides the search interval in half.

A wireless technology standard for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances.

A type of data or expression with two possible values: true and false.

A parallel version of a repository that allows for separate development without affecting the main codebase.

A solderless construction base used for prototyping of electronics.

An intentional stopping or pausing place in a program, put in place for debugging purposes.

An error in a software program. It may cause a program to unexpectedly quit or behave in an unintended manner. [Tech Terms]

To derive a new column of data based on calculations from existing columns.

A list of active subroutines (functions or procedures) in a computer program, typically shown in an IDE debugger to trace the flow of execution.

Data that can be divided into groups or categories, such as car types (sedan, SUV, truck) or colors (red, blue, green).

The primary component of a computer that handles most of the general-purpose processing.

The overarching term for the process by which a candidate earns credentials to authorize them to teach a subject at particular grade levels, such as licensure or endorsement.

Examples: A preservice candidate in an undergraduate program earning their initial license, a primary school teacher adding a specialization to their license, or a secondary school teacher adding a computer science endorsement to their license.

A U.S. law regarding the collection of personal information from children under 13.

A fundamental model for information security, based on three principles- Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. In this context, confidentiality is a set of rules that limits access to information, integrity is the assurance that the information is trustworthy and accurate, and availability is a guarantee of reliable access to the information by authorized people.

A closed loop through which electricity can flow.

A model that predicts a discrete category or class (e.g., spam/not spam, dog/cat).

The prevailing mood, attitudes, standards, and tone that students and teachers feel when they are in the classroom.

A positive classroom climate feels safe, respectful, welcoming, supportive, and affirming of students as a whole person and of student learning.

A system where the output (or a measurement of the output) is fed back into the input to adjust the process and maintain the desired output state.

A service provided over the internet that allows users to store, manage, and process data and applications without having to own or manage the underlying infrastructure.

Any set of instructions expressed in a programming language including block and text based-language. [MDESE, 2016]

A tool that analyzes source code to flag programming errors, bugs, stylistic errors, and suspicious constructs.

The process of modifying a software system to make some aspect of it work more efficiently or consume fewer resources (like time or memory).

The process of restructuring existing computer code—changing the factoring—without changing its external behavior, done to improve nonfunctional attributes like readability or maintainability.

The process of analyzing and comprehending existing software code, often using AI tools to summarize complex functions or document unfamiliar sections.

A systematic pattern of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment, which often leads to illogical or irrational decisions (e.g., Authority Bias, Urgency Bias).

To work jointly with others on a project or task.

Working effectively with colleagues/peers to plan and reflect on lessons and create complex artifacts. Collaboration requires teachers to navigate and incorporate diverse perspectives, conflicting ideas, disparate skills, and distinct personalities.

One of the seven CS practices in the K-12 CS Framework.

A vulnerability that allows an attacker to execute arbitrary commands on a host operating system via an insecure application or script.

Using text-based interfaces and scripting (e.g., Bash, PowerShell) to issue instructions and automate tasks, rather than a graphical user interface (GUI).

A programmer-readable annotation in the code of a computer program added to make the code easier to understand. Comments are generally ignored by machines. [Wikipedia]

Communicating with diverse audiences about the use and effects of computation and the appropriateness of computational choices. Writing clear comments, document work, and communicate ideas using precise language and multiple forms of media.

One of the seven CS practices in the K-12 CS Framework.

A question that cannot be answered by analyzing a single, pre-existing dataset and requires the collection and integration of data from multiple sources.

The specific rules, controls, or processes an organization must implement to satisfy a legal or regulatory mandate.

An element of a larger group. Usually, a component provides a particular service or group of related services. There are both hardware and software components.

Examples of hardware components are sensors, random access memory (RAM), motherboard, and central processing unit (CPU). Software components are portions of a program that are part of a larger program or application.

A measure of the resources (time and memory) required for a model to train or make a prediction.

Simplified representations of a system or process, created using a computer, that can be used to simulate behavior or make predictions.

A problem that can be solved by an algorithm and a computer program.

The human ability to formulate problems so that their solutions can be represented as computational steps or algorithms to be executed by a computer. [Lee, 2016]

Software modules or collections of pre-written code (e.g., Pandas, NumPy, or Matplotlib in Python) that simplify common data analysis tasks.

Software used to design and create two- or three-dimensional models of physical objects.

Any goal-oriented activity requiring, benefiting from, or creating algorithmic processes. [MDESE, 2016]

A physical device that uses hardware and software to receive, process, and output information.

Computers, mobile phones, and computer chips inside appliances are all examples of computing devices.

A collection of one or more computers or computing devices, together with their hardware and software, integrated for the purpose of accomplishing shared tasks. Although a computing system can be limited to a single computer or computing device, it more commonly refers to a collection of multiple connected computers, computing devices, and hardware.

The CS knowledge that K-12 students learn in their course of study. Five core concepts are defined in the K-12 CS Framework: (1) Computing Systems (2) Networks and the Internet, (3) Data and Analysis, (4) Algorithms and Programming, and (5) Impacts of Computing. These concepts are meant to be integrated with practices and other concepts throughout instruction.

A feature of a programming language that performs different computations or actions depending on whether a programmer-specified Boolean condition evaluates to true or false. [MDESE, 2016]

Ensuring that data is accessible only to authorized users (e.g., via encryption).

A security vulnerability arising from a system being poorly set up or using default, insecure settings (e.g., default credentials).

The processes by which individuals give permission for their data to be collected, used, and shared.

The principle that software components (e.g., navigation, button placement, terminology) should look and behave the same way throughout the application, making the product intuitive.

A constant is a variable you define at the top of the program that doesn’t change. The reason to define constants is to store named variables that have relevant values for the program.

Example: PI=3.14

A limitation or restriction; in this context, the way data is structured limits the types of mathematical operations and algorithms that can be effectively and efficiently applied.

The phase where action is taken to stop the incident from causing further damage (e.g., isolating a compromised system).

The difference in visual properties of two adjacent elements, used to make elements stand out.

A scientific test where all variables are kept constant except for the one being tested.

A form of intellectual property that gives the creator of an original work exclusive rights to its use and distribution, typically for a limited time.

A teacher’s ability to recognize students’ cultural displays of learning and meaning making, respond positively and constructively with teaching moves that use cultural knowledge as a scaffold to connect what the student knows to new concepts and content in order to promote effective information processing.

CRP includes considering the context of students in terms of interests, identities, cultural and linguistic practices, and histories. Culturally responsive education maintains and sustains students’ cultural integrity while supporting academic achievement.

CRP is based on the understanding that the curriculum currently utilized in our school both pedagogically and instructionally centers whiteness and other normative identities including spoken language, content-based texts, gender, sexuality, historical contexts, and classroom norms.

For further elaboration, references, and resources, see Guidance for Inclusive Teaching.

A potential danger or risk that could exploit a vulnerability to breach security and negatively affect an organization or individual.

The protection of computers and data against access to, or alteration of, computing resources through the use of technology, processes, and training. [TechTarget]

Any choice made regarding the security posture of a system, organization, or policy, such as implementing a new authentication protocol, adopting a zero-trust architecture, or passing a data privacy law.

A high-level, formal document that sets the rules and guidelines for how an organization manages and protects its information and systems.

Information that is collected and used for reference or analysis.

Data can be digital or nondigital and can be in many forms, including numbers, text, show of hands, images, sounds, or video.

The process of gathering, collecting, or obtaining data from various sources.

A security violation in which sensitive, protected, or confidential data is copied, transmitted, viewed, stolen, or used by an individual unauthorized to do so.

The process of detecting and correcting (or removing) corrupt or inaccurate records from a record set, table, or database.

The process of gathering and measuring information from various sources.

The process of encoding information so that only authorized parties can access it (e.g., using AES, RSA).

The overall management of the availability, usability, integrity, and security of data in an organization.

The process of changing, arranging, and organizing data to make it more useful.

The right of an individual to control the collection, use, and disclosure of their personal data.

The record of where data originated and all the transformations and processes it went through before its current use.

The conceptual structure used to store, organize, and interpret data for processing by a computer system (e.g., arrays, trees, graphs, tables).

An interdisciplinary field that uses scientific methods, processes, algorithms, and systems to extract knowledge and insights from structured and unstructured data.

The origin of a dataset, such as a public database, API, sensor, or manually collected information. It can influence the data’s quality, representativeness, and potential biases.

The practice of building a narrative around a dataset and its accompanying visualizations to make the insights more understandable and memorable for an audience.

A specialized format to store and organize data within a computer program to suit a specific purpose so that it can be accessed and worked with in appropriate ways. Examples of data structures include arrays, queues, linked lists, trees, and graphs.

The process of converting data from one format or structure into another, often necessary to meet the requirements of an AI algorithm.

A classification of data that is distinguished by its attributes and the types of operations that can be performed on it. Some common data types are include multiple types of numbers and text integer, string, Boolean (true or false), and floating-point.

The process of cleaning, transforming, and organizing data into a usable format for analysis. It is often a key first step in a data science project.

The demographic, social, and technical characteristics of a dataset, including the sources of the data and the representation of different groups.

The process of identifying and removing errors (bugs) from computer hardware or software.

A moment in the game where the player selects an action that leads to different outcomes or paths.

The documented reasoning and evidence used to support a cybersecurity decision, often including trade-offs and risks considered.

A flowchart-like structure where each internal node represents a test on an attribute, each branch represents an outcome of the test, and each leaf node represents a class label.

Breaking down a problem or system into components. [MDESE, 2016]

Synthetic media (usually video or audio) that has been manipulated or generated by AI to misleadingly depict a person saying or doing something they never did.

A security strategy that employs multiple layers of security controls to protect resources, ensuring that the failure of a single control does not compromise the entire system.

Implies that students are flawed or deficient and that the role of the school is to fix the student. Deficit-based teaching seeks to teach to students’ weaknesses instead of teaching to their strengths.

A cyber-attack where the perpetrator seeks to make a machine or network resource unavailable to its intended users.

Identifying patterns and extracting common features from specific examples to create generalizations in order to simplify the development process and manage complexity.

One of the seven CS practices in the K-12 CS Framework.

Identifying patterns and extracting common features from specific examples to create generalizations in order to simplify the development process and manage complexity.

One of the seven CS practices in the K-12 CS Framework.

Identifying patterns and extracting common features from specific examples to create generalizations in order to simplify the development process and manage complexity.

One of the seven CS practices in the K-12 CS Framework.

Identifying patterns and extracting common features from specific examples to create generalizations in order to simplify the development process and manage complexity.

One of the seven CS practices in the K-12 CS Framework.

Identifying patterns and extracting common features from specific examples to create generalizations in order to simplify the development process and manage complexity.

One of the seven CS practices in the K-12 CS Framework.

Identifying patterns and extracting common features from specific examples to create generalizations in order to simplify the development process and manage complexity.

One of the seven CS practices in the K-12 CS Framework.

Identifying patterns and extracting common features from specific examples to create generalizations in order to simplify the development process and manage complexity.

One of the seven CS practices in the K-12 CS Framework.

Identifying patterns and extracting common features from specific examples to create generalizations in order to simplify the development process and manage complexity.

One of the seven CS practices in the K-12 CS Framework.

A physical device that uses hardware and software to receive, process, and output information. Computers, mobile phones, and computer chips inside appliances are all examples of computing devices.

The direct connection and data exchange between two physical devices without an intermediary server or gateway.

Software utilities used to identify, isolate, and troubleshoot problems in a computational system or network (e.g., ping, tracert, ipconfig).

A data structure that stores a collection of key-value pairs, where each key is unique and is used to retrieve its associated value.

A wide variety of teaching techniques and lesson adaptations that educators used for instruction of a diverse group of students, with diverse learning needs, in the same course, classroom, or learning environment.

Teachers make sure every student masters essential knowledge, concepts, and skills, but may use different instructional methods to help students meet those expectations.

The gap between those who have ready access to physical computing technology and the internet and those who do not.

An AI model designed to classify or predict a label or outcome for a given input data point (e.g., classifying an image, predicting a price).

false information spread intentionally to deceive

An attack in which multiple compromised computer systems flood the bandwidth or resources of a targeted server, usually causing it to shut down.

A collaborative software development model where team members may work asynchronously on different components of the same project.

Different origins of data, such as public APIs, web pages, and local files.

A user that represents a different background, ability, age, or perspective from the designers and other user types.

A range of differing perspectives, ideas, or opinions from people with varied backgrounds, skills, and experiences.

the range of human characteristics and experiences, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, socioeconomic status, and physical and cognitive ability.

A strategy that involves narrowing down the search for a bug by systematically isolating sections of code to determine where the error lies.

An algorithmic paradigm where a large problem is broken down into smaller subproblems of the same or related type, which are then solved independently and combined to get the final solution.

A string literal specified in source code that is used to document a specific segment of code like a module, class, or function (common in Python).

The act of creating a record of a process, changes, and decisions made during a project. This record can detail functions, methods, variables and how to use them.

The process of removing rows or columns from a dataset that contain missing values.

Technology that can be used for both peaceful (beneficial) and military (harmful) purposes, such as AI in cybersecurity.

A problem or situation that occurs only at the extremes or edges (maximum or minimum) of operating parameters or consitions (e.g., empty input, maximum list size).

A measure of how well an algorithm uses computational resources including time taken and memory used.

A system that combines electrical and mechanical components to achieve a specific function.

A network of interconnected, specialized computer systems designed to perform a dedicated function within a larger system.

The technique of combining data and the procedures that act on it to create a type single organized format.

The conversion of information or data into another form, called ciphertext, which cannot be easily understood by anyone except authorized parties in order to prevent unauthorized access.

The process a client and server use to agree on the cryptographic protocols and algorithms that will be used for a secure connection (e.g., TLS/SSL handshake).

The specific algorithms and processes used to convert plain text into unreadable ciphertext to secure data.

Any device (e.g., laptop, smartphone, IoT device) that can connect to a network and exchange information.

The section outlining the procedures and disciplinary actions that will be taken if the policy is violated.

A series of steps that engineers follow to find a solution to a problem, which often includes defining the problem, brainstorming solutions, creating a prototype, testing, and refining the design.

Fairly and justly, ensuring all team members have an equal opportunity and voice.

The fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all people, while at the same time striving to identify and eliminate barriers that have prevented the full participation of some groups. From a n education standpoint equity means ensuring that learning experiences are accessible and inclusive for all learners. Every student has what they uniquely need to succeed.

In the context of software, prioritizing the design, development, and delivery of a system that fairly serves all users, particularly those historically marginalized, by proactively mitigating bias, ensuring accessibility, and addressing social harm.

The phase where the root cause of the incident is eliminated (e.g., patching a vulnerability, removing malware).

Testing that ensures a program handles invalid, unexpected, or exceptional inputs and conditions gracefully.

The moral considerations and potential consequences, both positive and negative, that arise from the development and deployment of a technology, especially regarding fairness, accountability, and transparency.

Any identifiable occurrence that has significance for system hardware or software. User-generated events includeing keystrokes, mouse clicks and system-generated events includeing program loading and errors. [TechTarget]

The unintended omission of a group of users from being able to effectively access, use, or understand a game or interactive experience—often because their needs were not considered during the design or testing process.

The possibility that a future technology (like powerful, misaligned AGI) could cause the extinction of humanity or permanently cripple its future potential.

A piece of software, data, or sequence of commands that takes advantage of a bug or vulnerability to cause unintended or unanticipated behavior in computer software, hardware, or something electronic (typically computer-controlled).

An approach to analyzing data sets to summarize their main characteristics, often with visual methods.

A doctrine that permits limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the rights holder for purposes such as criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, or research.

The principle of ensuring that data and algorithms do not discriminate against or unfairly impact certain groups of people.

A security alert raised by a system when no actual threat exists, often a risk with highly sensitive AI models.

A U.S. law protecting the privacy of student education records.

A video game enthusiast who creates modifications (“mods”) to a game’s existing content, mechanics, or features.

A development strategy in version control where new features or bug fixes are developed on isolated branches before being merged into the main codebase.

Techniques used to standardize the range of independent variables or features of data, ensuring all features contribute equally to the result.

A collection of data or information stored on a computer. It can be a document, a picture, or any other type of information.

A process or program that reads data and selects or modifies a subset of data based on a given condition.

An AI method that controls an NPC by defining a finite number of states (e.g., idle, patrolling, attacking) and the conditions that trigger a transition between them.

Network security systems that monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. The purpose of a firewall is to reduce or eliminate the occurrence of unwanted network communications while allowing all legitimate communication to flow freely.

Records maintained by a firewall that detail allowed and denied network traffic, used to diagnose security configuration issues.

A measure of how closely a model’s predictions align with the actual data.

A diagram made up of shapes and arrows used to display the order of steps in a program or process.

In-process evaluations of student learning that are typically administered multiple times during a unit, course, or academic program.

The general purpose of formative assessment is to give educators and students in-process feedback about what students are learning or not learning so that instructional approaches, teaching materials, and academic support can be modified accordingly.

Incorporate perspectives from people of different genders, ethnicities, and abilities. To do this, teachers must first understand the personal, ethical, social, economic, and cultural identities/contexts in which they and their students operate.

One of the seven CS practices in the K-12 CS Framework.

An application that includes both a client-side (front-end) and a server-side (back-end) that can communicate with one another.

A piece of code that you can easily call over and over again

An automated software testing technique that involves injecting invalid, unexpected, or random data (fuzz) into a computer program to expose coding errors and security loopholes.

Any piece of content used in a game, such as character models, textures, sound effects, or animations.

the interactive process a player has with a game.

An AI that uses algorithms (e.g., decision trees, minimax, reinforcement learning) to strategize and make moves in a game environment.

A framework for modeling and analyzing strategic interactions where the choices of one player affect the outcomes for others.

A network node that connects two different networks, acting as a bridge to allow data to be transferred between them. In an IoT context, it’s often a hub that aggregates data from multiple devices before sending it to the cloud.

A non-binary association of characteristics within the broad spectrum between masculinities and femininities.

An EU law on data protection and privacy for all individual citizens of the European Union and the European Economic Area.

A model’s ability to perform well on new, unseen data, rather than just the data it was trained on.

An AI model’s ability to perform accurately on new, unseen data after being trained on a specific dataset.

An AI model designed to create new, original data instances (e.g., text, images, code) that resemble the training data.

A widely used distributed source control system that can track changes during the development of code and software

Data represented by a collection of nodes (vertices) and connections (edges) connecting pairs of vertices, used to model relationships (e.g., social networks, molecular structures).

A specialized electronic circuit designed to rapidly manipulate and alter memory to accelerate the creation of images, frames, and video for display on a screen, primarily through parallel processing.

To organize data into collections based on a categorical variable.

Embedding usernames, passwords, or API keys directly into the source code of a script, which is an insecure practice.

The process of securing a system by reducing its surface of vulnerability, typically by removing unnecessary functions and securing the rest.

The physical components that make up a computing system, computer, or computing device. [MDESE, 2016]

A U.S. law that sets standards for the protection of sensitive patient health information.

A software application running on a single host (computer/server) that controls network traffic to and from that host.

The state of being healthy, happy, and prosperous; in AI, this relates to minimizing physical, psychological, social, and economic harm caused by the system.

A design approach that prioritizes the needs, abilities, and experiences of the intended users throughout the design process. It ensures that design decisions are informed by real user behavior and feedback.

A model where a human is required to review, correct, or approve certain decisions made by the AI system before action is taken.

A proposed explanation for a phenomenon that can be tested.

The creative process of generating and developing new ideas for a project.

The phase where an organization determines whether a security event is actually an incident, assessing its scope and nature.

The sense of being fully absorbed and engaged in a game, often enhanced by intuitive and responsive controls.

The process of converting a design or algorithm into working code.

The process of replacing missing data with substituted values, typically using a mean, median, or modal value from the existing data.

Professional learning that is going on or continuing while one is employed.

A violation or imminent threat of violation of computer security policies, acceptable use policies, or standard security practices.

A documented, formal set of instructions that specifies how an organization prepares for, detects, and reacts to a cybersecurity incident.

The structured phases or steps followed when dealing with a security incident (e.g., NIST’s six phases).

Creating learning environments that are accessible and welcoming of students’ identities, backgrounds, differences, and perspectives without barriers or judgment. This means actively attending to gender, race, ethnicity, ability, or socioeconomic status. Inclusion involves authentic and empowered participation and a true sense of belonging by all identities and individual groups.¹

Working with a diverse team while intentionally valuing and respecting all contributions, viewpoints, and backgrounds in the decision-making process.

The process of designing for the full range of human diversity, considering ability, language, culture, gender, and age.

The position of an element within a data structure like an array or list. Index values in Arrays some languages start a 0 and in other languages start at 1.

Forensic evidence, such as unusual network traffic or a malicious file hash, that indicates a security breach has likely occurred.

Unfair or unequal experiences created or reinforced by a game’s design, such as barriers to access, misrepresentation of groups, or mechanics that disadvantage certain players. These issues may emerge from underlying bias or exclusion in the design process.

Some form of quality assurance that pre-service teachers can teach computer science and have pedagogical knowledge. This should be an initial certification from the university/college or other institution (It can be CS stand-alone or add-on). Teachers need to prove that they know CS.

May require some or all of these: BA/BS, passing a test, professional development, or other requirements.

The signals or instructions received by sent to a computer. [Techopedia]

Hardware used to provide data and control signals to a computer, such as a keyboard, mouse, game controller, or motion sensor.

The process of checking data entered by a user or another source to ensure it meets expectations and security criteria, preventing code injection or buffer overflow attacks.

A student-centered form of active learning that starts by posing questions, problems, or scenarios.

Teachers act as facilitators, rather than lecturers. Instead of offering solutions to students’ technical challenges, teachers guide their learning by asking key questions (or have students ask key questions). For example, teachers can prompt students to make and discuss predictions about what will happen before testing by running code (e.g., see the PRIMM method). They can also use peer instruction or Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) to facilitate students in learning from one another.

Any computational device that poses a security risk, often due to lack of software updates, weak security features, or being end-of-life.

Describes the racial inequity baked into our institutions, connoting a system of power that produces racial disparities in domains such as law, health, employment, education, and so on.

It can take the form of unfair policies and practices, discriminatory treatment, and inequitable opportunities and outcomes.

A number can be positive, negative, or zero WITHOUT a decimal component. -50; 0; 5

The process of combining data from different sources into a single, unified view.

A software application that provides comprehensive tools for software development.

A test that checks the functionality of two or more software modules/components when they are combined.

Ensuring that data is accurate, complete, and protected from unauthorized modification (e.g., via hashing).

Creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic works, designs, symbols, names and images used in commerce.

Any part of a game where the player provides input and receives a response from the game system, influencing what happens next.

Describes the private racial beliefs held by and within individuals that run in sync and are derived from white supremacy.

The global collection of computer networks and their connections, all using shared protocols to communicate. [CAS, 2013]

A network of physical devices (i.e. vehicles, home appliances, and other items) embedded with electronics (i.e. software, sensors, actuators, and network connectivity) which enables these objects to connect to the internet to collect and exchange data.

The exchange of information between people, which in this context includes active listening and adapting communication styles in real-time.

Describes how our private beliefs about race become public when we interact with other people.

The abilities a person uses to interact and communicate with others, such as active listening, empathy, and conflict resolution.

The degree to which a human can understand the decisions of an AI model.

The ways that a person’s race, gender identity, and other identity factors overlap and compound to create particular forms of advantage or disadvantage. This term is a way to describe how different marginalized groups experience equity, inclusion, and power differently. For example, women of color experience a “double-bind” that presents unique and cumulative barriers related to both their gender and race in CS.

A software or hardware device that monitors a network or system for malicious activity or policy violations.

A repetitive action or command typically created with programming loops.

A repeatable process in which a project is continuously refined through a series of incremental steps.

A cyclical workflow in which designers create a prototype, test it with users, analyze the results, and refine the design. Each iteration builds on the insights gained from previous testing.

Providing a clear, reasoned argument for a specific choice (in this case, why a particular model is appropriate given the quality and nature of the prepared data).

A visual workflow management method used to track the progress of tasks as they move from one stage to another.

A set of two linked data items- a key, which is a unique identifier, and the value, which is the data associated with that key.

A method of creating animation by setting key positions at specific points in a timeline. The software then automatically generates the frames in between, a process called tweening.

The latency of a system is the time it takes for a bit to travel from sender to receiver. Fiber optic cables have low latency.

The final phase where the incident and response are reviewed to improve future preparation and processes.

A collection of commands and functions that are used to extend the base language.

All learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competences within a personal, civic, social and/or employment-related perspective.

A two-lead semiconductor light source.

The probability or frequency of a specified threat successfully exploiting a vulnerability.

A statistical model that uses a straight line to describe the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables.

A simple algorithm that sequentially checks each element of a list until the target value is found or the list is exhausted.

A linear data structure where elements are not stored at contiguous memory locations. Each element is a separate object, called a node, which contains a value and a pointer to the next node in the list.

A data structure that holds a collection of values in a particular order

A programming structure that repeats a sequence of instructions set number of times or as long as a specific condition is true. [Tech Terms]

Machine learning is a field of Artificial Intelligence that uses inputs and outputs to create computer models that teaches a computer to have intelligence.

Any activity on a network or system that is unauthorized, harmful, or violates security policies (e.g., port scanning, unauthorized file transfers, denial-of-service attempts).

Any type of software that is designed to intentionally harm or damage a computer or network.

The rules or technical controls that the policy requires be implemented or followed.

Communities and individuals who are systemically excluded from full participation in social, economic, educational, and cultural life due to their identity or background including women and non-binary people, Indigenous and Native peoples, Black people, Latinx, English language learners, students with disabilities, students who are neurodivergent, students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and students who live in urban and rural areas.

mastery: Demonstrating thorough knowledge and skills based on the learning outcomes delineated in standards.

mastery learning: An educational approach in which teachers set consistent instructional goals, differentiate learning activities, administer formative assessments and offer feedback on learning progress, and support students in filling in gaps.

The requirement that humans retain a sufficient level of authority and oversight in the decision-making process of an AI system, especially in high-stakes scenarios.

The process of combining changes from one branch into another.

To combine two or more datasets based on a common identifier.

A situation that arises when two different changesets (contributions) try to modify the same line of code in different ways, requiring human intervention to resolve.

Data that provides information about other data (e.g., the source, creation date, author, or collection methodology of a dataset).

A quantifiable measure used to track and assess a process. Examples include assesses a website (i.e. retention rate, click-through rate, and session length) or a model’s performance (e.g., accuracy, R-squared).

The everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership.

A small computer on a single integrated circuit that contains a processor core, memory, and programmable input/output peripherals.

false or inaccurate information, especially that which is deliberately intended to deceive. Updated definition, April 2025 – false information spread unintentionally (DISA)

Refers to data values that are not stored for a variable in the observation of interest. It is a common problem in real-world datasets. It is often represented as null or NaN (Not a Number).

The process of reducing the severity or risk of a threat.

A plan or action designed to reduce the probability or impact of a risk or vulnerability.

The selection of a specific machine learning model or algorithm to analyze data and make predictions.

The number and type of features, parameters, and algorithms used in an AI model.

A measure of how well a machine learning model accomplishes its intended task.

Methods used to create a simplified representation of a system or process to make predictions or understand relationships, such as linear regression or decision trees.

A software component or part of a program that contains one or more procedures. One or more independently developed modules make up a program.

Observing the flow of data across a network (e.g., using netstat or a packet sniffer) to identify unusual connections, open ports, or data leaks.

AI systems composed of multiple interacting, intelligent agents that cooperate or compete to achieve individual or common goals (e.g., drone swarms, trading bots).

The order in which events, scenes, and story elements unfold within a game.

A situation in which no player can improve their payoff by changing their strategy alone, assuming all other players keep their strategies the same.

A command-line utility that displays network connections, routing tables, and network interface statistics.

A group of computing devices (personal computers, phones, servers, switches, routers, etc.) connected by cables or wireless media for the exchange of information and resources.

A failure of two or more devices to properly communicate over a network.

A set of rules and guidelines for exchanging data between devices on a network.

Dividing a computer network into smaller sub-networks (segments) to improve performance and limit the scope of potential security incidents.

The physical or logical arrangement of the elements and connections (links, nodes, etc.) of a computer network (e.g., bus, star, mesh, ring).

The process of monitoring, reviewing, and analyzing network communications for the purpose of troubleshooting, performance tuning, or security surveillance.

Physical devices used to connect computers or other electronic devices to a network (e.g., routers, switches, firewalls, access points).

An algorithm structure inspired by the human brain, composed of interconnected layers of nodes (neurons) that are used for both generative and discriminative tasks, especially in complex areas like image and text analysis.

A data structure that appears in a linked list

Any character in a game that is not controlled by a human player.

Individuals who use computational systems but lack specialized knowledge of how they work, such as organizational leadership, general employees, or the public.

A data transformation technique that scales numerical feature values to a standard range (e.g., between 0 and 1) without distorting differences in the ranges of values.

An object is a variable of a data type that is user defined. Every object has a state and a behavior.

The use of technology (including AI) to disrupt, deny, degrade, or deceive an adversary’s systems.

A scheme used to represent categorical variables as binary vectors, where one element is ‘hot’ (1) and all others are ‘cold’ (0).

A conceptual framework used to describe the function of a networking system, often used as a troubleshooting guide.

Can be completed in more than one way, and having more than one right answer, solution, or outcome.

Open-ended tasks can take the form of statements, questions, projects or teaching methods. Different learners may use different types of thinking, and there are no predetermined correct outcomes.

Anything of value to an organization, including data, hardware, software, intellectual property, and reputation.

A deficiency in a company’s policies, procedures, physical security, or training that creates an exploitable entry point for an attacker.

The final result of the game determined by the strategies selected by each player.

Data points that stray away from the given pattern can impact the line of best fit, causing the accuracy of the model to decrease

The result or information produced by a computer system, such as displaying text on a screen or saving data to a file.

A phenomenon where an AI model learns the training data too well, including the noise and outliers, which negatively affects its ability to generalize to new data.

The unit of data sent over an internet network. For example, a single image accessed on the internet is broken up into multiple packets when sent from the server to the user.

The act of capturing data packets passing over a computer network, often used maliciously to steal unencrypted credentials or data.

A method in which multiple calculations are carried out simultaneously, often on a GPU.

A special kind of variable used in a procedure to refer to one of the pieces of data received as input by the procedure. [MDESE, 2016]

A set of security standards designed to ensure that all companies that accept, process, store, or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment.

The results or rewards a player receives based on the combination of strategies chosen by all players, often shown as numerical values.

CS content knowledge combined with instructional best-practices that acknowledge typical gaps and pitfalls in student understanding and practice.

See also technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK).

The art, science, or profession of teaching; the field of study that deals mainly with methods of teaching and learning in schools.

Devices that can be connected to a computer or microcontroller to expand its capabilities (e.g., screens, keypads, memory cards).

A social engineering technique where an attacker uses digital (email), voice (phone), and SMS (text) based attempts to fraudulently acquire sensitive information by disguising as a trustworthy entity.

The study, design and creation of interactive physical systems that can sense and respond to the physical world. This involves the use of software and hardware components like sensors, actuators, and microcontrollers.

Security measures that protect physical access to computing assets (e.g., locks, fences, surveillance cameras).

Images are made up of pixels, which are essentially a grid of values. Each value, or pixel, encodes the color at that position in the image.

how a player acts in a game, including their choices and interactions.

the feelings a player has while engaging with a game.

A broad term encompassing all aspects of a player’s interaction with a game, including its controls, interface, aesthetics, and narrative.

the reasons why a player engages with a game.

The individuals, groups, or entities that make decisions in a game.

A socially constructed system in which members of an identity group maintain participation in this group even as they belong to a larger cultural group.

Educational pluralism is when students can leverage aspects of their cultural background as assets for learning and sustain those assets throughout their schooling.

An officially accepted set of rules or ideas about what should be done

The magnitude of harm that could result if a threat exploits a vulnerability (often assessed against the CIA triad).

The ability of individuals or groups to influence or control others’ behavior and outcomes, which can be distributed unequally within a society.

The behaviors that computationally literate students use to fully engage with the core concepts of computer science.

CS practices include: (1) Fostering an Inclusive Computing Culture, (2) Collaborating Around Computing, (3) Communicating About Computing, (4) Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems, (5) Developing and Using Abstractions, (6) Creating Computational Artifacts, and (7) Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts. Four of the practices (#3, #4, #5, and #6) comprise aspects of computational thinking (CT).

In standards and curricula, concepts and practices are integrated to provide complete experiences for students engaging in computer science.

The education and training provided to student teachers before they have undertaken any teaching (i.e. teachers who are not yet credentialed).

Precision generally is a measurement of how exact, consistent, and highly detailed something is. It can refer more specifically to the degree to which repeated measurements under unchanged conditions show the same results (consistency) or the total number of digits that appear before and after the decimal point in a floating-point number..

An estimate of a future outcome based on a model’s analysis of historical data.

An AI feature that uses real-time analysis to predict and highlight potential syntax or logic errors before the code is even compiled or executed.

A type of algorithm that uses data to make predictions about future events or outcomes. The model outputs a continuous numerical value (e.g., temperature, price).

Types of social engineering attacks that rely on creating a fabricated scenario (pretexting), offering something desirable (baiting), or following an authorized person into a restricted area (tailgating).

The right of individuals to control the collection and use of their personal data. In AI privacy is often protected through techniques like data anonymization and minimization.

Measures taken to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure.

The advantage or immunity, and related influence, that is granted or available only to a particular person or group.

Privilege and power in computer science may include that of knowledge, experience, ability, age, education, race or ethnicity, positional authority, and social or economic advantage. People often do not recognize their own privilege and power. Teachers should recognize that they have the power to influence students’ CS identities and trajectories.

An independent code module that fulfills some concrete task and is referenced within a larger body of program code. The fundamental role of a procedure is to offer a single point of reference for some small goal or task that the developer or programmer can trigger by invoking the procedure itself. [Techopedia]

Written records that formally describe the steps, procedures, and rationale for a specific activity, such as vulnerability management or asset inventory.

The process of continuously maintaining and enhancing the knowledge, skills, and effectiveness related to one’s professional activities following completion of formal teacher preparation.

Ongoing professional development (PD) is important for all CS teachers to continuously refine their knowledge and skills in content, pedagogy, and inclusive instruction and to keep pace with the rapidly evolving discipline. Ongoing PD includes: (1) focused workshops or sessions, (2) professional learning communities or structured collaboration with peers, and (3) instructional coaching.

Because CS teachers enter the field from many different areas of specialization and their preparation varies significantly, they require different PD. Teachers should self-assess their strengths and identify areas for growth to create a targeted professional development plan aligned to current priorities.

Understanding one’s self-concept as a teacher, one’s personal biases, and one’s place as part of a larger CS education community (locally, statewide, and nationally).

Teachers cultivate and strengthen their professional identity as they refine their professional craft through ongoing professional development.

A group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students. The PLC may meet virtually or in-person, locally, or more globally.

Industry-accepted standards and procedures for handling security issues, often including defined timelines (e.g., 30, 60, or 90 days), clear communication channels, and legal compliance.

noun: A set of instructions that the computer executes to achieve a particular objective. [MDESE, 2016]
program
verb: To produce a program by programming.

The overall process of planning, creating, and managing a software project from its initial idea to its final release.

The specific outcomes or questions that a project aims to achieve or answer.

The process of planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring a project to completion.

A set of principles, tools, and processes used to plan, execute, monitor and control the work of a team to achieve specific goals within defined timeframes and budgets (e.g., Scrum, Kanban).”

A chronological sequence of planned events or tasks that need to be accomplished within a defined time frame.

The likelihood of a project’s success, considering factors like its feasibility, sustainability, and potential for positive or negative impact.

The systematic effort to manipulate other people’s beliefs, attitudes, or actions by means of symbols (words, gestures, banners, monuments, music, clothing, insignia, hairstyles, designs on coins and postage stamps, and so forth).

A set of rules or procedures that governs the transmission of data between devices on a network. In order for computers to exchange information, there must be a preexisting agreement as to how the information will be structured and how each side will send and receive it.

A conceptual model and set of rules for how computers communicate in a network, broken down into layers (e.g., Application, Transport, Internet, Link).

An early approximation of a final product or information system, often built for demonstration or testing purposes. [TechTarget, Techopedia]

The creation of an early or simplified version of a product or feature to explore ideas, test user interactions, and gather feedback. Prototypes may range from rough sketches to basic digital implementations.

The principle that related items should be grouped together.

A set of steps that uses the structural conventions of programming but is intended for human reading.

A state of being for a work when its intellectual property rights have expired or been forfeited, making it available for public use.

A mechanism in version control (e.g., GitHub, GitLab) that allows developers to notify team members that a new set of changes is ready for review and integration. This allows for code review before merging.

The policy section that states the reason for the policy and what assets, systems, or groups it applies to.

Non-numerical data from sources like interviews, surveys, and open-ended feedback, which describes player feelings and opinions.

Data that represents a measurable or countable quantity that is represented numerically, such as a person’s height, a car’s speed, the number of errors, or the time it takes for a process to complete.

A linear data structure that follows the First-In, First-Out (FIFO) principle. This is like a line of people waiting—the first person in line is the first to be served.

A socially constructed system of categorizing humans largely based on observable physical features (phenotypes) such as skin color and ancestry. There is no scientific basis for or discernible distinction between racial categories.

A situation when a device or system has two or more operations running at the same time that must be completed in proper sequence.

The systematic fair treatment of people of all races that results in equitable opportunities and outcomes for everyone. All people are able to achieve their full potential in life, regardless of race, ethnicity, or the community in which they live. Racial justice or racial equity goes beyond “anti-racism.” It’s not just about what we are against, but also what we are for.

The ability and practice of reading (awareness), recasting (stress management), and resolving (challenging and advocating) racially stressful encounters through the use of behavioral techniques including journaling, role-play, and debate.

The limits within which a sensor is intended to measure accurately.

The underlying reason or justification for a particular decision or action.

The ease with which a reader can understand a written text.

Defining problems, breaking them down into parts, and evaluating each part to determine whether a computational solution is appropriate.

One of the seven CS practices in the K-12 CS Framework.

A type of forecasting system that predicts a user’s preference for an item to suggest relevant products, media, or other content.

A single entry in a database table.

A system design in which a component is duplicated, so if it fails, there will be a backup. [TechTarget]

The process of improving a computational artifact by optimizing its performance, reliability, and maintainability after it has been functionally developed.

The consistency of a system or measure. A reliable measure produces similar results under consistent conditions, preferably meeting or exceeding its requirements.

The process of creating something new from something old. Originally a process that involved music, remixing involves creating a new version of a program by recombining and modifying parts of existing programs, and often adding new pieces, to form new solutions. [Kafai & Burke, 2014]

The process of operating a system or device from a distant location.

The process of debugging a program running on a separate machine or process from the one running the debugger.

The process of observing a system or device from a distant location.

The process of generating a 2D or 3D image from a model or a scene.

A central location where all the files for a project are stored, including all version history.

A passive electrical component that limits or regulates the flow of electrical current in a circuit.

The time it takes for a sensor to settle to a certain percentage (e.g., 90%) of its final output value after a sudden change in the input.

An ethical approach to sharing information about a discovered security vulnerability, where the finder works with the vendor/owner to fix the issue before publicly releasing details.

Teachers who thoughtfully and intentionally include and support all students and adjust their instruction based on students’ assets, needs, interests, and culture, as well as formative and summative feedback.

A web design approach that makes web pages render well on a variety of devices and window or screen sizes.

To change the layout or shape of a dataset.

The process of determining the significance of a risk by measuring the combination of the probability of an event and its consequence (impact).

The process of reducing the exposure to or the negative effects of a security risk.

Actions taken to reduce the probability of a risk occurring or to reduce its impact.

An approach to restricting system access to authorized users based on their role within an organization.

Clear delineation of which individuals or groups (e.g., IT staff, end users, management) are accountable for specific actions defined in the policy.

A device or software that forwards data packets between different computer networks and performs traffic direction functions including determining the path that data packets travel from source to destination.

Measures, procedures, or design choices built into an AI system to prevent unintended harm, bias, or misuse and to ensure compliance with ethical principles.