Digital Technology

Merit Badge Workbook

This workbook can help you but you still need to read the merit badge pamphlet.
This Workbook can help you organize your thoughts as you prepare to meet with your merit badge counselor
Merit Badge Counselors may not require the use of this or any similar workbooks.
You still must satisfy your counselor that you can demonstrate each skill and have learned the information.
You should use the work space provided for each requirement to keep track of which requirements have been completed,
and to make notes for discussing the item with your counselor, not for providing full and complete answers.
If a requirement says that you must take an action using words such as "discuss", "show",
"tell", "explain", "demonstrate", "identify", etc, that is what you must do.
No one may add or subtract from the official requirements found on Scouting.org/meritbadges/.
The requirements were last revised on January 1, 2024 • This workbook was updated in January 2024.

Scout’s Name: ___________________________ Unit ____________________________________ Date Started _______________________

Counselor’s Name: _______________________ Phone No.: ______________________________ Email: ____________________________

Please submit errors, omissions, comments or suggestions about this workbook to: [email protected]
Comments or suggestions for changes to the requirements for the merit badge should be sent to: [email protected]

 1. View the Personal Safety Awareness "Digital Safety" video (with your parent or guardian's permission).
 2. Do the following:
 a. Give a brief history of the changes in digital technology over time.

 Discuss with your counselor how digital technology in your lifetime compares with that of your parent’s,
grandparent’s, or other adult’s lifetime.

 b. Describe what kinds of computers or devices you imagine might be available when you are an adult.

Workbook © Copyright 2024 - U.S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. - All Rights Reserved
Requirements © Copyright, Boy Scouts of America (Used with permission.)
This workbook may be reproduced and used locally by Scouts and Scouters for purposes consistent with the programs of the Boy
Scouts of America (BSA), the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) or other Scouting and Guiding Organizations.
However it may NOT be used or reproduced for electronic redistribution or for commercial or other non-Scouting purposes without
the express permission of the U. S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. (USSSP).
Digital Technology Scout's Name: ________________________

3. Do the following:
 a. Explain to your counselor how text, sound, and pictures are digitized for storage.
Text

Sound

Pictures

 b. Describe the difference between lossy and lossless data compression, and give an example where each might be
used.
Lossy

Example:
Lossless

Example:
 c. Describe two digital devices and how they are made more useful by their programming.
1.

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Digital Technology Scout's Name: ________________________

2.

 d. Discuss the similarities and differences between computers, mobile devices, and gaming consoles.
similarities differences
Computers

Mobile
devices

Gaming
consoles

Digital Technology - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 3 of 11

Digital Technology Scout's Name: ________________________

 e Explain what a computer network is and the difference between a local area network (LAN) versus a wide area
network (WAN)

The difference between a local area network (LAN) versus a wide area network (WAN)
LAN

WAN

4. Do the following:
a. Explain what a program or software application or "app" is and how a computer uses a CPU and memory to execute
it.

 b. Name four software programs or mobile apps you or your family use, and explain how each one helps you.
1.

Digital Technology - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 4 of 11

Digital Technology Scout's Name: ________________________

2.

3.

4..

 c. Describe what malware is, and explain how to protect your digital devices and the information stored on them.

5. Do the following:
 a. Describe how at least two different ways data can be transferred through the internet.
`1

 b. Using an internet search engine (with your parent or guardian's permission), find ideas from at least three different
websites about how to conduct a troop court of honor or campfire program. Present the ideas to your counselor, and
explain how you used a search engine to find this information.

Digital Technology - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 5 of 11

Digital Technology Scout's Name: ________________________

 c. Use a Web browser to connect to an HTTPS (secure) website (with your parent’s permission).
 Explain to your counselor how to tell whether the site’s security certificate can be trusted, and what it means to use
this kind of connection.

6. Do THREE of the following. For each project you complete, copy the files to a backup device and share the finished
projects with your counselor.
 a. Using a spreadsheet or database program, develop a food budget for a patrol weekend campout OR create a troop
roster that includes the name, rank, patrol, and telephone number of each Scout. Show your counselor that you can
sort the roster by each of the following categories: rank, patrol, and alphabetically by name.
 b. Using a word processor, write a draft letter to the parents of your troop’s Scouts, inviting them to a troop event.
 c. Using a graphics program, design and draw a campsite plan for your troop OR create a flier for an upcoming troop
event, incorporating text and some type of visual such as a photograph or an illustration.
 d. Using a presentation software program, develop a report about a topic approved by your counselor. For your
presentation, create at least five slides, with each one incorporating text and some type of visual such as a
photograph or an illustration.
 e. Using a digital device, take a picture of a troop activity. Send or transfer this image to a device where it can be
shared with your counselor.
 f. Make a digital recording of your voice, transfer the file to a different device, and have your counselor play back the
recording.
 g. Create a blog and use it as an online journal of your Scouting activities, including group discussions and meetings,
campouts, and other events. Include at least five entries and two photographs or illustrations. Share your blog with
your counselor. You need not post the blog to the Internet; however, if you choose to go live with your blog, you
must first share it with your parents AND counselor AND get their approval.
 h. Create a Web page for your troop, patrol, school, or place of worship. Include at least three articles and two
photographs or illustrations. Include at least one link to a website of interest to your audience. You need not post the
page to the Internet; however, if you decide to do so, you must first share the Web page with your parents AND
counselor AND get their approval.

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Digital Technology Scout's Name: ________________________

7. Do the following:
 a. Explain to your counselor each of these protections and why they exist: copyright, patents, trademarks, trade
secrets.
What they do Why they exist
Copyright

Patents

Trademarks

Trade
secrets

 b. Explain when it is permissible to accept a free copy of a program from a friend.

Digital Technology - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 7 of 11

Digital Technology Scout's Name: ________________________

 c. Discuss with your counselor an article or (with your parent of guardian's permission) a report on the internet about a
recent legal case involving an intellectual property dispute.

8. Do TWO of the following:

 a. Describe why it is important to properly dispose of digital technology.

 List at least three dangerous chemicals that could be used to create digital devices or used inside a digital device.
1.
2.
3.
 b. Explain to your counselor what is required to become a certified recycler of digital technology hardware or devices.

 c. Do an Internet search for an organization that collects discarded digital technology hardware or devices for
repurposing or recycling. Find out what happens to that waste. Share with your counselor what you found.

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Digital Technology Scout's Name: ________________________

 d. Visit a recycling center that disposes of digital technology hardware or devices. Find out what happens to that waste.
Share what you learned with your counselor.

 e. Find a battery recycling center near you and find out what it does to recycle batteries. Share what you have learned
with your counselor about the proper methods for recycling batteries.

9. Do ONE of the following:

 a. Investigate three career opportunities that involve digital technology
1.
2.
3.
 Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession.
Career:
Education:

Training:,

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Digital Technology Scout's Name: ________________________

Experience:

 Discuss this with your counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you. Report what you learn to your
counselor.

 b. Visit a business or an industrial facility that uses digital technology.

 Describe four ways digital technology is being used there.

1.

2.

3.

4.

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Digital Technology Scout's Name: ________________________

 Share what you learned with your counselor.

When working on merit badges, Scouts and Scouters should be aware of some vital information in the current edition of
the Guide to Advancement (BSA publication 33088). Important excerpts from that publication can be downloaded from
http://usscouts.org/advance/docs/GTA-Excerpts-meritbadges.pdf.
You can download a complete copy of the Guide to Advancement from http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/33088.pdf.

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