The president’s proposals are part of what the White House calls “SOTU Spoilers,” a series of announcements that preview Mr. Obama’s State of the Union address, which he is scheduled to deliver to a joint session of Congress on Jan. 20.

Image President Obama delivered a speech in Tennessee on Friday. Credit... Jabin Botsford/The New York Times

Presidents typically keep State of the Union proposals secret until the last minute, hoping to maximize the political power of the speech. But the White House decided to reverse that strategy, rolling out proposals in the hope of building momentum for the address.

“I wanted to give you a little preview,” Mr. Obama told an audience on Friday in Knoxville, Tenn., where he unveiled a plan to make the first two years of community college free for all students. “Don’t tell anybody I said this. I’m giving you the inside scoop.”

In recent days, Mr. Obama also discussed the recovery of the auto industry in Detroit and announced housing proposals during a speech in Phoenix. Officials said he would unveil his high-tech proposals in remarks next week at the Federal Trade Commission and the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center. Mr. Obama will also travel to Iowa, where he will discuss access to high-speed broadband.

Concern about cybersecurity and safety has increased after the recent hack on Sony Pictures, which the United States government says was the work of the North Korean government. Mr. Obama has tried for three years to persuade Congress to pass a cybersecurity bill, and administration officials hope that the severity of the Sony attack and the hacking of retailers like Home Depot and Target will change the political dynamic. But businesses are still wary of new federal requirements, and Mr. Obama now faces a Congress controlled by Republicans who are skeptical of his proposals.