Collaborative Project: Focused Faculty Development Workshop on Cyber Games and Interactive Simulations

越来越多的证据表明，结合动手练习，如网络游戏和互动模拟，可以提高学生对信息保障（IA）研究的兴趣，并提高他们的学习体验。网络游戏是一种高度互动的动手练习，要求学生在构建IT网络基础设施和服务的同时管理和防御现实的网络攻击。作为一项正在进行的合作的一部分，北卡罗来纳大学夏洛特分校和北卡罗来纳a&t州立大学（一所历史悠久的黑人大学）正在开发教师发展研讨会，参与者将学习如何将这些游戏和互动模拟融入他们的课堂。讲习班材料以成功的经验为基础，并纳入文献中报告的最佳做法，其设计目的是满足六个关键目标：(i)针对具有传统计算机科学背景但系统管理经验有限的教师；（ii）培养他们的教学能力，为学生提供网络游戏和交互式模拟；（iii）通过使用虚拟化技术将机构资源投入保持在可管理的水平；（iv）通过基于现实商业场景的挑战性练习吸引和激励学生。(v)通过培养学生动手解决问题的能力，提高他们对修读内部事务研究的兴趣；以及（vi）促进学生团队合作。研讨会的参与者包括现有的IA教师或来自有浓厚兴趣的机构的教师，并且在每个研讨会之后的学年中有适当的机构承诺介绍实践经验。正在作出特别努力，吸纳来自为代表性不足的人口服务的机构的教员。

Growing evidence indicates that incorporating hands-on exercises, such as cyber games and interactive simulations, increases student interest in Information Assurance (IA) studies and enhances their learning experience. Cyber games are highly interactive hands-on exercises in which students are asked to build IT network infrastructures and services while simultaneously managing and defending against realistic cyber attacks. As part of an ongoing collaboration, UNC Charlotte and NC A&T State University (an historically Black institution), are developing faculty development workshops where participants will learn how to incorporate these games and interactive simulations into their classes. The workshop materials, based on successful experiences as well as incorporating best practices reported in literature, are being designed to satisfy a six key objectives: (i) targeting faculty members with traditional Computer Science backgrounds with limited system administration experience, (ii) building their instructional capability to provide students with cyber games and interactive simulations, (iii) keeping institutional resource commitment at a manageable level through the use of virtualization techniques, (iv) engaging and motivating students through challenging exercises based on realistic business scenarios, (v) increasing student interests in pursing IA studies through building their confidence in hands-on problem solving skills, and (vi) promoting students to work in teams. Workshop participants include current IA faculty or those from institutions with a strong interest in, and with appropriate institutional commitment to introducing hands-on experiences during the academic year following each workshop. Special effort is being made to include faculty from institutions serving underrepresented populations.