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

越来越多的证据表明，结合网络游戏和互动模拟等动手练习，可以提高学生对信息保障(IA)学习的兴趣，并增强他们的学习体验。网络游戏是一种互动性很强的动手练习，要求学生建立IT网络基础设施和服务，同时管理和防御现实的网络攻击。作为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州立大学(一所历史上的黑人院校)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。研讨会材料以成功经验为基础，并结合文献中报道的最佳实践，旨在满足六个主要目标：(I)以具有传统计算机科学背景、系统管理经验有限的教师为目标，(Ii)培养他们的教学能力，为学生提供网络游戏和互动模拟，(Iii)通过使用虚拟化技术将机构资源承诺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来吸引学生并激发他们的积极性，(V)通过建立学生对动手解决问题技能的信心来提高他们对学习IA研究的兴趣，以及(Vi)促进学生分组工作。研讨会参与者包括现任内务部教员或对在每个研讨会后的学年中介绍实践经验有浓厚兴趣并具有适当机构承诺的机构的教师。正在作出特别努力，将服务于代表性不足人群的机构的教职员工包括在内。

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.