Reinvigorating Information Technology Education with Cybersecurity

与洛斯阿拉莫斯国家实验室、洛斯阿拉莫斯县和其他雇主合作，新墨西哥大学洛斯阿拉莫斯分校正在建立一个强大的为期两年的网络安全项目，该项目既为该地区的雇主增加了高技能技术人员的数量，又为现有工人提供了再培训和认证的机会。在这个项目中，研究人员正在调整由网络安全教育联盟（CSEC）开发的网络安全课程，该联盟是NSF ATE的卓越中心。活动包括：*提供丰富的实习及课堂实践经验，加深学生对复杂资讯科技系统及其保安需求的认识；*为高中毕业生和大学生提供进入IT行业的渠道；*透过“夺旗挑战赛”及小型科技工作坊等活动，激发学生对资讯科技及网络安全的兴趣；*创造从两年制课程到四年制课程的无缝转学机会；*为现有资讯科技人员提供机会，提升他们在网络安全方面的技能及取得认证；并为两年制大学教师和高中技术教师提供专业发展。为了提高保留率，该项目通过职业发展促进者、重新设计的导师中心和公平意识项目来强调学生的支持。为了更好地接触拉美裔和美洲原住民学生，该项目正在利用与这些选区相关的教育组织的联系，并向这些学生展示当地的工作机会，使他们能够与家人保持密切联系。该项目的其他特点包括将解决问题的技能与实践项目结合起来，为学生准备工作做好准备，建立一个成功的实习/合作项目，用智能课堂技术扩展和丰富在线组件，并测试小型机构共享课程的安排。调查人员正在与新墨西哥州的合作社区学院分享项目设计、课程和可持续性概念，并通过联合研讨会帮助培训社区学院合作伙伴和高中教师的课程和实践活动。

In partnership with Los Alamos National Lab, Los Alamos County, and other employers, the University of New Mexico-Los Alamos is building a robust two-year cybersecurity program that both increases the number of highly-skilled technicians for the region's employers and provides opportunities for retraining and certifying existing workers. For this program, the investigators are adapting cybersecurity curricula developed by the Cyber Security Education Consortium (CSEC), an NSF ATE center of excellence. Activities include:* providing rich internship and hands-on classroom experiences that deepen students' understanding of complex IT systems and their security needs;* creating a pipeline to IT careers for high school graduates and college students;* exciting students' interest in IT and cybersecurity through events such as a "Capture the Flag" challenge and mini-technology workshops;* creating seamless transfer opportunities from the two-year program to four-year programs;* providing opportunities for existing IT workers to build their skills and achieve certifications in cybersecurity; and* providing professional development for two-year college faculty and high school technology teachers.To improve retention, the project is emphasizing student support through a career development facilitator, a redesigned Tutor Center, and an equity awareness program. To reach Hispanic and Native American students better, the project is utilizing contacts with educational organizations tied to those constituencies and showing those students local job opportunities that allow them to stay close to family.Other features of the project include integrating problem-solving skills with hands-on projects to prepare students for the workplace, establishing a successful internship/co-op program, expanding and enriching online components with smart-classroom technologies, and testing an arrangement for small institutions to share courses.The investigators are sharing the program design, curriculum, and sustainability concepts with partner community colleges across New Mexico, and helping train both community college partners and high school teachers in the curriculum and hands-on activities through combined workshops.