Enhancing Undergraduate Cybersecurity Education using a Mission-Based Learning Model

该项目旨在通过加强本科网络安全教育，并让大学生掌握满足网络安全工作人员需求所需的技术和认知技能，来服务于国家利益。该项目使用基于证据的方法，派遣学生小组执行课堂任务，以解决当代的网络安全问题。基于任务的学习提高了学生的参与度，并有助于提高在网络安全工作人员中应用网络安全原则所需的技术、解决问题、元认知和人际交往技能。随着学生完成任务，他们将学习网络安全理论以及网络犯罪分子识别和利用漏洞的方法。这些任务还将为学生提供发展个人和团队工作所需技能的机会。学生将进行研究，并学习像网络罪犯一样思考，以更好地理解对抗做法，并发展应对这些做法所需的防御技能。网络安全任务的教案将为其他有意通过在网络安全课程中采用任务型学习来转变教学方法的教师提供蓝图。该项目将通过引入任务型学习模式并评估其作为网络安全学习方法的有效性，来增进我们对网络安全教育的认识和理解。该项目团队将为现有计算机科学课程中的一系列任务开发教师和学生的教案材料。将招募计算机科学专业的大四本科生或研究生，并对其进行培训，以在执行任务期间为学生提供指导。该项目旨在回答以下研究问题：基于任务的学习如何在学生的成就、能力和态度方面改善网络安全教育？这个项目将增进我们对使用对抗做法教授网络安全的优点和缺点的理解，并将帮助教员设计利用对抗做法的网络安全教材。为了扩大该项目的影响，将通过出版物、网站和研讨会向国家网络安全界传播课程计划。NSF IUSE：EHR计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生的STEM教育的有效性。通过参与式学生学习路径，该计划支持创建、探索和实施有前途的实践和工具。该项目的共同资助由安全和值得信赖的网络空间(SATC)计划提供，因为该项目的目标与该资助机会的教育轨道的总体目标一致。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project aims to serve the national interest by enhancing undergraduate cybersecurity education and equipping college students with the technical and cognitive skills that are needed to satisfy the needs of the cybersecurity workforce. This project uses an evidence-based approach in which student teams are sent on classroom missions to solve contemporary cybersecurity problems. Mission-based learning increases student engagement and helps to improve the technical, problem-solving, metacognitive, and interpersonal skills that are needed to apply cybersecurity principles in the cybersecurity workforce. As students complete their missions, they learn cybersecurity theories and the approaches cybercriminals take to identify and exploit vulnerabilities. The missions will also provide students with an opportunity to develop the skills required to work individually and in teams. Students will conduct research and learn to think like cybercriminals to better understand adversarial practices and to develop the defensive skills required to respond to these practices. The lesson plans for the cybersecurity missions will serve as a blueprint for other instructors interested in transforming their teaching approach by adopting mission-based learning into their cybersecurity programs.This project will advance our knowledge and understanding of cybersecurity education, by introducing the mission-based learning model, and evaluating its effectiveness as a learning method in cybersecurity. The project team will develop instructor and student lesson plan materials for a set of missions in an existing computer science course. Senior undergraduate or graduate computer science students will be recruited and trained to serve as coaches for students during their missions. The project aims to answer the following research question: how does mission-based learning improve cybersecurity education with respect to student achievement, competency, and attitude? This project will advance our understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of using adversarial practices to teach cybersecurity and will help instructors to design cybersecurity educational materials that utilize the adversarial practice approach. To extend the impact of this project, the lesson plans will be disseminated to the national cybersecurity community through publications, websites, and workshops. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools. Co-funding for this project is being provided by the Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) Program because the goals of the project align with the overall aims of the education track of that funding opportunity.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.