Cybersecurity Opportunities and Methods that Promote Access and Student Success

为了满足当前对网络安全专业人员的需求，必须为更多不同人群提供获得网络安全证书和学位的机会，从而形成更加多样化的劳动力。佛罗里达州迈阿密戴德学院的网络安全机会和方法促进了访问和学生成功项目旨在通过增加进入网络安全劳动力的学生的多样性来满足这一需求。该项目旨在(1)提高对学习方法及其对代表性不足的学生的保留和完成的影响的理解和证据基础；(2)通过参与课程开发提高行业参与度；(3)增加基于能力的夏令营的知识基础，从而获得行业认证并继续学习网络安全相关的学位课程；(4)增加网络安全项目中代表性不足学生的招聘、保留和完成情况；(5)增加获得大学学分证书和/或网络安全AS的学生就业人数；(6)创建双招生途径，留住高中到两年制大学的网络安全专业学生。该项目将为整个迈阿密戴德学院系统中服务不足的人群分享最佳教学实践；与周围的学校系统；通过国家网络观察中心；以及全国各地的其他机构，包括现有的和新兴的西班牙裔服务机构，少数族裔服务机构。以及历史上的黑人学院和大学。该项目将调整和评估通过ATE国家网络安全中心、网络观察和其他ATE项目开发的材料和方法。它旨在增加完成国家批准的一年制大学学分证书（CCC）和两年制网络安全理学副学士学位的学生的数量和多样性。总体目标是为跨越两个关键教育过渡阶段（高中到大学和大学到劳动力）的无缝管道创造基础。该项目旨在通过实施和评估以下目标来实现这一目标：(1)建设大学教师和高中教师提供相关和最新网络安全教育的能力；(2)将教学方法整合到网络安全课程中，这些教学方法已被证明可以有效地吸引和留住不同的学生；(3)通过双入学机会、能力驱动的新兵训练营和证书课程，为网络安全学位课程创造途径。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

To meet the current need for cybersecurity professionals, opportunities for more diverse populations to obtain cybersecurity credentials and degrees must be available, leading to a more diverse workforce. The Cybersecurity Opportunities and Methods that Promote Access and Student Success project at Miami Dade College in Florida aims to meet this need by increasing the diversity of students entering the cybersecurity workforce. The project aims to (1) improve the understanding and evidence base regarding learning approaches and their impact on retention and completion of underrepresented students; (2) improve industry engagement through involvement with curriculum development; (3) increase the knowledge base on the effects of competency-based summer camps that result in industry-certification and continuation into a cybersecurity-related degree program of study; (4) increase recruitment, retention, and completion of underrepresented students in cybersecurity programs; (5) increase the number of students who complete a College Credit Certificate and/or an AS in cybersecurity who are employed in industry; and (6) create dual enrollment pathways that retain cybersecurity majors from high school to two-year colleges. The program will share pedagogical best-practices for underserved populations across the Miami Dade College system; with the surrounding school systems; via the National CyberWatch Center; and with other institutions across the nation, including existing and emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Minority-Serving Institutions. and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The project will adapt and evaluate materials and methods developed through the ATE National Center in Cybersecurity, CyberWatch, and other ATE projects. It aims to increase the number and diversity of students who complete a state approved one-year College Credit Certificate (CCC) and a two-year Associate in Science degree in cybersecurity. The overarching goal is to create the foundation for a seamless pipeline across two critical educational transitions: high school to college and college to workforce. The project aims to achieve this goal by implementing and evaluating the following objectives: (1) building the capacity of college faculty and high school teachers to provide relevant and up-to-date education in cybersecurity; (2) integrating instructional approaches into cybersecurity curriculum that have been shown to be effective in engaging and retaining diverse students; and (3) creating pathways into cybersecurity degree programs through dual-enrollment opportunities, a competency-driven boot camp, and certificate programs.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.