Examining Pedagogy in Cybersecurity at Military Academies

军事院校网络安全考试教学法（EPIC）项目将调查和评估美国海军学院（USNA）和美国军事学院（USMA）第一年网络安全课程（FYCC）的网络安全教学和学习方式。USNA和USMA向所有一年级学生教授网络安全，每年约有2，100名学生。这些机构提供了一个理想的多元化学生群体，否则他们可能对网络安全不感兴趣。因此，这一人群提供了一个独特的机会，以更好地了解如何教所有学生网络安全概念。该项目的第一个目标是研究传统教学方法和模拟教学方法在前南斯拉夫青年合作委员会教学中的相对功效。第二个目标是发展一个来自军事院校的网络安全教官社区，通过适应基于模拟的教学实践，以改善FYCC的教学和学习为中心。EPIC项目将加强我们未来军事领导人的网络安全准备，并改善所有人的网络安全教育，包括那些参加非军事机构的人，从而加强国家整体安全。该项目将对从三年一年级学生中抽取的不同人群进行大规模（6，300多名受试者）准实验研究。这个庞大的，多样化的研究人群允许深入研究如何基于模拟的教学影响不同的学生群体。它还允许探索可能的学生表现变化或基于人口统计的评估工具中可能存在的偏见。在第一年，该项目将研究USNA和USMA的大约30名教师目前如何在他们的FYCC中教授网络安全。在第二年，该项目将向FYCC介绍基于模拟的学习练习和学习方法，并评估其有效性。在第三年，该项目将利用评价数据修订新采用的练习和方法，并评估其有效性。该项目将免费提供所有教育材料，包括虚拟机。该项目将使用，调整，修改和改进现有的材料，由USNA和USMA的教师进行，并得到跨学科研究团队和UMBC冠军网络防御团队成员的支持。研究方法将包括课堂观察，访谈，学生接受D，F或退出（DFW等级率）的百分比，问卷调查和概念库存-特别是网络安全概念库存。该项目得到了安全和值得信赖的网络空间（SaTC）计划的支持，该计划为解决网络安全和隐私问题的提案提供资金，在这种情况下，特别是网络安全教育。SATC计划与联邦网络安全研究和发展战略计划和国家隐私研究战略保持一致，以保护和维护网络系统日益增长的社会和经济效益，同时确保安全和隐私。该奖项反映了NSF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。

The Examining Pedagogy in Cybersecurity (EPIC) at Military Academies project will investigate and assess how cybersecurity is taught and learned in first-year cybersecurity courses (FYCCs) at the United States Naval Academy (USNA) and United States Military Academy (USMA). USNA and USMA teach cybersecurity to all first-year students, approximately 2,100 students per year. These institutions provide an ideal population of diverse students who otherwise might not be interested in cybersecurity. As a result this population presents a unique opportunity to understand better how to teach all students cybersecurity concepts. The first goal of the project will examine the relative efficacy of traditional and simulation-based instructional approaches for teaching in FYCCs. The second goal is to develop a community of cybersecurity instructors from the military academies centered on improving teaching and learning in FYCCs by adapting simulation-based teaching practices. The EPIC project will enhance the cybersecurity preparation of our future military leaders and improve cybersecurity education for all, including those attending non-military institutions, thus strengthening national security overall.The project will conduct a large-scale (6,300+ subjects) quasi-experimental study of a diverse population of students drawn from three years of cohorts of first-year students. This large, diverse study population permits a deep examination of how simulation-based pedagogies affect different student populations. It also permits the exploration of possible student performance variations or possible bias in the assessment tools based on demographics. In year one, the project will study how the approximately 30 instructors at USNA and USMA currently teach cybersecurity in their FYCCs. In year two, the project will introduce simulation-based learning exercises and pedagogies to the FYCCs and assess their effectiveness. In year three, the project will use evaluative data to revise the newly introduced exercises and pedagogies and assess their effectiveness. The project will make all educational materials freely available, including virtual machines. The project will use, adapt, modify, and improve existing materials, carried out by instructors at USNA and USMA, supported by the interdisciplinary research team and UMBC's championship cyberdefense team members. Research methods will include classroom observations, interviews, the percentage of students receiving a D, F, or withdrawing (DFW grade rates), questionnaires, and concept inventories---especially the Cybersecurity Concept Inventory. This project is supported by the Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) program, which funds proposals that address cybersecurity and privacy, and in this case specifically cybersecurity education. The SaTC program aligns with the Federal Cybersecurity Research and Development Strategic Plan and the National Privacy Research Strategy to protect and preserve the growing social and economic benefits of cyber systems while ensuring security and privacy.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.