The Importance of Computing Education Research

Interest in computer science is growing. As a result, computer science (CS) and related departments are experiencing an explosive increase in undergraduate enrollments and unprecedented demand from other disciplines for learning computing. According to the 2014 CRA Taulbee Survey, the number of undergraduates declaring a computing major at Ph.D. granting departments in the US has increased 60% from 2011-2014 and the number of degrees granted has increased by 34% from 2008-2013

The Importance of Computing Education Research

Interest in computer science is growing. As a result, computer science (CS) and related departments are experiencing an explosive increase in undergraduate enrollments and unprecedented demand from other disciplines for learning computing. According to the 2014 CRA Taulbee Survey, the number of undergraduates declaring a computing major at Ph.D. granting departments in the US has increased 60% from 2011-2014 and the number of degrees granted has increased by 34% from 2008-2013

The Importance of Computing Education Research

Interest in computer science is growing. As a result, computer science (CS) and related departments are experiencing an explosive increase in undergraduate enrollments and unprecedented demand from other disciplines for learning computing. According to the 2014 CRA Taulbee Survey, the number of undergraduates declaring a computing major at Ph.D. granting departments in the US has increased 60% from 2011-2014 and the number of degrees granted has increased by 34% from 2008-2013. However, this growth is not limited to higher education. New York City, San Francisco and Oakland public schools will soon be offering computer science to all students at all schools from preschool to 12th grade, although it will be an elective for high school students. This unprecedented demand means that CS departments are likely to teach not only more students in the coming decades, but more diverse students, with more varied backgrounds, motivations, preparations, and abilities. This growth is an unparalleled opportunity to expand the reach of computing education. However, this growth is also a unique research challenge, as we know very little about how best to teach our current students, let alone the students soon to arrive. The burgeoning field of Computing Education Research (CER) is positioned to address this challenge by answering research questions such as, how should we teach computer science, from programming to advanced principles, to a broader and more diverse audience? We argue that computer science departments should lead the way in establishing CER as a foundational research area of computer science, discovering the best ways to teach CS, and inventing the best technologies with which to teach it. This white paper provides a snapshot of the current state of CER and makes actionable recommendations for academic leaders to grow CER as a successful research area in their departments.Comment: A Computing Community Consortium (CCC) white paper, 12 page

Development and Evaluation of the Nebraska Assessment of Computing Knowledge

One way to increase the quality of computing education research is to increase the quality of the measurement tools that are available to researchers, especially measures of students’ knowledge and skills. This paper represents a step toward increasing the number of available thoroughly-evaluated tests that can be used in computing education research by evaluating the psychometric properties of a multiple-choice test designed to differentiate undergraduate students in terms of their mastery of foundational computing concepts. Classical test theory and item response theory analyses are reported and indicate that the test is a reliable, psychometrically-sound instrument suitable for research with undergraduate students. Limitations and the importance of using standardized measures of learning in education research are discussed

Cloud Computing based Learning Management System (CC-LMS) implementation model in Malaysia Higher Education Institutions

In the education arena, cloud computing is more apparent in technology to ensure the availability and sharing of resources through virtualization. Despite its attractiveness and benefits, the Higher Education Institution (HEIs) are still hesitant to implement cloud computing services due to insufficient details on issues and priorities in implementing cloud computing services. Therefore, this study aims to explore the potential benefits and obstacles of cloud computing in Learning Management System (LMS) and determine the key success factors of cloud computing implementation for LMS (CC-LMS) operations in HEIs. By synthesizing literature from various industries, this study proposes a conceptual model of Critical Success Factors (CSFs) based cloud computing implementation for HEIs. This framework was extracted from the various aspects of the industry and integrated into the Technological, Organizational, and Environmental (TOE) framework. The research methodology consists of rigorous data collection and quantitative and qualitative data analysis that allows for more substantive conclusions to enable viable CC-LMS operation. The Delphi technique was adapted to assist in the data collection and judgment process. The two-round Delphi survey has been conducted with 18 (1st round) and 13 (2nd round) cloud computing technology and LMS experts from local HEIs and service vendors to assist in the judgment process. This analysis resulted in a consensus after the second round of Delphi survey with the suggestions on the high importance of several factors in implementing a cloud computing system for LMS in HEIs. As a result, on the benefit of this technology, most participants agreed that this technology enhances the technology infrastructure and maintenance, which is synchronized with the main obstacle of CC-LMS implementation, poor infrastructure performance. Finally, the study is expected to provide HEIs decision-makers with a better understanding and guidelines of cloud computing implementation characteristics with the relevant perception of current services

Safe environments for innovation: developing a new multidisciplinary masters programme

This paper outlines the research and resulting curriculum design activities conducted as a collaborative venture between Northumbria University’s School of Design, School of Computing, Engineering and Information Sciences and Newcastle Business School undertaken in the creation of a new postgraduate programme in Multidisciplinary Design Innovation. With the area of multidisciplinary innovation education practice being comparatively new, the research conducted in support of the programme development was undertaken through a series of industry-linked pilot-study projects conducted with Philips, Hasbro, Lego and Unilever. The key finding from this research was an understanding of the importance of freeing students from different disciplines of the inhibitions that limit creativity in collaborative settings. This paper gives an account of the pilot studies and the associated learning derived from them, the collaborative development of the programme and approaches in curriculum and assessment design adopted in order to create what we call ‘safe environments for innovation’; environments designed to free students of these evident inhibitions

Towards a framework for the integration of information security into undergraduate computing curricula

Information is an important and valuable asset, in both our everyday lives and in various organisations. Information is subject to numerous threats, these can originate internally or externally to the organisation and could be accidental, intentional or caused by natural disasters. As an important organisational asset, information should be appropriately protected from threats and threat agents regardless of their origin. Organisational employees are, however, often cited as the “weakest link” in the attempt to protect organisational information systems and related information assets. Additionally to this, employees are one of the biggest and closest threat-agents to an organisation’s information systems and its security. Upon graduating, computing (Computer Science, Information Systems and Information Technology) graduates typically become organisational employees. Within organisations, computing graduates often take on roles and responsibilities that involve designing, developing, implementing, upgrading and maintaining the information systems that store, process and transmit organisational information assets. It is, therefore, important that these computing graduates possess the necessary information security skills, knowledge and understanding that could enable them to perform their roles and responsibilities in a secure manner. These information security skills, knowledge and understanding can be acquired through information security education obtained through a qualification that is offered at a higher education institution. At many higher education institutions where information security is taught, it is taught as a single, isolated module at the fourth year level of study. The problem with this is that some computing students do not advance to this level and many of those that do, do not elect information security as a module. This means that these students may graduate and be employed by organisations lacking the necessary information security skills, knowledge and understanding to perform their roles and responsibilities securely. Consequently, this could increase the number of employees who are the “weakest link” in securing organisational information systems and related information assets. The ACM, as a key role player that provides educational guidelines for the development of computing curricula, recommends that information security should be pervasively integrated into computing curricula. However, these guidelines and recommendations do not provide sufficient guidance on “how” computing educators can pervasively integrate information security into their modules. Therefore, the problem identified by this research is that “currently, no generally used framework exists to aid the pervasive integration of information security into undergraduate computing curricula”. The primary research objective of this study, therefore, is to develop a framework to aid the pervasive integration of information security into undergraduate computing curricula. In order to meet this objective, secondary objectives were met, namely: To develop an understanding of the importance of information security; to determine the importance of information security education as it relates to undergraduate computing curricula; and to determine computing educators’ perspectives on information security education in a South African context. Various research methods were used to achieve this study’s research objectives. These research methods included a literature review which was used to define and provide an in-depth discussion relating to the domain in which this study is contained, namely: information security and information security education. Furthermore, a survey which took the form of semi-structured interviews supported by a questionnaire, was used to elicit computing educators’ perspectives on information security education in a South African context. Argumentation was used to argue towards the proposed framework to aid the pervasive integration of information security into undergraduate computing curricula. In addition, modelling techniques were used to model the proposed framework and scenarios were used to demonstrate how a computing department could implement the proposed framework. Finally, elite interviews supported by a questionnaire were conducted to validate the proposed framework. It is envisaged that the proposed framework could assist computing departments and undergraduate computing educators in the integration of information security into their curricula. Furthermore, the pervasive integration of information security into undergraduate computing curricula could ensure that computing graduates exit higher education institutions possessing the necessary information security skills, knowledge and understanding to enable them to perform their roles and responsibilities securely. It is hoped that this could enable computing graduates to become a stronger link in securing organisational information systems and related assets

Researching the Impact of Cal Poly Classes on Computing Students Perceptions of Computer Ethics and Social Responsibility

The importance and impact of socio-technical systems are playing an increasing role in the education of computing students. Discussion of ethics and social responsibility has always been a tenant of computer science education; however, research has shown engineering and computer science students lose focus on these values over their engineering education. Cal Poly computing departments have taken steps to emphasize social responsibility and ethics through required and suggested courses. This project focuses on examining the values and beliefs of Cal Poly computing students, who were surveyed over Winter and Spring Quarters in 2022. This project is inspired by Dr. Cech’s work around disengagement in engineering education and her methods were used in this work to determine if Cal Poly computing students are disengaging from beliefs relating to social welfare and responsibly. The results of the survey of 71 Cal Poly computing students showed that overall Cal Poly students view beliefs relating to ethical and social responsibility as more important than engineering students from past research. Students perceived that the department viewed ethical and social issues as important, as well as their own personal views. It was found that students’ public welfare beliefs were higher farther along in their degree and students who had taken relevant classes also demonstrated higher public welfare beliefs. Demographic analysis did not reveal any relationship when studying students’ more general values outside of the engineering profession. This project demonstrates that the efforts the Cal Poly computing departments took have had a positive impact on student values. This work highlights how an intentional curriculum can have positive effects as well as discussing future areas of improvement

Reconceptualizing Knowledge Based Authentication for Augmented and Virtual Reality Contexts

Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) technology has advanced significantly in recent years, with recent applications in military, medicine, and education. Currently, most security artifacts utilized in AR/VR contexts are drawn from existing computing. These artifacts, however, were developed during the early ages of computing, to satisfy a completely different set of assumptions. In the context of AR/VR these assumptions have changed significantly. This research seeks to develop a general model of knowledge-based authentication (KBA). The model will be evaluated in the AR/VR context. This research will draw attention to the importance of considering security artifacts in the context for which they are being used, not for which they were originally developed. This work is expected to guide development of knowledge-based authentication in AR/VR, as well as provide guidance as future computing technologies are developed

Evaluating The Library Website Of The Indonesian Ministry Of Education And Culture Through The End-User Computing Satisfaction (EUCS) Model

This study aims to investigate the level of the use of the Ministry of Education and Culture Library website through the End User Computing Satisfaction (EUCS) model. This type of research is explanative with a quantitative approach. Data collection was carried out by distributing questionnaires to 99 users of the Ministry of Education Library who used the library website. This research questionnaire was tested for validity and reliability using Cronbach\u27s Alpha technique and IBM, SPSS, V25, software. The results show that user satisfaction using the Ministry of Education and Culture Library website can be considered as a good website. The average score of the Content dimension is 3.14, the Accuracy dimension is 3.07, the Format dimension is 3.17, the Ease of use dimension is 3.21, the Timeliness dimension is 3.05 and for user’s satisfaction is 3.04. These dimensions are on an interval scale of 2.52 - 3.27, thus it can be said that the website is good enough. This research recommends that the timeliness dimensions need to be improved in terms of quality to provide quick information for the users. Thus, the users will be satisfied with the website services provided by the Ministry of Education and Culture Library. Indeed, the importance of the library website should be measured and assessed periodically by using the Model End-User Computing Satisfaction to increase information services for users to develop national education