Using Cybersecurity Body of Knowledge (CyBOK) Case Studies to Enhance Student Learning

One of the central aspects of specialization in modern software engineering is security engineering. With contemporary systems being networked and entrusted with mission-critical functionality, cybersecurity is an essential quality that must be developed into the system from the first moment. This comprises issues such as privacy, authentication, robustness against vulnerabilities, and hardness against external attacks. To do so, software engineering specialists with appreciation for the detailed intricacies of security engineering as well as broad experience are required. The Cybersecurity Body of Knowledge (CyBOK, [1]) has been developed to serve, among other uses, as an instructional reference for educators to prepare the next generation of security engineers in this respect. While the CyBOK describes the intricacies of security engineering in plentiful detail, it remains up to the instructor to convey this curriculum in a way that fosters understanding and forms experience as well as competencies in the learner. To aid the instructors who use the CyBOK, we have devised a library of 18 case studies that are specifically designed to target CyBOK knowledge areas. The case studies are sufficiently detailed to allow adoption with minimal overhead on the instructor. In this paper, we describe the case study mapping to the CyBOK, and classroom results of one exemplary case study, demonstrating improved understanding by students

ResearchFanshawe Magazine Issue 3

https://first.fanshawec.ca/researchfanshawemag/1002/thumbnail.jp

A Systematic Mapping Study of Code Quality in Education -- with Complete Bibliography

While functionality and correctness of code has traditionally been the main focus of computing educators, quality aspects of code are getting increasingly more attention. High-quality code contributes to the maintainability of software systems, and should therefore be a central aspect of computing education. We have conducted a systematic mapping study to give a broad overview of the research conducted in the field of code quality in an educational context. The study investigates paper characteristics, topics, research methods, and the targeted programming languages. We found 195 publications (1976-2022) on the topic in multiple databases, which we systematically coded to answer the research questions. This paper reports on the results and identifies developments, trends, and new opportunities for research in the field of code quality in computing education

Phrase-Verified Voting: Verifiable Low-Tech Remote Boardroom Voting: (How We Voted on Tenure & Promotion Cases during the Pandemic)

We present Phrase-Verified Voting, a voter-verifiable remote voting system assembled from commercial off-the-shelf software for small private elections. The system is transparent and enables each voter to verify that the tally includes their ballot selection without requiring any understanding of cryptography. This paper describes the system and its use in fall 2020, to vote remotely in promotion committees in a university. Each voter fills out a form in the cloud with their vote V (YES, NO, ABSTAIN) and a passphrase P-two words entered by the voter. The system generates a verification prompt of the (P,V) pairs and a tally of the votes, organized to help visualize how the votes add up. After the polls close, each voter verifies that this table lists their (P,V) pair and that the tally is computed correctly. The system is especially appropriate for any small group making sensitive decisions. Because the system would not prevent a coercer from demanding that their victim use a specified passphrase, it is not designed for applications where such malfeasance would be likely or go undetected. Results from 43 voters show that the system was well-accepted, performed effectively for its intended purpose, and introduced users to the concept of voter-verified elections. Compared to the commonly-used alternatives of paper ballots or voting by email, voters found the system easier to use, and that it provided greater privacy and outcome integrity

Introductory programming: a systematic literature review

As computing becomes a mainstream discipline embedded in the school curriculum and acts as an enabler for an increasing range of academic disciplines in higher education, the literature on introductory programming is growing. Although there have been several reviews that focus on specific aspects of introductory programming, there has been no broad overview of the literature exploring recent trends across the breadth of introductory programming. This paper is the report of an ITiCSE working group that conducted a systematic review in order to gain an overview of the introductory programming literature. Partitioning the literature into papers addressing the student, teaching, the curriculum, and assessment, we explore trends, highlight advances in knowledge over the past 15 years, and indicate possible directions for future research

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory FY1996 midyear self-evaluation

As stated in our mission, the Laboratory is concentrated on DOE`s environmental quality mission and the scientific research required to support that mission. The Laboratory also supports the energy resources and national security missions in areas where an overlap between our core competencies and DOE`s goals exists. Our intent for fiscal year l996 is to focus our efforts on the critical outcomes necessary for us to meet DOE`s needs. Six Critical Outcomes were established and substantial progress has been made against five of those outcomes during the first half of the fiscal year. A summary of progress and key issues is provided. The Critical Outcomes are: Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory; Environmental Management; Scientific Excellence and Productivity; ES&H/Conduct of Operations; Leadership; and Economic Development. The Laboratory has also made a significant commitment to the implementation of a fully integrated self-assessment program. Efforts during the first half of the fiscal year have been focused on developing an approach for the overall program and implementation in selected organizations. The approach is holistic and focuses assessment on activities important to the successful completion of our critical outcomes. Progress towards full implementation of the integrated assessment program is meeting expectations in general, but significant effort still needs to be applied to obtain effective implementation across the Laboratory and to ensure integration with the business planning process

A blended learning approach for teaching computer programming : design for large classes in Sub-Saharan Africa

The challenge of teaching programming in higher education is complicated by problems associated with large class teaching, a prevalent situation in many developing countries. This paper reports on an investigation into the use of a blended learning approach to teaching and learning of programming in a class of more than 200 students. A course and learning environment was designed by integrating constructivist learning models of Constructive Alignment, Conversational Framework and the Three- Stage Learning Model. Design science research is used for the course redesign and development of the learning environment, and action research is integrated to undertake participatory evaluation of the intervention. The action research involved the Students’ Approach to Learning survey, a comparative analysis of students’ performance, and qualitative data analysis of data gathered from various sources. The paper makes a theoretical contribution in presenting a design of a blended learning solution for large class teaching of programming grounded in constructivist learning theory and use of free and open source technologies.NORAD project of Hawassa University from the third phase of a Norwegian Government-supported project.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ncse20hb201

A Systematic Mapping Study of Code Quality in Education -- with Complete Bibliography

While functionality and correctness of code has traditionally been the main focus of computing educators, quality aspects of code are getting increasingly more attention. High-quality code contributes to the maintainability of software systems, and should therefore be a central aspect of computing education. We have conducted a systematic mapping study to give a broad overview of the research conducted in the field of code quality in an educational context. The study investigates paper characteristics, topics, research methods, and the targeted programming languages. We found 195 publications (1976-2022) on the topic in multiple databases, which we systematically coded to answer the research questions. This paper reports on the results and identifies developments, trends, and new opportunities for research in the field of code quality in computing education