The research teaching nexus in the computing disciplines: a comparative survey

Many institutions make claims in strategy documents and official publications that students will receive an education which is research-led, research-informed, or guided by the scholarship of teaching and learning. Academics who teach regularly experience at first-hand the sometimes conflicting demands of research, teaching and supporting learning. Curricula guidelines are unlikely to help in developing any sophisticated understanding of ways in which research and teaching can be symbiotically applied, since such guidelines most typically deal with the content rather than the educational process experienced by our undergraduates. For these reasons an academic’s understanding of the research teaching nexus is more likely to be informed by their own workaday experience of designing and delivering educational experiences than from an analysis of the students’ perspective. If academics in the computing disciplines are to effectively deliver on their institutional missions to be scholarly, research-led or research-informed in their educational approaches, a clearer understanding of the possible meanings and implications of these terms in the context of the typical computing curricula would be of assistance. This paper presents and analyses the results of a survey conducted at two Universities which sought to identify how far their undergraduate curriculum was informed by research. This data is presented alongside qualitative data gathered from academics which explores their attitudes towards, and understanding of, the various terms commonly used to describe a research-informed approach to education in the computing disciplines

An Investigation into the Impact of Formative Feedback on the Student Learning Experience

In recent years there have been a number of indications that there are issues with the provision of feedback to students in Higher Education, for example the National Student Surveys, 2005 – 2008 QAA Institutional Audit Reports showed low levels of satisfaction with the feedback that students received. . The aim of the research undertaken in this thesis was to explore the issues with feedback from the point of view of students, academics and institutions and to determine whether the provision of feedback to students in an Institute of Higher Education enhances the learning experience of those students, addressing the research question - can formative feedback enhance student achievement ? The purpose in carrying out the research in this thesis is to use the results from the research to inform and improve teaching practice in order to enhance student learning opportunities. The work is important for students, staff, and institutions. The research evidence from the literature suggests that “assessment for learning” and the provision of formative feedback enhances the student learning experience. The “assessment for learning” (AfL) approach is currently widely advocated in Higher Education. However, the quantitative data gathered for this thesis suggests the impact of the AfL approach is not as positive as is suggested by the AfL advocates. The evidence in this thesis indicates that despite the provision of feedback to students there is little indication that the student learning experience improves as a result. The quantitative analysis in this thesis compared student groups, over a three year period, who had experience of formative feedback and student groups who had not. The results, based on the summative assessment performance of the student groups, suggest despite the development of formative interventions and detailed formative feedback being provided to students there was little or no correlation between the provision of feedback and the enhancement of student learning. The qualitative findings from this thesis, based on pilot studies on the types of feedback students want and a series of focus groups, suggest that students want and expect feedback. They want feedback that they can understand and that they can use in their learning. However there are issues in the type of feedback that is given to students. The qualitative data indicates that there is a difference in perception between students and academic staff on what constitutes effective feedback. The difference is mainly around the understanding of the language used in the feedback but also the expectations of what to do with the feedback. Academics expect students to use the feedback in feedforward for future learning, but students are unsure as to what they should be doing with the feedback. The data gathered in this thesis suggests that students want to use feedback to enhance their generic academic skills rather than to “close the gap” on their subject knowledge and understanding. This finding conflicts with current AfL literature; conjectures about the discrepancy are explored. If formative feedback is to “close the gap” on student understanding students need to be encouraged to engage with the feedback and guided in how use the feedback to enhance their learning. For feedback to be valued by students the feedback needs to be high quality and be understandable. The findings from the case studies are used to make recommendations for changes in academic practice in the provision of feedback

Dark clouds on the horizon:the challenge of cloud forensics

We introduce the challenges to digital forensics introduced by the advent and adoption of technologies, such as encryption, secure networking, secure processors and anonymous routing. All potentially render current approaches to digital forensic investigation unusable. We explain how the Cloud, due to its global distribution and multi-jurisdictional nature, exacerbates these challenges. The latest developments in the computing milieu threaten a complete “evidence blackout” with severe implications for the detection, investigation and prosecution of cybercrime. In this paper, we review the current landscape of cloud-based forensics investigations. We posit a number of potential solutions. Cloud forensic difficulties can only be addressed if we acknowledge its socio-technological nature, and design solutions that address both human and technological dimensions. No firm conclusion is drawn; rather the objective is to present a position paper, which will stimulate debate in the area and move the discipline of digital cloud forensics forward. Thus, the paper concludes with an invitation to further informed debate on this issue

Problem Based Learning in Digital Forensics

The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the efforts of two universities to address the issue of providing computer forensics students with the opportunity to get involved in the practical aspects of forensic search and seizure procedures. The paper discusses the approaches undertaken by the University of Sunderland and the University of South Wales (Glamorgan) to give the students the opportunity to process a case from the crime scene through to the court room. In order to do this both institutions adopted a problem based learning (PBL) approach – to reflect real-world solutions and encourage students to work in groups to seek further knowledge and understanding of the various processes and procedures – in particular the steps around search and seizure of digital evidence from a crime scene. The PBL activities at Sunderland and Glamorgan were designed in order to help the students understand the processes of digital crime scene analysis and search and seizure procedures and to give them the opportunity to put into practice their digital forensics techniques. Both exercises were designed to give the opportunity to solve realistic problems using PBL, and to illustrate the inter-relationships between science, technology, and human activity as it applies to digital forensics, forensic science and the criminal justice system. The paper concludes with an evaluation of the exercises considering the impact they have had on student understanding and learning. Consideration is given to how the PBL activities can be disseminated and/or transferred to the wider community

PRECEPT:a framework for ethical digital forensics investigations

Purpose: Cyber-enabled crimes are on the increase, and law enforcement has had to expand many of their detecting activities into the digital domain. As such, the field of digital forensics has become far more sophisticated over the years and is now able to uncover even more evidence that can be used to support prosecution of cyber criminals in a court of law. Governments, too, have embraced the ability to track suspicious individuals in the online world. Forensics investigators are driven to gather data exhaustively, being under pressure to provide law enforcement with sufficient evidence to secure a conviction. Yet, there are concerns about the ethics and justice of untrammeled investigations on a number of levels. On an organizational level, unconstrained investigations could interfere with, and damage, the organization’s right to control the disclosure of their intellectual capital. On an individual level, those being investigated could easily have their legal privacy rights violated by forensics investigations. On a societal level, there might be a sense of injustice at the perceived inequality of current practice in this domain. This paper argues the need for a practical, ethically-grounded approach to digital forensic investigations, one that acknowledges and respects the privacy rights of individuals and the intellectual capital disclosure rights of organisations, as well as acknowledging the needs of law enforcement. We derive a set of ethical guidelines, then map these onto a forensics investigation framework. We subjected the framework to expert review in two stages, refining the framework after each stage. We conclude by proposing the refined ethically-grounded digital forensics investigation framework. Our treatise is primarily UK based, but the concepts presented here have international relevance and applicability.Design methodology: In this paper, the lens of justice theory is used to explore the tension that exists between the needs of digital forensic investigations into cybercrimes on the one hand, and, on the other, individuals’ rights to privacy and organizations’ rights to control intellectual capital disclosure.Findings: The investigation revealed a potential inequality between the practices of digital forensics investigators and the rights of other stakeholders. That being so, the need for a more ethically-informed approach to digital forensics investigations, as a remedy, is highlighted, and a framework proposed to provide this.Practical Implications: Our proposed ethically-informed framework for guiding digital forensics investigations suggest a way of re-establishing the equality of the stakeholders in this arena, and ensuring that the potential for a sense of injustice is reduced.Originality/value: Justice theory is used to highlight the difficulties in squaring the circle between the rights and expectations of all stakeholders in the digital forensics arena. The outcome is the forensics investigation guideline, PRECEpt: Privacy-Respecting EthiCal framEwork, which provides the basis for a re-aligning of the balance between the requirements and expectations of digital forensic investigators on the one hand, and individual and organizational expectations and rights, on the other

Aspects of Digital Forensics in South Africa

This paper explores the issues facing digital forensics in South Africa. It examines particular cyber threats and cyber threat levels for South Africa and the challenges in addressing the cybercrimes in the country through digital forensics. The paper paints a picture of the cy-bercrime threats facing South Africa and argues for the need to develop a skill base in digi-tal forensics in order to counter the threats through detection of cybercrime, by analyzing cybercrime reports, consideration of current legislation, and an analysis of computer foren-sics course provision in South African universities. The paper argues that there is a need to develop digital forensics skills in South Africa through university programs, in addition to associated training courses. The intention in this paper is to promote debate and discussion in order to identify the cyber threats to South Africa and to encourage the development of a framework to counter the threats – through legislation, high tech law enforcement structures and protocols, digital forensics education, digital forensics skills development, and a public and business awareness of cybercrime threats

PRECEPT: A Framework for Ethical Digital Forensics Investigations.

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.Cyber-enabled crimes are on the increase, and law enforcement has had to expand many of their detecting activities into the digital domain. As such, the field of digital forensics has become far more sophisticated over the years and is now able to uncover even more evidence that can be used to support prosecution of cyber criminals in a court of law. Governments, too, have embraced the ability to track suspicious individuals in the online world. Forensics investigators are driven to gather data exhaustively, being under pressure to provide law enforcement with sufficient evidence to secure a conviction. Yet, there are concerns about the ethics and justice of untrammeled investigations on a number of levels. On an organizational level, unconstrained investigations could interfere with, and damage, the organization’s right to control the disclosure of their intellectual capital. On an individual level, those being investigated could easily have their legal privacy rights violated by forensics investigations. On a societal level, there might be a sense of injustice at the perceived inequality of current practice in this domain. This paper argues the need for a practical, ethically-grounded approach to digital forensic investigations, one that acknowledges and respects the privacy rights of individuals and the intellectual capital disclosure rights of organisations, as well as acknowledging the needs of law enforcement. We derive a set of ethical guidelines, then map these onto a forensics investigation framework. We subjected the framework to expert review in two stages, refining the framework after each stage. We conclude by proposing the refined ethically-grounded digital forensics investigation framework. Our treatise is primarily UK based, but the concepts presented here have international relevance and applicability. In this paper, the lens of justice theory is used to explore the tension that exists between the needs of digital forensic investigations into cybercrimes on the one hand, and, on the other, individuals’ rights to privacy and organizations’ rights to control intellectual capital disclosure. The investigation revealed a potential inequality between the practices of digital forensics investigators and the rights of other stakeholders. That being so, the need for a more ethically-informed approach to digital forensics investigations, as a remedy, is highlighted, and a framework proposed to provide this. Our proposed ethically-informed framework for guiding digital forensics investigations suggest a way of re-establishing the equality of the stakeholders in this arena, and ensuring that the potential for a sense of injustice is reduced. Justice theory is used to highlight the difficulties in squaring the circle between the rights and expectations of all stakeholders in the digital forensics arena. The outcome is the forensics investigation guideline, PRECEpt: Privacy-Respecting EthiCal framEwork, which provides the basis for a re-aligning of the balance between the requirements and expectations of digital forensic investigators on the one hand, and individual and organizational expectations and rights, on the other

Gender Inequality in Cybersecurity: Exploring the Gender Gap in Opportunities and Progression

This paper considers the impact of gender in the cybersecurity industry. There is currently significant underrepresentation of females in the industry caused by low numbers of women entering the field and compounded by a high rate of women choosing to leave a highly male dominated work environment. The findings are based upon a quantitative study conducted by means of an online survey. The research considers the motivations, experiences and progression of those working within cybersecurity roles with a focus predominantly on the UK. The findings from the research indicate that computer security offers an interesting, exciting and challenging work environment, job security, and excellent opportunities for progression and development. Barriers remain for women though; despite the perception that anyone with the ‘right skills, knowledge and experience can work in cybersecurity’, it is clear that the respondents to this study feel that computer security is viewed as a ‘man’s job’ by wider society and by customers and clients and that there is perceived gender inequality in recruitment, opportunities and progression

Cybersecurity in the digital classroom:implications for emerging policy, pedagogy and practice

Recent cybersecurity education literature has focused on developments in cybersecurity curricula, qualifications and accreditation, pedagogy and practice to increase the number of cybersecurity professionals, in both the UK and internationally. There has been little research published to date on the online learning, teaching and assessment environment as a cyber target in its own right. This chapter appraised and discussed the dangers in, and emerging threats to, using online environments. It proposes a set of steps and mitigation measures that can be taken to make it more difficult for cybercriminals to attack educational institutions