SecKnitKit (Security Knitting Kit): Integrating Security into Traditional Computer Science Courses

Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville TN

Investigators

Abstract

The objective of this project is to improve the security literacy of undergraduate Computer Science (CS) students by exposing them to computer security concepts and issues in their regular course of study in CS. Faculty whose primary teaching/research focus is not security are provided support for integrating security topics into their traditional upper division CS courses and for delivering learning material through the use of a multi-faceted instructional support system: Security Knitting Kit (SecKnitKit). The goals of this project are to improve security awareness, knowledge and interest of undergraduate CS students; to improve security awareness and teaching expertise for non-security faculty; and to promote the use of security integration strategy and materials for traditional CS courses in other institutions. Development and deployment of SecKnitKit assists non-security faculty to seamlessly and effectively weave security topics into CS courses like software engineering, operating systems, networks, and database management system. The project offer professional development opportunities for twelve non-security faculty to use SecKnitKit for their CS courses at their institutions. The proposed project is based on recommendations from experts in the security education field and draws from CS pedagogy that includes the teaching experiences of the project team, and feedback and participation from project participants. Once institutionalized at TTU and other regional institutions, the proposed research can lead to follow-up collaborative research and adoption of the multi-faceted instructional support system at other higher education institutions.