Excellence in Research: Teaching Problem-Solving and Deductive Skills to K-12 Students Through a Forensics Course Based on Mobile Devices

Jackson State University, Jackson MS

Investigators

Abstract

Malicious and criminal acts occur every day using technologies such as mobile phones. There is a shortage of trained, workforce-ready forensics analysts who are skilled and knowledgeable of smartphone use, cybercrimes, and mobile cybersecurity. This project explores an organizing structure to conduct forensic analysis of mobile phones to address the gap between proliferation of crimes using smartphones as tools and preparation of skilled analysts to address such crimes. The investigator will test several research questions to explore models to isolate user actions such as file deletions and modifications. The resulting process and framework will be independent of model and type of phone. This investigator and senior personnel will also implement a summer camp for middle school students, grades 6- 8, and will develop a course in mobile digital forensics for undergraduate students. The project focuses on enhancing an existing process model, Platform Independent Process Model (PIFPM), as a framework for analysis of smartphones, regardless of make or model. Experiments are proposed to resolve functionality by contrast, comparing operating systems, state changes via file paths, and classifying degrees of contamination using statistical models. A Mobile Device Forensics Detective Camp will be developed as a joint effort between Jackson State University and the Jackson Public Schools district, with a focus on middle school grades 6-8. Undergraduate research assistants will participate in a Near-Peer mentoring joint program between the university and the school district during the summer camp. A course will be developed for junior- and senior-level undergraduates in the curriculum. The evaluation plan includes tracking computer science majors at JSU in terms of the impact of the activities on increases of underrepresented students, especially women. Additionally, a logical model is provided that aligns inputs and activities with impacts on middle school students? perceptions of computer science, computer engineering, and electrical engineering, as well as performance on selected metrics from the school system. 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.