SaTC: EDU: Microlessons to Build Readiness in the Cybersecurity Workforce

Sri International, Menlo Park CA

Investigators

Abstract

Cyber threats to U.S. businesses and governments challenge both national security and industry competitiveness. Better solutions are needed for training the cybersecurity professionals who protect these networks, particularly the mid-career professionals who lack the time and resources to take courses. This research will develop and test the feasibility of using a smartphone application to deliver concise learning content, microlessons, in a user-tailored, coherent, and flexible way to support workplace learning about new cyber threats and ethical hacking procedures. This work advances learning scientists' understanding about the curriculum design processes required to convert long-form, technical lesson content into brief lessons and quizzes designed for self-directed adult learners. It also contributes to computer scientists' methods of using artificial intelligence to track learners' progress and make recommendations on the next steps in the learning process. The research will have three main phases. First, researchers will select and transform existing online cybersecurity learning materials used in community college certification programs into a collection of 1- to 4-minute microlessons. The researchers will organize the content, ensure it is consistent with industry standards, and provide in-app badges. Researchers will also create set of intelligent lesson recommendations that guide learners through the reasoning that hackers use to stage attacks and that defenders use to detect, diagnose, monitor, and mitigate attacks. Lesson recommendations will adjust according to each learner's needs, existing knowledge, and past experience. Second, the research will deliver a test set of microlesson sequences on a smartphone platform called PERLS (Pervasive Learning System). This initial set of lessons will include between 200 and 350 different microlessons, quizzes, self-reflections on learning, and guided hands-on experiences with cybersecurity tools, as well as intelligent, personalized content recommendations. Third, the research will culminate with a pilot test of the prototype with up to 15 working professionals seeking to update their cybersecurity skills. This pilot will track tool usage frequency and learning progress as measured through quizzes and learners' self-reflections. The results will be shared through cybersecurity education and professional associations. 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.