We conducted an observational study to document student misconceptions about cybersecurity using
thematic analysis of 25 think-aloud interviews. By understanding patterns in student misconceptions, we
provide a basis for developing rigorous evidence-based recommendations for improving teaching and
assessment methods in cybersecurity and inform future research. This study is the first to explore student
cognition and reasoning about cybersecurity. We interviewed students from three diverse institutions. During
these interviews, students grappled with security scenarios designed to probe their understanding of
cybersecurity, especially adversarial thinking. We analyzed student statements using a structured qualitative
method, novice-led paired thematic analysis, to document patterns in student misconceptions and
problematic reasoning that transcend institutions, scenarios, or demographics. Themes generated from this
analysis describe a taxonomy of misconceptions but not their causes or remedies. Four themes emerged:
overgeneralizations, conflated concepts, biases, and incorrect assumptions. Together, these themes reveal that
students generally failed to grasp the complexity and subtlety of possible vulnerabilities, threats, risks, and
mitigations, suggesting a need for instructional methods that engage students in reasoning about complex
scenarios with an adversarial mindset. These findings can guide teachers’ attention during instruction and
inform the development of cybersecurity assessment tools that enable cross-institutional assessments that
measure the effectiveness of pedagogies.
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How students reason about Cybersecurity concepts
Despite the documented need to train and
educate more cybersecurity professionals, we have little
rigorous evidence to inform educators on effective ways to
engage, educate, or retain cybersecurity students. To begin
addressing this gap in our knowledge, we are conducting a
series of think-aloud interviews with cybersecurity
students to study how students reason about core
cybersecurity concepts. We have recruited these students
from three diverse institutions: University of Maryland,
Baltimore County, Prince George’s Community College,
and Bowie State University. During these interviews,
students grapple with security scenarios designed to probe
student understanding of cybersecurity, especially
adversarial thinking. We are analyzing student statements
using a structured qualitative method, novice-led paired
thematic analysis, to document student misconceptions
and problematic reasonings. We intend to use these
findings to develop Cybersecurity Assessment Tools that
can help us assess the effectiveness of pedagogies. These
findings can also inform the development of curricula,
learning exercises, and other educational materials and
policies.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1819521
- PAR ID:
- 10110284
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- frontiers in education
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 1 to 5
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
-
Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Conference Paper:
- https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2016.7757363
