ERIC Number: EJ1109647
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1055-3096
EISSN: N/A
Using Bloom's and Webb's Taxonomies to Integrate Emerging Cybersecurity Topics into a Computing Curriculum
Harris, Mark A.; Patten, Karen P.
Journal of Information Systems Education, v26 n3 p219-234 Sum 2015
Recent high profile hackings have cost companies millions of dollars resulting in an increasing priority to protect government and business data. Universities are under increased pressure to produce graduates with better security knowledge and skills, particularly emerging cybersecurity skills. Although accredited undergraduate computing programs recognize the need to solve this problem, these computing programs are constrained by accreditation standards and have limited ability to modify their curricula. This paper discusses a case study on how one Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredited undergraduate IT program created a strategy to continue to teach existing security-related topics as well as emerging cybersecurity topics within its IT curriculum without increasing credit requirements. The faculty developed an "IT Security-related and Cybersecurity Curriculum Taxonomy" to identify strategies to move security-related topics taught in the higher level courses to lower and intermediate courses. Thus emerging cybersecurity topics could be added to high-level courses. The faculty also created the "IT Student Learning (Security-related) Taxonomy" by combining "Bloom's Taxonomy's" six levels of thinking with Webb's "Depth of Knowledge Model." This student learning taxonomy enabled the faculty to review the student learning outcomes for each of the existing security-related core topics and develop new ones for the emerging cybersecurity topics. Challenges, benefits, and application of this strategy to other disciplines are discussed.
Descriptors: Taxonomy, Computer Security, Curriculum Development, Undergraduate Study, Computer Science Education, Case Studies, Accreditation (Institutions), Engineering Education, Technology Education, Information Technology, Educational Strategies, Educational Benefits, Curriculum Implementation
Journal of Information Systems Education. e-mail: editor@jise.org; Web site: http://www.jise.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A