Journal of Engineering Education Transformations

Abstract

The course on Information Security deals with the processes and tools for protecting sensitive digital data from disruption, modification and destruction in cyber space. This course is offered as a programme core during the third year of study in the undergraduate curriculum of various engineering programmes such as Computer Science and Engineering and Information Technology. The demand for graduating engineers with the technical skills to detect, respond to, and prevent cyberattacks is at an all-time high. Having understood the potential job market for Cyber Security Professionals, the syllabus of the Information Security course at Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai has been carefully designed in collaboration with industrial experts. The course also provides the necessary foundation for certification exams like Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and for pursuing a master’s degree with specialization in Information Security. Because of pandemic, the course has to be delivered in online mode with no compromise in quality. A wide variety of simulation tools, programming assignments, active and collaborative learning techniques, Problem based Learning have been included in the instructional design to create an effective online learning environment. Exclusive rubrics were created for assessing teamwork, ethics and communication. The paper presents a detailed impact analysis of the customized instructional design in improving the attainment of learning outcomes, student engagement and satisfaction. The experimental study has been carried out in a student group of 138 members from the undergraduate programme on Information Technology at our institute in the academic year 2020-21. Adoption of multiple teaching learning strategies has shown significant improvement in the performance of learners in continuous assessment tests and terminal examinations. The satisfaction index of the learners analysed from course end surveys and informal feedback and is found to be significantly high.

Keywords— Active Learning; Collaborative Learning; Information Security; Higher Order Thinking Skills; Learning Outcome Attainment; Student Engagemen