Increasing Students Awareness of Mobile Privacy and Security Using Modules

Abstract

Mobile devices are fast becoming the dominant computing platform for an increasing number of people. Indeed millions of people are using their mobile phones as the main way to access the internet and social and entertainment media. This surge in mobile devices usage has been accompanied by an increase in malware specifically designed to infect mobile devices. From an educational standpoint, it is then becoming imperative to inform students about the risks and threats of mobile devices, not only as users but also as developers of mobile software. However, the Computer Science and other IT related disciplines are suffering from an overcrowding of their respective curricula with an ever increasing number of topics and courses that need to be covered within a limited amount of time. A possible solution to this issue is the use of teaching modules. Modular teaching provides a framework in which new skills can be introduced with little time commitment on the part of the student and the instructor alike. It is also ideal for introducing subjects that are important to know and could fit within different subjects. This paper presents an experience in modular teaching of mobile security and privacy. Two modules have been designed and presented to two cohorts of students n=14, n=10 and learning assessed through tests and surveys. Results show that the modular approach is indeed beneficial in filling students’ knowledge gaps in mobile security and that interleaving hands-on activities with instructional material can yield better retention and understanding of the topic.

Keywords

• Computing Education,Mobile Devices,Mobile and Wireless Security,Web Applications Security,Privacy

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