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A Review of Constructive Alignment in Information Security Educational Research

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Human Aspects of Information Security and Assurance (HAISA 2023)

Abstract

Cybersecurity is a growing concern in today’s digitally connected world. With the increasing reliance on technology, it is essential to develop effective educational interventions that enhance users’ knowledge and behaviour in both information security and cybersecurity. However, there is limited research on whether these interventions adhere to sound pedagogical approaches. This study evaluates the approaches taken when creating information security and cybersecurity educational interventions by analysing past Human Aspects of Information Security Assurance (HAISA) and World Information Security Education (WISE) papers from 2018 to 2022. A thematic content analysis was conducted to determine whether the papers from these conferences over the 5-year period considered any of the elements of constructive alignment when designing their interventions. The results reveal that the majority of studies focus primarily on learning activities and assessment tasks, rather than incorporating all elements of constructive alignment. Consequently, the positive outcomes on assessment tasks may not necessarily indicate that the intended learning outcomes have been addressed. This research highlights the importance of adopting sound pedagogical approaches in the design of information security and cybersecurity educational interventions to ensure that all intended learning outcomes are adequately addressed and measured before the learning process begins.

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Correspondence to Vuyolwethu Mdunyelwa .

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Mdunyelwa, V., Futcher, L., van Niekerk, J. (2023). A Review of Constructive Alignment in Information Security Educational Research. In: Furnell, S., Clarke, N. (eds) Human Aspects of Information Security and Assurance. HAISA 2023. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, vol 674. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38530-8_36

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-38530-8_36

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