Using Workflow Technology to Create Scenario-based Workflows for Information Security Education

Abstract

Teaching information security courses is technically challenging. In an information security course, students and instructors often end up struggling in low-level and complicated software installation, system setup, service configuration, command operations, and data manipulation while losing concentration in learning the important information security principles. To help students in information security courses learn information security principles more effectively and efficiently, we used the workflow technology to create scenario-based workflows in order to improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning of several key information security principles and techniques. Two case studies simulating real-life scenarios, including one for an online banking system and one for an online grading system, are recreated within a laboratory setting using workflow technology and are then presented in information security classes. Our educational practice shows that the benefits of using workflow technology in information security education have been well received by students.