Local Educators Become Cybersecurity Students as Part of University's Unique Program

Laura Brown '27 M.S. stands in front of a group of her fellow educators, leading them in an exercise in which she used pennies bring a cybersecurity concept to life. She was leading a lesson as part of the University's GenCyber Teacher Academy, a program in which last year she was among the educators who were students for the week.

A diligent student, Brown took more than 20 pages of notes when she attended the University's inaugural GenCyber Teacher Academy last summer. The program was so impactful for Brown that she has now officially become a student again herself. She is a candidate in the University's graduate program in computer science. She's bringing what she's learning in the classroom into her own, as she is a mathematics and computer science teacher at Joel Barlow High School in Redding, Conn., where she teaches all of the school's computer science classes.

A self-taught programmer and coder, she was excited to return to GenCyber Teacher Academy and to connect with other educators who share her passion for computer science and cybersecurity education. So, when Mehdi Mekni, Ph.D., the program director, asked her to speak to this year's cohort, she readily agreed.

"Networking at the academy has been great," said Brown, who has been teaching for 15 years and was named her district's teacher of the year this past academic year. "It's been a lot of fun. We all love teaching and learning, and we do both here. This is an opportunity to share as much as we can. All professional development should be like this. Anyone would be lucky to be here."

The GenCyber Teacher Academy enables more than two dozen high school teachers, particularly those with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) backgrounds, to learn how to apply cybersecurity concepts in their classrooms. Designed to be inclusive, the academy does not require educators to have prior knowledge of cybersecurity or computing.

Dr. Sonia Mitchell, an educator with Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership in Springfield, Mass., says that although she does not have a cybersecurity background, she did not find the program to be at all overwhelming. She was excited to receive the schedule in advance, and she says she felt prepared for each day. She's looking forward to bringing what she's learned to her students.

"My student population is diverse – we have many students of color, and many will become first-generation college students," she explains. "Getting more students who look like me who don't know about opportunities in the tech space to see these opportunities is critical. I can use this training to create more courses for them, and this is very helpful."

Funded by a grant from the National Security Agency (NSA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and GenCyber, the academy is offered to educators free of charge. Participants receive lesson plans, a stipend, and a Chromebook. Dr. Mekni is excited to have seen the program grow over the past year, and to have witnessed the profound impact it has had on educators.

"In 2023, the GenCyber Teacher Academy embarked on a trailblazing journey, expanding its reach beyond Connecticut to welcome high school teachers from the entire Northeast region," he said. "This second year witnessed a groundbreaking transformation with the introduction of gamification in education, as well as empowering educators through two revised modules: Internet of Strings and Social Engineering.

"Amidst the realm of cybersecurity-focused professional development, participants enthusiastically praised the academy's inclusive learning environment, fostering collaboration, and diversity of thought," he continued. "The unwavering commitment to excellence was evident in the design and delivery of the program, inspiring educators to elevate their pedagogical skills."

As part of the program, educators perused a variety of important and pertinent topics, including Python, cryptography, and social engineering. The exercises enabled them to collaborate as they applied what they'd learned.

For Dr. Anne Pember '02 M.S., a curriculum coordinator for Area Cooperative Educational Services (ACES), the academy was a great way for her to develop ideas that would support a new ACES program and to enhance the courses offered to students.

"We need to be cutting-edge, and this was invigorating," she said. "I was telling my friends and family about it. It absolutely exceeded my expectations. I already have people to recommend for next year."

Educators had the opportunity to learn from the University's talented faculty, including Liberty Page, M.S., and Mohamed Nassar, Ph.D. The academy also included presentations by several guest speakers, including University faculty and staff, as well as cybersecurity and education professionals.

Abayomi Wilson, department head of information systems technology at Windham Technical High School in Willimantic, Conn., says he was grateful for the opportunity to learn from other educators and professionals. His students, he's confident, will also benefit.

"The University faculty have been great," he said. "They are a human resource, like having mentors. We touched on many important topics, and it's a great program. It's been very informative, and very intense with lots of learning. They've done a great job."

John Zito, department head of information systems technology at E.C. Goodwin Technical High School in New Britain, Conn., says he learned a variety of new skills and concepts that he will bring to his own students. He hopes they might also continue their education at the University.

"We get top students at my school, those who can take advantage of the many opportunities in this field," he said. "I've enjoyed each unit, and I especially want to incorporate the hands-on lessons we did."

The collaboration and connections the academy fostered did not end with the weeklong program. Even when educators return to their respective schools, they remain connected to each other and to their instructors. The program creates a supportive network for educators. They will meet online and build a community, uniting for follow-up sessions, as well as to share how they've applied what they learned in the program to their teaching, what has worked well, and the challenges they've faced.

Brown, the computer science teacher and graduate student, says the connections have already been invaluable for her, and she's grateful she and her fellow educators have this support.

"I was excited to be back and to help build a network of teachers who will support each other," she said. "This will, ultimately, help give high school students what they need."

Dr. Mekni is focused on continuing to enhance cybersecurity education for teachers and students. He's already looking forward to next year's program, including the GenCyber Student Academy for high school students, which have both already been funded for next summer.

"We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the funding agencies GenCyber, NSA, and NSF for their unwavering trust and support," he said. "Thanks to their partnership, the GenCyber Teacher Academy will forge ahead to host not just one, but two camps in 2024 – one exclusively for teachers and the other tailored for students. Together, we shall continue nurturing the next generation of cybersecurity leaders and pioneers, securing a brighter digital future for all."