A Federation University teacher has hacked his course to attract more students to study cyber security.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
With an estimated 10,000 cyber security experts needed in Australia between now and 2030 to help protect computer networks, Dr Adam Bignold has redesigned his course to cater for the large proportion of neurodiverse students signing up, and students of all ages looking to make a career or change careers into the rapidly growing sector.
Dr Bignold has taken the principles of vocational trades education, including more hands-on learning as seen when training plumbers and electricians and working on industry-based tasks, to redesign the Certificate IV in Cyber Security.
While the proportion of neurodiverse students in the general university population is around 9.5 per cent, in the cyber security course it is around 30 per cent.
Recognising that some students faced challenges with traditional assessments, Dr Bignold removed long written assignments, reduced the emphasis on knowledge-only assessments and shifted toward using more problem-based learning which is a more suitable learning style for many neurodiverse students.
"Rather than sitting and doing a quiz or writing essays and going in to a lot of research like you might see in a typical university, we take a task you would do in industry and do it in the classroom on the exact same equipment," Dr Bignold said.
"We are training hackers. When we usually think of hackers people think of something quite dark, of people in it to steal ... but in our classroom hackers see a problem as a challenge to overcome or find joy in trying solution after solution until we find something that works.
"We are trying to find a solution and need to be agile because in hacking or cyber security you need to respond quite quickly to threats and it can take time to find an optimal solution or you can hack together a solution."
At the same time, to increase flexibility for all students, the course was redesigned to include evening classes, an option whether to learn from home or in the classroom on any given day.
The changes have resulted in a diverse group of students ranging in age from 16 to in their 60s including people returning to the workforce after a long absence, tradies looking for a career change, retirees, more women, and workers balancing jobs and study.
"We tell students every day when they wake up they can make the choice to come in to the classroom or study online. They don't have to tell us," Dr Bignold said. "It means they can work around their schedule and needs. What we found was attendance in the classroom went up when we gave them the option of being online."
The changes are proving a success, with Federation University teams tasting success in international hacking competitions and Dr Bignold named Federation TAFE Teacher/Trainer of the Year at the 2024 Federation TAFE Awards for Excellence.
For student Samuel Finch, the new approach and the flexibility of the online and face-to-face learning options of the course have made the world of difference.
He is looking forward to graduating mid-year - something that might not have been possible for him in a traditional course.
"I'm a carer for my partner and I've got my own health and mental health issues. If it were not for the flexibility this course provides, I don't think I would have been able to return to education," Mr Finch said.
"Around November last year I got quite unwell and following standard education I wouldn't have been able to finish the course without having to defer ... which ends up kind of destroying the routine and schedule. Whereas I was able to attend the course from home and when I physically couldn't the recordings were available.
"As someone on the autism spectrum, ADHD and a mix of other things, the course has been engaging and respectful."
He said if he was struggling at any point, he could take a step away and refocus.
The course also allows students to further expand their skills with extra certificates and credentials they can study.
"I could have just sat there and cruised through the course material easily but ... you can pursue hundreds of additional certifications," Mr Finch said.
"I've done 15 additional certificates from different companies who specialise in particular things."
He has also taken part in international hacking competitions, including one in the past month where the team came 15th and was the highest ranking team in Australia.
After his experience with the course, Mr Finch is keen to help teach others the intricacies of cyber security.
"I want to go back in and teach others what I have been taught to give back to that amazing community that Fed has developed. I've enrolled in a teaching certificate as such to return back to TAFE and I'd like to do some research or Masters in cyber security."
