Computer Network Security Teaching Tips

During the 15 weeks duration of the course, it is extremely difficult to teach either a 50-minutes or 75-minutes classes of highly technical material without giving students activity breaks. These activity breaks in my classes usually last between 5 – 10 minutes.

In each activity break, the instructor is encouraged to pick an issue of interest from the materials presented during that class period. Students break into small groups three to four and discuss the issue(s) raised by the lecture. Each group chooses a reader and another person who can write and read well. This person presents to the class the proceedings of the group discussion.

If there are several issues to be discussed, each group may be assigned a different issue. For getting differences of option and a variety of views on an issue, the instructor may assign each group the same issue.

Sometimes it is good to let students raise the issues and then get into groups and discuss those issues and then report to the whole class.

In order to involve every students including those who rarely speak in class, assign an issue(s) and let each student write his or her views. Then get them in groups. This approach is good in giving each student something to contribute instead of just listening to the most outspoken ones.

We found that students overwhelmingly liked these activity breaks.