Using Journals to Assess Non-STEM Student Learning in STEM Courses: A Case Study in Cybersecurity Education

Abstract

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University offers a \ minor course of study in cybersecurity as an option in \ our undergraduate Homeland Security program. \ Since the students are, by and large, social scientists, \ the focus of the program is to build hyper-awareness \ of how cybersecurity integrates within their \ professional aspirations rather than to provide \ cybersecurity career-level proficiency. Assessing \ student learning of the technical aspects cannot be \ performed using traditional tests, as they would not \ properly measure what the students are learning in a \ practical sense. Instead, we employ journals and self-reflection \ to ask the students to express and \ demonstrate their learning. Although somewhat \ harder to grade, the journals have huge benefits to \ the learning environment as well as to actual \ learning.