Students find hand drawing helpful for privacy and security projects
Collaborative Hand Drawing to Conceptualize Usable Privacy and Security Research Problems: Students' Perspectives (Extended Version)
Human-Computer InteractionCryptography and SecurityComputers and Society
Summary
Students worked together using hand drawings to come up with ideas about privacy and security topics for their computer security class. Most of them liked the drawing activity because it helped them think better and was fun. They also thought this drawing method would be useful in other classes involving computer interaction and networking. A few students worried about not being good at drawing. The authors share these views to help teachers improve how they teach privacy and security.
What this means in practice
- •For curriculum designers: Design computer security courses that include collaborative hand drawing to enhance student engagement and conceptual understanding.
- •For training coordinators: Incorporate hand drawing exercises into professional development programs on privacy and security to improve problem conceptualization.
Authors
Eman Alashwali, Joud Alraimi, Maryam Almaghrabi
Abstract
In this paper, we explore students' perspectives on incorporating hand drawing to conceptualize usable privacy and security research problems. We surveyed 64 female students who participated in an in-class collaborative hand drawing activity to conceptualize usable privacy and security research problems as part of a group-based student research project on usable privacy and security in an information and computer security course for undergraduate students. Our survey responses suggest that students perceived the drawing exercise positively. That is, they found it helpful in several aspects, enjoyable, and they recommend it to other students taking the course. The students also said that they would like to have such an exercise in other courses, such as Principles of Human-Computer Interaction and Fundamentals of Data Networks. Only three students mentioned downsides of the exercise, namely doubts about their drawing skills. Our results provide useful insights for educators seeking to enhance the student learning experience.