UCF Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Course Assessment Report
CIS3360
Security in Computing
Spring 2017
CS Majors – CIS3360-R02
The following reports the course learning outcomes, expected performance criteria, mapping of the course outcomes to the program educational outcomes, assessment measures, assessment results, and reflective statements.
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1) Course outcome: CO-CIS3360-1 states that “70% of students will score at least 70% proficiency on homework assignments and test questions in CIS 3360 that address application of knowledge of mathematics to computer security applications.”
Performance criteria: 70% score or better on Exam 1 and Exam 2 where Exam 1 had 4 specific questions out of 12 questions focused on the applications of mathematics to computer security applications. Likewise, Exam 2 had 7 out of 7 questions that focused on the applications of mathematics to computer security applications.
Student outcomes addressed: SO-CS-01
Assessment measures: 70% of students with a passing score of 70% or higher for the course outcome.
Assessment result:
CIS3360-R02
CO-CIS3360-1 was measured for Spring 2017 semester among 118 students. 92 students met the threshold for passing this outcome, which represent78% of the students met the performance criteria.
In previous review cycleSpring 2016, 66% met the performance criteria, resulting in 12% gain. The resulting gain was due to more class time allotted for a matrix manipulation, modulus arithmetic, Euler’s totients, binary logic and bit manipulation. It should also be noted that this year’s sample size, 118, is much larger than last year’s sample size of 66, thereby leading to more confidence in this year’s performance.
Does this outcome assess change(s) designed to improve student learning, program quality, or unit performance in response to the previous year's assessment results? Yes
If yes, explain how this measure assesses a new change. If no, explain the reason why this measure does not do so: More time was spent on the details and theory behind the math in computer security. This was accomplished with an additional set of practice assignments and seems to indicate a marked improvement over last year.
Course Outcome CO-CIS3360-1 measuresStudent OutcomeSO-CS-01 which states that "all graduating CS majors shall be able to apply knowledge of computing and mathematics appropriate to the discipline; specifically to include the application of mathematics, science and engineering to solve and reason about computational problems."
Reflective statements about Student Outcome SO-CS-01 based on the data from Course Outcome CO-CIS3360-1:
RS-1. Successes:
ANS: The performance criteria were achieved for section CIS3360-R02 for course outcomeCO-CIS3360-1.
RS-2. Lessons Learned:
ANS: CO-CIS3360-1 is related to knowledge of computing and mathematics. The students seem to have benefitted from the additional practice assignments on modulus arithmetic, Euler’s totients, binary logic, matrix multiplication and bit manipulation.
RS-3. Proposed Improvements:
ANS: The next evaluation cycle will likely be problematic, as a new text has been selected. The first three sections, all delivered in Fall 2017, will be based on a new syllabus and may have additional or differing course outcomes. There will be, appropriately, new and different problem sets, some of which may not correlate with the suite of problem sets used in the past few years.
RS-4. Dependencies and Impact on Other Courses:
ANS: This course’s prerequisites are successful completion of COP 3223, Introduction to Programming with C, or EGN 3211, Engineering Analysis and Computation, or CET 2364, Systems Applications in C. This makes some aspects of additional programming problems as applied to computer security somewhat problematic.
RS-5. Overall Summary Statement (reflect on closing of the loop in assessment process)
ANS: The 12 % increase in meeting the criteria for CO-CIS3360-1 indicates additional practice assignments have a positive effect. Regardless of the text assigned in the coming year, additional practice leads to improved performance.
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Stretch target for 2017-2018:
For course outcome CO-CIS3360-1 (SO-CS-01), holding steady with a new text, problem sets, assignments, and exams will be a significant accomplishment.
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2) Course outcome: CO-CIS3360-2 states that “70% of students will achieve 70% or higher on embedded questions assigned in CIS 3360, Security in Computing, on issues regarding legal, ethical, and security issues.”
Performance criteria: 70% score on the Final exam questions relating to legal, ethical, and security issues.
Student outcomes addressed: SO-CS-05
Assessment measures: 70% of students with a passing score of 70% or higher for the course outcome.
Assessment result:
CIS3360-R02:
CO-CIS3360-2 was measured for Spring 2017 semester among 118 students. 112 students met the threshold for passing this outcome, which represents 94% met the performance criteria.
In previous review cycle Spring 2016, 90% met the performance criteria, resulting in 4% gain. The resulting increase was due to additional readings and practice quizzes.
Does this outcome assess change(s) designed to improve student learning, program quality, or unit performance in response to the previous year's assessment results? Yes
If yes, explain how this measure assesses a new change. If no, explain the reason why this measure does not do so: Starting in the previous review cycle it became apparent that some additional readings and review were required. This practice has resulted meeting the criteria and trending improvements, year over year.
Course Outcome CO-CIS3360-2 measures Student Outcome SO-CS-05 which states that "all graduating CS majors shall be able to demonstrate an understanding of professional, ethical, legal, security, and social issues and responsibilities."
Reflective statements about Student Outcome SO-CS-5 based on the data from Course Outcome CO-CIS3360-2:
RS-1. Successes:
ANS: The performance criteria were achieved for section CIS3360-R02 for course outcome CO-CIS3360-1.
RS-2. Lessons Learned:
ANS: The additional readings and practice quizzes have lead to improvements for the past two review cycles.
RS-3. Proposed Improvements:
ANS: It seems that CIS 3360 is one of a few courses that emphasizes professional, legal, ethical, and social issues. It would seem that these topics should be emphasized in some fashion in other courses.
RS-4. Dependencies and Impact on Other Courses:
ANS: There is no dependency for the CO-CIS3360-02 objective, as none of the course prerequisites address “professional, ethical, legal, security, and social issues and responsibilities." It might be meaningful to introduce these topics earlier in the program and deal with “professional, ethical, legal, security, and social issues and responsibilities" as a continuum withevery course.
RS-5. Overall Summary Statement (reflect on closing of the loop in assessment process)
ANS: The 4% increase in meeting the criteria for CO-CIS3360-2 indicates additional readings and practice quizzes have a positive effect. Regardless of the text assigned in the coming year, additional practice leads to improved performance.
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Stretch target for 2017-2018:
For course outcome CO-CIS3360-2 (SO-CS-05), holding steady with a new text, problem sets, assignments, and exams will be a significant accomplishment.
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Prepared by: Michael McAlpinDate: October 6, 2016