Balancing Generative AI and Critical Thinking to Develop Written Communication Skills in Cybersecurity
2025 (English)In: 2025 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON), IEEE, 2025, p. 1-10Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)
Abstract [en]
As cybersecurity education continues to evolve, the need for curricula that effectively balance the capabilities of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools with the development of critical thinking and active learning skills has become increasingly urgent. This study addresses this challenge by proposing a curriculum for postgraduate cybersecurity education that focuses on developing transferable skills, particularly critical thinking and written communication. These skills are essential for cybersecurity professionals to excel in both their technical and communicationoriented responsibilities, meeting the growing demand of the cybersecurity industry in the age of AI. The proposed curriculum emphasizes the integration of constructivist learning principles and Bloom's taxonomy, two widely applied pedagogical models, to enhance learners' critical thinking and written communication skills. Designed for a penetration testing module, the curriculum follows a structured, step-by-step approach to build the necessary competences and empower aspiring cybersecurity professionals to meet the expectations of the cybersecurity industry. Through targeted activities, learners develop foundational knowledge while refining advanced written communication skills, equipping them to produce professional-level documentation, such as penetration testing reports. Generative AI is incorporated in the curriculum, providing opportunities for learners to experiment with AIgenerated content while fostering the cognitive skills needed to critically assess its accuracy, relevance, and alignment with professional standards. This study contributes to cybersecurity education by presenting a replicable curriculum model that equips learners with vital skills, preparing them to navigate the complexities of written communication responsibilities in cybersecurity roles and adapt to the evolving demands of the AI era.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
IEEE, 2025. p. 1-10
Series
IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference, ISSN 2165-9559, E-ISSN 2165-9567
Keywords [en]
Cybersecurity, penetration testing report, generative AI, transferable skills, written communication skills, postgraduate education, curriculum design
National Category
Information Systems Pedagogy
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-68829DOI: 10.1109/EDUCON62633.2025.11016486ISI: 001533112700194Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105008208729ISBN: 979-8-3315-3949-8 (electronic)ISBN: 979-8-3315-3950-4 (print)OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hj-68829DiVA, id: diva2:1973571
Conference
2025 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON), 22-25 April 2025, London, United Kingdom
2025-06-192025-06-192025-11-11Bibliographically approved