Preparing IAS graduates to recognize and manage complexity

Abstract

Graduates entering the field of Information Assurance and Security (IAS) will be faced with many complex, ill-defined challenges. To be successful, IAS professionals will need to be able to solve complex, ill-defined problems that reflect the nature of the security risks, threats, and vulnerabilities that await them. Hence, a significant challenge facing educators is how to prepare professionals to recognize and manage complexity. Frequently, class assignments and problem activities are selected without complete understanding regarding the efficacy of the activities to increase students' understanding of the principles being taught. This paper will examine attributes of complex problems in the context of information assurance and security and proceed to analysis of how to teach complexity in IAS.