MICS: Multimedia, interactive courseware for information security

The paper presents the architecture and preliminary design of MICS, a multimedia, interactive teaching and learning tool for information security. MICS consists of a collection of interactive multimedia animations to enhance the undergraduate/graduate curriculum in trustworthy computing for the state-wide Web-based WebBSIT program in Georgia as well as for our regular on-site information security courses at Southern Polytechnic State University. Each animation illustrates some important concepts and encourages the user to examine these concepts in depth. These animations require active participation and reasoning to improve the student's understanding and to make learning enjoyable and challenging. MICS covers the standard topics of security, privacy, reliability, and business integrity, but for each topic there is one or more projects implemented with interactive animations for the student to participate in. Each animation project contains five major sections. First is an overview of the activity including information on its definition and history. Second is the usage of the activity, explaining how it should be employed including specific syntax or operating requirements. Third is a discussion of the activity's use in trustworthy computing practice. The fourth section is a detailed, guided, set of exercises. The last section is a discussion of further research topics related to the activity in this exercise. For each animation project, there are continuing questions requiring students to seek and record information about their sessions, and answer sheets students can use to submit their findings for a grade. These interactive animations will challenge students to examine the topics in a substantial way.