i agree with Ricky. We talk about the subject, tell the student what we talked about, ask many questions, then do a hands on assestment followed by a written exam.
Drexel,
Good idea. Also, to ask students to present and teach others, explaining concepts, are effective ways in which understanding can be demonstrated. No one can explain something he/she does not understand :)
Dr. Ruth Reynard
We use a lot of hands on to see if the information is being retained.
Ricky,
Great! So the students are assessed in their application of the knowledge (labs) and their information retention (quizzes, tests). Could you also include assessment of their collaborative skills as well (projects)?
Dr. Ruth Reynard
We assess their knowledge and understanding by making them do labs that is associated with the lesson and after they perform the task that reiterates what they learn in the room. They get their labs graded and also take a multiple choice test to see what they have retained and understand.
I'll answer this in two parts.
First, the situation I described can be delivered as a standalone exercise.. i.e. "You are called in to investigate credit card fraud... the suspect was found with a USB flash drive... his name is _____... what would be some of the first steps you would take when examing the USB drive?"
The students would be given time to prepare their notes and work on outside of class. The following class they would present their findings orally, and we would discuss.
The other way this is implemented is by ending a hands-on assignment at a roadblock, such as having found an Excel file that is encrypted and password protected. The assignment would end with the question, "What would be the next step in trying to open the encrypted file?"
The may answer with, "crack the password using a dictionary attack," "search the slack space for hidden text," "ask the suspect", "try to locate a file containing the password," etc.
The next hands-on assignment would help guide them through exploring some of these suggestions until ultimately finding the method that gets them in.
Some of the software we used in Digital Investigations I were FTK Imager (free), WinHex (free), the Nirsoft.net forensic utilities (free).
There are simulations involved... I typically demonstrate some of the methods on the screen using a different data set. We then load different evidence and I provide support to their efforts. While they are not working "in groups", I encourage them to help each other since that is often how we get through projects in the real world!
Aaron,
Tthat sounds interesting - what software do you use? Are there simulations involved or are these scenarios?
Dr. Ruth Reynard
In our Digital Investigations courses, we offer a sample scenario, and we ask the students to explain the steps that they would take to resolve the problem or find evidence. It promotes methodology reflection and critical thinking. We have an opportunity to present their responses in class and to hear the thoughts of others.
