Research Significance
This paper makes several key theoretical contributions to cybersecurity education:
- Challenges traditional human-centric approaches to cybersecurity pedagogy
- Proposes a posthuman theoretical framework for understanding cybersecurity learning
- Examines the role of non-human actors in cybersecurity education
- Offers practical implications for curriculum design and pedagogical practice
Theoretical Framework
The study employs posthuman theory to: - Deconstruct traditional anthropocentric assumptions in cybersecurity education - Examine the agency of technological systems in learning processes - Explore the distributed nature of cybersecurity knowledge and practice - Reconceptualize the relationship between human learners and security tools
Key Arguments
The research advances several important arguments about cybersecurity education:
- Traditional human-centric approaches may limit our understanding of cybersecurity learning
- Non-human actors play crucial roles in the educational process
- Effective cybersecurity education requires recognition of distributed agency
- Pedagogical models should reflect the interconnected nature of cyber-physical systems
Implications for Practice
The theoretical framework developed in this paper suggests several practical implications:
- Curriculum design should acknowledge the agency of technological systems
- Pedagogical approaches should embrace human-technology partnerships
- Assessment methods should consider distributed knowledge and skills
- Educational tools should be viewed as co-agents in the learning process
Access the Full Paper
Author’s manuscript: Download PDF. This is the author’s version of the paper as accepted for publication in the 2024 Cyber Awareness and Research Symposium (CARS). It is not IEEE’s version of record; please cite the published paper, available in IEEE Xplore via DOI: 10.1109/CARS61786.2024.10778862.
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Citation
@inproceedings{straightDecenteringHumanPosthuman2024,
author = {Straight, Ryan},
title = {Decentering the Human: {A} Posthuman Approach to
Cybersecurity Education},
booktitle = {2024 Cyber Awareness and Research Symposium (CARS)},
pages = {1-6},
date = {2024-10},
url = {https://ryanstraight.com/research/2024-12-13-decentering-human-posthuman-approach/},
doi = {10.1109/CARS61786.2024.10778862},
langid = {en},
abstract = {This paper explores the application of posthuman theory to
cybersecurity education, proposing a fundamental shift away from
human-centric pedagogical models. By examining the complex
interrelationships between human learners, technological systems,
and cybersecurity tools, the study offers novel theoretical
frameworks for understanding and implementing cybersecurity
education in an increasingly interconnected digital landscape.}
}