Description

Program Structure Overview Track A: Technical Mastery (60% of program) Track B: Instructional Excellence (40% of program) Students develop dual expertise simultaneously through integrated learning modules. TERM 1: Foundations Module 1: Cybersecurity Fundamentals Technical Components: • Information security principles (CIA Triad + AAA) • Threat actors, attack vectors, and kill chain • Security frameworks (NIST CSF, ISO 27001, CIS Controls) • Network fundamentals (OSI model, TCP/IP, protocols) • Operating system security (Windows, Linux, macOS) • Basic cryptography concepts Teaching Components: • How adults learn differently than children • Translating technical concepts into plain language • Creating analogies and metaphors for complex topics • Common misconceptions students have about security Practical Labs: • Set up virtual training lab environment • Build beginner-friendly security demonstrations • Create your first "security in 5 minutes" micro-lesson Deliverable: Teach a 15-minute intro to cybersecurity lesson (recorded) Module 2: Instructional Design Essentials Core Topics: • Backward design: Start with outcomes, build backwards • Bloom's Taxonomy for cybersecurity learning • Writing measurable learning objectives • Chunking content for optimal retention • Scaffolding: Building from simple to complex • Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles • Creating effective slide decks (avoiding death by PowerPoint) Practical Activities: • Analyze good vs. bad security training examples • Redesign a poorly structured security lesson • Create a complete lesson plan template • Develop a micro-course outline (4 hours) on any security topic Deliverable: Complete lesson plan for a 4-hour security workshop Module 3: Network Security & Teaching Network Concepts Technical Components: • Firewalls, IDS/IPS, and network monitoring • VPNs and secure remote access • Network segmentation and zero trust • Wireless security (WPA2/WPA3, 802.1X) • DDoS attacks and mitigation • Network traffic analysis with Wireshark Teaching Components: • Teaching networking to non-technical audiences • Visual aids and network diagrams that actually help • Hands-on activities students can do with home networks • Common student struggles with networking concepts • Building progressive difficulty in lab exercises Lab Design Projects: • Create 3 progressive network security labs (beginner/intermediate/advanced) • Design a Wireshark challenge for students • Build a visual network attack demonstration Deliverable: Network security lab series with instructor guide Module 4: Assessment & Feedback Strategies Core Topics: • Formative vs. summative assessment • Creating practical skills assessments (not just multiple choice) • Rubric design for technical skills • Providing constructive feedback on labs • Assessing hands-on penetration testing work • Preventing and detecting cheating in technical courses • Using CTFs and gamification for assessment Practical Activities: • Design assessment rubrics for common security tasks • Create a mini-CTF challenge • Practice giving feedback on student lab reports • Build a progressive quiz bank Deliverable: Complete assessment package for a security course module TERM 2: Technical Depth Module 5: Offensive Security Fundamentals Technical Components: • Penetration testing methodologies (PTES, OSSTMM) • Reconnaissance and OSINT techniques • Vulnerability scanning and analysis • Exploitation basics with Metasploit • Web application testing (OWASP Top 10) • Password cracking and authentication attacks • Social engineering techniques Teaching Components: • Teaching ethics and legal boundaries effectively • Managing the "hacker mindset" in classroom • Keeping offensive security content appropriate • Demonstrating exploits safely in class • Teaching students to think like attackers Lab Creation: • Design beginner-friendly exploitation scenarios • Create safe, legal hacking exercises • Build a "capture the flag" training module • Develop ethical hacking case studies Teaching Practice: • Deliver 30-minute ethical hacking demo lesson • Create and grade a penetration testing assignment Deliverable: 8-hour ethical hacking workshop with all materials Module 6: Defensive Security & Incident Response Technical Components: • Security monitoring and SIEM platforms • Log analysis and threat detection • Incident response lifecycle (NIST framework) • Digital forensics fundamentals • Malware analysis basics • Threat hunting techniques • Security operations center (SOC) workflows Teaching Components: • Teaching blue team skills vs. red team • Making log analysis interesting and engaging • Scenario-based learning for incident response • Table-top exercises and simulations • Teaching under pressure (simulating real incidents) Instructional Design: • Create incident response simulation scenarios • Design SOC analyst training pathway • Build progressive SIEM exercises • Develop IR playbooks for student practice Deliverable: Incident response training simulation with facilitator guide Module 7: Cloud & Modern Infrastructure Security Technical Components: • Cloud service models and shared responsibility • AWS, Azure, GCP security features • Container security (Docker, Kubernetes) • DevSecOps principles • Infrastructure as Code (IaC) security • API security • Serverless security considerations Teaching Components: • Teaching cloud concepts to on-premise veterans • Hands-on cloud labs without breaking the budget • Making abstract cloud concepts tangible • Free tier resources for student practice Lab Development: • Design cloud security lab environment • Create misconfiguration hunting exercises • Build cloud security assessment checklist Deliverable: Cloud security training module (4 hours) Module 8: Advanced Teaching Techniques Core Topics: • Classroom management for technical training • Handling difficult students and questions • Managing diverse skill levels in one class • Remote/virtual training best practices • Live coding and demonstrations without disasters • Troubleshooting labs when students get stuck • Time management in technical training • Building psychological safety for learning • Impostor syndrome in cybersecurity education Practical Skills: • Voice projection and presentation delivery • Slide design and visual communication • Storytelling for technical concepts • Humor and engagement techniques • Handling "gotcha" questions gracefully Teaching Practice: • Deliver live technical demo with Q&A • Manage a simulated difficult classroom scenario • Troubleshoot student lab issues in real-time • Record and critique your own teaching Deliverable: Teaching philosophy statement and instructor video portfolio TERM 3: Specialization & Mastery Module 9: Choose Your Specialization Path Students select ONE specialization track: Path A: Application Security Instruction • Secure coding principles across languages • OWASP Top 10 deep dive • Code review and SAST/DAST tools • API security testing • Mobile application security • Teaching developers security mindset Outcome: Design a 16-hour secure coding bootcamp Path B: Compliance & Governance Training • GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, SOC 2 • Security auditing and assessment • Risk management frameworks • Security awareness program development • Policy and procedure creation • Teaching compliance to non-security staff Outcome: Design a compliance training program for an industry Path C: Industrial/IoT Security Education • SCADA and ICS security fundamentals • IoT device security • Operational technology (OT) vs IT security • Critical infrastructure protection • Physical security integration • Teaching OT security to IT professionals Outcome: Design ICS/IoT security training for industrial sector Path D: Advanced Penetration Testing Instruction • Advanced exploitation techniques • Active Directory attacks • Red team operations • C2 frameworks and evasion • Physical penetration testing • Teaching advanced offensive techniques safely Outcome: Design an advanced penetration testing course Module 10: Security Awareness & Culture Core Topics: • Psychology of security behavior change • Designing engaging awareness campaigns • Phishing simulation programs • Measuring security culture • Gamification and incentives • Making security training NOT boring • Teaching end-users vs. technical staff Practical Projects: • Design a company-wide security awareness program • Create a phishing awareness training module • Build a security culture assessment toolkit • Develop engaging security awareness content Module 11: Curriculum Development & Program Management Core Topics: • Building complete training programs (not just courses) • Needs assessment and gap analysis • Career pathway development • Certification preparation strategies • Corporate training vs. academic programs • Budget planning for training programs • Vendor evaluation (courseware, labs, tools) • Continuous improvement and iteration Projects: • Design a complete cybersecurity training program • Create a security career pathway roadmap • Develop training ROI measurement framework • Build a training program proposal for an organization Module 12: Business of Security Training Core Topics: • Freelance training vs. employment • Marketing yourself as an instructor • Pricing and packaging your training • Building your instructor brand • Creating online courses and content • Speaking at conferences • Writing for security publications • Building your professional network Practical Activities: • Create instructor website/portfolio • Develop course catalog and pricing • Write sample conference proposals • Build LinkedIn instructor presence • Create demo training videos for marketing TERM 4: Practicum & Certification Module 13: Teaching Practicum Requirements: • 60 hours minimum of supervised teaching practice • Teach at least 4 different security topics • Mix of formats: lecture, hands-on labs, workshops • Teach to diverse audiences (beginners, intermediates, professionals) • Deliver training both in-person and virtually Activities: • Co-teach with experienced instructors • Receive peer observations and feedback • Video record and analyze your teaching • Manage real student questions and lab issues • Deliver complete day-long training sessions Assessment: • Teaching effectiveness evaluations (students + observers) • Peer feedback reviews • Self-reflection journals • Video analysis of teaching performances Module 14: Industry Certification Preparation Students must obtain ONE recognized certification: Option 1: CompTIA Security+ (Entry-level, foundational) Option 2: Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) (Offensive focus) Option 3: GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC) (Broad technical) Option 4: CompTIA CySA+ (Defensive/analyst focus) Preparation includes: • Study groups and practice exams • Certification strategy coaching • Exam voucher included in tuition • Retake support if needed Module 15: Capstone Project Final Comprehensive Assessment: Design, develop, and deliver a complete security training course including: 1. Course Design Package: • Complete curriculum outline • All lesson plans with timing • Learning objectives and outcomes mapped to industry frameworks • Assessment strategy and all assessment instruments • Student handbook and materials • Lab environment setup guide 2. Instructional Materials: • Professional slide decks • Hands-on lab exercises with solutions • Supplementary resources and readings • Video demonstrations (if applicable) • Job aids and reference materials 3. Live Delivery: • Deliver 4 hours of your course to actual students • Manage Q&A and troubleshooting • Facilitate hands-on activities • Adapt to student needs in real-time 4. Professional Documentation: • Instructor guide with facilitation notes • Student feedback analysis • Self-assessment and reflection • Continuous improvement plan 5. Final Defense: • Present course design to industry panel • Demonstrate teaching effectiveness with evidence • Answer questions about instructional decisions • Receive professional feedback Evaluation Criteria: • Instructional design quality (25%) • Content accuracy and currency (20%) • Teaching delivery effectiveness (25%) • Materials professionalism (15%) • Student learning outcomes (15%) Assessment & Grading Continuous Assessment (40%) • Weekly lab assignments and teaching practice (15%) • Lesson plan and materials development (15%) • Peer teaching evaluations (5%) • Class participation and collaboration (5%) Practical Examinations (30%) • Mid-term teaching demonstration (10%) • Technical skills assessment (10%) • Specialization project (10%) Capstone Project (30%) • Course design and materials (15%) • Live teaching delivery (10%) • Final defense and presentation (5%) Minimum Passing: 75% overall with no component below 70% Entry Requirements Required: • High school diploma or equivalent • Strong English communication (written and verbal) • Basic computer literacy • Genuine passion for teaching and cybersecurity • Ability to work independently and collaboratively Strongly Recommended: • Some IT or cybersecurity exposure • Prior teaching/training experience (any subject) • Completed basic networking course Not Required: • Programming skills (taught as needed) • Industry certifications • Professional security experience Technical Requirements Hardware: • Laptop with minimum 16GB RAM (32GB recommended) • Intel i7/Ryzen 7 or better processor • 500GB free storage • Webcam and microphone for online teaching practice • Reliable internet connection (for virtual labs) Software Provided: • Virtual lab environment access • Licensed security tools (Burp Suite, etc.) • Learning Management System (LMS) • Video recording and editing tools • Collaboration platform Optional Continuing Education: • Advanced Instructional Techniques Workshop • Online Course Creation Masterclass • Train-the-Trainer Certification • Specialized track certifications Graduate Competencies Upon completion, CSI graduates can: 1. Design comprehensive cybersecurity training programs from beginner to advanced 2. Deliver engaging technical instruction in multiple formats (live, virtual, hybrid) 3. Assess student learning effectively using varied methods 4. Create hands-on labs and practical exercises that reinforce learning 5. Explain complex security concepts to diverse audiences clearly 6. Manage classroom dynamics and student challenges professionally 7. Develop complete course materials to professional standards 8. Adapt teaching methods to different learning styles and needs 9. Demonstrate current cybersecurity technical skills across domains 10. Continue professional growth as both technologist and educator Application Process 1. Submit Application: Online form + resume/CV 2. Technical Assessment: Basic cybersecurity knowledge test 3. Interview: 30-minute video interview about teaching interest 4. Teaching Sample: 5-minute recorded explanation of any technical topic 5. Admission Decision: Within 2 weeks Class Size: Limited to 20 students Ready to become a cybersecurity instructor who makes a real difference? Your teaching journey starts here.