Investigating Threshold Concept and Troublesome Knowledge in Cyber Security

Abstract

One of the main challenges encountered in the learning process is determining the content and concepts that present challenges for students, defined by the literature as troublesome knowledge. This paper focuses on exploring the potential threshold concept in the context of cyber security programmes delivered in higher education institutions. The analysis is done using a combination of academic view, collected through CoRe matrix questionnaires, and student perspective, gathered through surveys during the learning process of several cryptography courses. Following the aggregation of the two data sources, the study identifies eight troublesome knowledge areas within the observed courses, of which two satisfied the requirements for being a threshold concept.