We present a detailed description of a Cryptography and Computer Security course that has been offered at Knox College for the last 15 years. While the course is roughly divided into two sections, Cryptology and Computer Security, our emphasis here is on the Cryptology section. The course puts the cryptologic material into its historical context…

Math self-concept (MSC) is considered an important predictor of the pursuit of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. Women's underrepresentation in the STEM fields is often attributed to their consistently lower ratings on MSC relative to men. Research in this area typically considers STEM in the aggregate and does not account…

Reform in mathematics instruction at the college level has been slow to arrive (Dossey, Halvorson, & McCrone, 2008), and many institutions of higher learning still follow the calculus model, while fewer and fewer students need calculus for their chosen areas of study (Ganter & Barker, 2003). Instead, mathematics that is applicable and transferable…

An inexpensive device to assist in teaching the main ideas of Public Key encryption and its use in class to illustrate the operation of public key encryption is described. It illustrates that there are two keys, and is particularly useful for illustrating that privacy is achieved by using the public key. Initial data from in class use seem to…

The aim of the 2018 International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) Cognition and Exploratory Learning in the Digital Age (CELDA) conference was to address the main issues concerned with evolving learning processes and supporting pedagogies and applications in the digital age. There have been advances in both cognitive…

Explores how notions of community and collaboration can be applied in program to enhance appreciation/use of and interest in science, mathematics, and computers among women and people of color. Describes Minority Studies Program at St. Cloud State University which has hosted summer program to provide minority and women students with intensive,…

College mathematics and computer science students in two math courses (conventional lecture-based, and a multimedia variant of the Personalized System of Instruction) completed the Approaches to Studying Inventory. Students in the latter course obtained higher scores on meaning orientation. The effect was significant in computer-science students,…