The Center of Excellence in Digital Forensics will engage in a continuous curriculum planning to maintain currency in in-service training in Digital Forensics
Objective
Maintaining Quality Curriculum
The Center of Excellence in Digital Forensics needs to maintain current, and high quality curriculum to meet the needs of its client base, which includes local and state law enforcement, federal agencies and other legal professional bodies.
KPI
Curriculum Oversight And Improvement
Idicator of succcess would be the establishment of a body of subject matter experts to advise the Center on the best course for future curriculum changes and or maintenance of existing curricula. Previously curriculum has been developed from only the knowledge of SHSU faculty and staff with no outside input leaving potential critical gaps in the programs offered. An advisory board will help ensure fewer gaps between the curriculum and current best practices in industry.
Result
Advisory Board Established
The center has established a curriculum oversight committee (Advisory Board) to engage in an ongoing curriculum review process. The board initially consists of Mr. Charles Andrews (Industry Investigative Best Practices in Management), Dr. Peter Cooper (protocol and procedure), Michael Bentley (technical and investigative best practices), and Aarron Hughes (technical and expert testimony) The curriculum review is performed on a consensus view basis with additional external ad hoc members brought in as necessary.
Action
Meetings Schedule
The board has been consulted separately but in 2012 it will be necessary to hold biannual advisory board meetings to gather a complete board consensus on the direction and efficacy of the current curriculum and make a collective recommendation for future improvements to the curriculum.
Action
Automate Surveys
An automated survey system is being designed and implemented to ensure that this objective is met efficiently and effectively. Additionally, the input from these surveys may be used as inoput to the curriculum review process.
Goal
Public Relations
The center serves police departments and federal agencies in the state of Texas. The center faculty and staff will maintain consistent and professional relations with its clientele base.
Objective
Public Relations
To maintain professional and consistent contact with the center’s clientele (police department and federal agencies in the state of Texas).
KPI
Client Responses
Contacts are made which will increase the constituency of the Center's potential base of client engagement to include taking on research needs of the served constituency and consulting on a case by case basis with clients from the base. More engagements of any kind are seen as an indicator of successful outreach and improved public/constituent relations.
Result
Successful Contact
Many successful contacts have resulted in improved relationships along with potential research, funding and partnership opportunities. Some exa,ples are the Center's FBI malware initiative and the Huntsville Police Department investigative support partnership.
Action
Maintain Client/Constituent Contact
The Center's Director will select a representative sample of departments and agencies from the clientele base and contact directors from those departments and agencies on at least an annual basis.
Goal
Student Satisfaction
The center exists to provide training services to law enforcement and other legal groups. It is central to the mission of the Center that the trainees are satisfied with the quality of the services they receive.
Objective
Student Evaluation
The Center needs to maintain high levels of student satisfaction with the center’s services
Indicator
Student Satisfaction Survey
Each student will complete an anonymous exit survey upon completion of the program
Criterion
Student Evaluation
Student satisfaction will be considered high if the students’ answers average four or better on a five point scale.
Finding
No Findings To Report
The Center has not yet deployed the student satisfaction survey system and as such no data exist from which to derive findings at this time.
Action
Automate Surveys
An automated survey system is being designed and implemented to ensure that this objective is met efficiently and effectively. Additionally, the input from these surveys may be used as inoput to the curriculum review process.
Goal
Technical Competency
THe curriculum is structured in the form of continuing professional education and must result in the students developing and attaining technical competence.
Objective
Technical Competency
To develop students’ technical skills in the areas of legal and organizational issues, procedure and protocol and an understanding of the underlying concepts associated with the forensics of digital storage and communications devices.
Indicator
Student Learning Assessment
Students are required to complete a test at the end of each training session and the tests are developed by a group of faculty with expertise in the appropriate areas and professionals in the field of digital forensics. A rubric for evaluating students’ performances was developed by the faculty and professionals who developed the test. At the end of each training session a committee of faculty with expertise in the relevant areas will randomly select 10 tests and evaluate the test using the rubric. Faculty will score the tests on a scale of 1 – 5
Criterion
Student Learning Success Criterion
Students’ technical skills will be considered well developed if the committee members score the tests at four or better.
Action
Develop New Technical Assessment
New technical assessments need to be developed to reallign the competencies tested with current investigative practices.