Alastair Irons

Digital Investigation as a distinct discipline: A pedagogic perspective

Is Digital Investigation sufficiently different in character from existing academic disciplines such as Computer or Forensic Science to be called a distinct discipline? Is it a profession in its own right? The authors outline why the debate is a significant one in terms of its consequences for professional standards, quality control, academic and personal accreditation. The paper emphasises the differences in the way we teach digital investigations in comparison to computer science covering theory, practice, the education versus training debate, the interdisciplinary nature of the subject, a problem solving and problem based approach, and the need to emphasis professionalism and ethics. The arguments for four alternative positions are proposed: Digital Investigation as a branch of Computer Science, Digital Investigation as a branch of Forensic Science, Digital Investigation as an inter-disciplinary science and Digital Investigation as a distinct discipline. The experience gained in the development and delivery of three typical academic programmes in the area is used to support one position, namely that Digital Investigation is a distinct discipline that merits professional status.

Computer forensics and records management – compatible disciplines

Purpose – To explore the meaning, methods and techniques associated with the subject of computer forensics and consider the implications of computer forensics for records managers and recordkeeping.Design/methodology/approach – Critically analyses the principles of computer forensics in the context of records characteristics – authenticity, reliability, integrity and usability – and the UK Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) principles and procedures for the collection of digital evidence.Findings – The disciplines of records management and computer forensics are potentially mutually compatible. Computer forensics allows for identification of incidents, gathering of evidence, analysis of evidence and potentially recovery of records. Records managers can utilise computer forensics principles to positively enhance records management and have valuable knowledge and expertise to share with their computer forensics colleagues; e.g. metadata expertise, functional requirements for electronic records mana...

Informatics in the UK: Current Perspectives

Abstract Computing, Computer Science and Information Science are the nearest UK equivalents of the European Informatics degree. Informatics is a term more often associated with research or multidisciplinary applications of Computing. Barely five percent of UK departments concerned with the discipline actually use the word Informatics in their title, and potential students searching the application clearing house for university undergraduate courses would not find Informatics in its subject index. However the components of European understanding of the Informatics discipline are widely researched, taught and studied throughout UK Higher Education. If we are to support mobility of study in Europe or to successfully pursue international educational collaboration, then understanding the realisation of the discipline in the UK and how it relates to understanding in other countries, is important and necessary to support constructive future discussion, planning and action. This paper presents data collected via surveys of existing practice, individual interviews and group discussions. It summarises and analyses the structure of current practice, and draws on current debate and technological trends to suggest future direction of our fields of study in the short and medium term.

Problem based learning in digital forensics

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the efforts of two universities to address the issue of providing computer forensics students with the opportunity to get involved in the practical aspects of forensic search and seizure procedures. The paper discusses the approaches undertaken by the University of Sunderland and the University of South Wales (Glamorgan) to give the students the opportunity to process a case from the crime scene through to the court room. In order to do this both institutions adopted a problem-based learning (PBL) approach – to reflect real-world solutions and encourage students to work in groups to seek further knowledge and understanding of the various processes and procedures – in particular the steps around search and seizure of digital evidence from a crime scene. The PBL activities at Sunderland and Glamorgan were designed in order to help the students understand the processes of digital crime scene analysis and search and seizure procedures and to give them the opportunity to put into practice their digital forensics techniques. Both exercises were designed to give the opportunity to solve realistic problems using PBL, and to illustrate the inter-relationships between science, technology and human activity as it applies to digital forensics, forensic science and the criminal justice system. The paper concludes with an evaluation of the exercises considering the impact they have had on student understanding and learning. Consideration is given to how the PBL activities can be disseminated and/or transferred to the wider community.

Work in progress — How formative feedback enhances the student learning experience

Faculty invest considerable effort to provide students with formative feedback. Educational research has endorsed the value of a clearly articulated approach when providing student feedback known as ‘assessment for learning’. In order to ascertain whether claims associated with ‘assessment for learning’ hold true in the engineering disciplines, a three-year study of the deployment of such approaches was undertaken. Preliminary research identified differences in perceptions between staff and students. They showed different understandings of what constitutes feedback, and different expectations of how feedback might be used.

Professionalism in Computer Forensics

The paper seeks to address the need to consider issues regarding professionalism in computer forensics in order to allow the discipline to develop and to ensure the credibility of the discipline from the differing perspectives of practitioners, the criminal justice system and in the eyes of the public. There is a need to examine and develop professionalism in computer forensics in order to promote the discipline and maintain the credibility of the discipline.

Integrating professionalism into undergraduate degree courses in computing (panel)

Graduates of degree programmes in computing are generally assumed to be seeking careers as professionals in information systems. Consequently, in the UK, nearly all courses seek accreditation through the professional institute for information systems engineering, the British Computer Society. Such accreditation signifies that graduates have satisfied the educational requirements for the recognised professional engineering status of Chartered Engineer. One requirement for such accreditation is that a range of professional issues are covered in the degree programme that are relevant to the branch of engineering addressed. This paper discusses the need for professionalism to be an integral part of any computing degree, with examples of implementation within the Department of Information Systems at Brunel University and at the University of Northumbria at Newcastle.