Abstract:

The construction of high-quality, structured educational resources in rapidly evolving fields such as cyber security presents significant challenges, particularly across institutional and regional boundaries. Shared reference frameworks can support educators in navigating curriculum design and communicating expectations across diverse contexts; however, their value depends on how they are encountered and embedded in practice. This study uses the Cyber Security Body of Knowledge (CyBOK) as a case to draw broader lessons about the visibility and usability of community-driven, co-designed resources by examining their perceived value and use in cyber security education. Findings are reported from two focus groups with educators and professional stakeholders (n=17), supported by descriptive poll and survey data, and analysed using thematic analysis. Participants generally regarded CyBOK as comprehensive and pedagogically useful, yet awareness of CyBOK and its associated teaching resources remained limited outside the United Kingdom. Key findings indicate that uptake is shaped by practical constraints, including the pace of change in the field, limited educator expertise, competing priorities, and the need to align with existing accreditation and curriculum structures. In this context, outside of the UK, CyBOK was primarily perceived as a complementary reference that serves as a curriculum support resource, an educator support infrastructure, and a shared language across education and industry.

Keywords:

Cyber Security Education, Co-Design, CyBOK, Educator Perspectives.