Reflective Journal: Exploring Cybersecurity Learning Experience

This reflective journal provides a student's detailed account of their cybersecurity learning experience. The student reflects on the effectiveness of the learning process, highlighting aspects that worked well and areas for improvement. They discuss the value of this learning experience in terms of adapting to the dynamic world of technology, understanding cybercrime, and developing employability skills. The journal also explores how the learning process will be useful in the student's course, future career, and life in general. The student shares their insights on the importance of research in cybersecurity, particularly for small businesses, and how they plan to apply this knowledge in their future career, emphasizing the need for proactive defense mechanisms against cyber threats. The student also reflects on their interactions with others from diverse backgrounds and how that has helped in their learning process.

Running head: REFLECTIVE JOURNAL 1
Reflective Journal
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

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Introduction
The process of learning is a hard one but a wonderful and fruitful experience. The
learning styles, the communication skills gained, the skills of data analysis, and the
information literacy was useful in my learning and will help a great deal in my career life and
my life generally (Bliemel, (2014). It is time to write a reflective journal on learning
experience to evaluate what we have learned from the cyber security and the challenges faced
thereof. This paper features the learning process, especially what worked well or what did not
work well from my perspective. I realized that there are some aspects of the course delivery
that I welcomed and also identifies the needs which I feel if rectified would advance my
learning experience.
1. Evaluate the effectiveness and your usefulness of the learning experience
The mobilization of technology has brought about many transformations in the learning
process which necessitates the need to be computer literate for one to be able to develop skills
of learning. With the use of the tablets and laptops and for me to be effective in learning, I
had to own virtual and physical space which brings forth a more conducive learning
environment for proper knowledge transfer. Being available to the training institution was
quite essential. The knowledge of technology integrated powerful tools effective for in-class
learning. This included the use of robust communication and virtual lab environments. They
promoted my robust interaction and collaboration with teachers hence improving my learning
experience.
What is your opinion about learning experience?
Learning is a good experience especially in this dynamic world of computer-use and
technology. With the increased need for cybersecurity due to the need to transact businesses,
one has to have a learning experience which helps one to adapt to the business world
dynamics. The changing approaches to address the cybercrimes necessitates one to be on the

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know-how and be updated on the current issues. The experience will help one to widen their
minds in dealing with cyber hacking so that one does not fall a victim.
What is the value of this experience?
The learning experience is very valuable as it enables one to be informed of the current
matters in the business world. The experience enables one to develop employability skills
through the skill-building programs provided and the career education such that one is able to
know what is expected in the job market by the time the learning process comes to an end. It
also helps to engage with a variety of other students of different characters such that one
develops the means of interacting with the community members and different kinds of people
in general. In the process of learning, one is able to get engaged in various activities which
broaden the minds and helps exploit one's talents so that one becomes diverse and not just
stuck in one career.
2. Explain how this learning process will be useful to you in:
− course
The learning experience is important in determining which kind of course to major in.
This calls for the need to determine the relevance of the course which that it enables one to
choose a course which is interesting and also worth learning. One finds motivation in
learning what he or she is passionate about and fewer efforts will be used to create such an
interest. One should choose a course which they feel will satisfy both their quest to learn and
also their career and this is achieved through the learning process. Through learning, a
student is able to identify the courses to start with and how their future careers will be
mounded.
− program
It enables one to adjust their time and learn how to manage their time so that every
duty is well attended to. Setting priorities are part of learning and it enables one to attend to

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the important things first and avoid wasting time on the irrelevant things as the saying says
that time is money.
− future career
The learning experience is vital in determining the type of career one will venture into
in future. As one learns, he or she discovers their talents and one is able to realize the kind of
career that aligns with their talents. When choosing a career, it is important to consider the
talents and abilities and also the interest in such a career. I was learning, I realized that there
is a need to do research on cyber hacking not only to the large firms but also the small ones as
they are the easy target so that whenever I focus on a certain career, I will be aware of the
cybercrimes and the ways to deal with them (Chernomas & Shapiro, 2013). Learning has
helped me develop communication skills which are essential tools in the business world.
− life generally
During the learning process, the real-life situation is introduced which is essential to learn
about life and myself. It exposes me to various cultures, lifestyles, and languages which are
important as the world shrinks with numerous international companies. It will help me to
work freely with all kinds of people and under various working conditions. The industries
and professions are at a relentless transfiguration and having a broad range of knowledge will
be useful for me in the workplace (Chang & Chen, 2015). Having a background in various
areas of study is vital in order to excel in communicating with others and interacting with
them both in the community and the workplace. Learning gave me a time to be out of
parental supervision which gave a chance to develop myself adapt and ways of becoming
independent in many ways. I will be able to understand and acknowledge the need for self-
evaluation and its role in developing myself.
3. Describe objectively what happened in the learning process

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‘What you did, read, see, and hear?
During the learning process, I experienced a lot including interacting with many people
from different backgrounds which helped me to develop a mechanism to adapt to new
environments, settings, and challenges. I heard of a machine used for hacking called Engima
created by Alan – a computer science pioneer (Cohen, 2017). I have seen many sites where
cybercrime is more prominent including the emails, ATMs and social media sites. This has
created awareness in me even as I consider venturing in business online.
4. Evaluate what you learn
Businesses are the most targeted areas by the cyber hacking since the hackers focus on
the huge amounts of money invested mostly in the big companies. Researching the businesses
was useful in the learning process so as to be able to know and master the major and most
sensitive and susceptible areas of cybercrimes. For instance, I realized that it is possible for
the hackers to create a similar page as the true page of the site which is targeted for theft and
a staff member is made to sign the page and give out critical information which is used to
commit crimes (Shek et al, 2015).
5. Explain your learning process:
‘What was the reason you did particular activities (Assignment 1, Assignment 2?
Doing a research on cybersecurity challenges was a critical assignment as the modern
businesses depend on computers to store files and important documents. With the rise of
cybercrimes, the privacy of the documents has been challenged and identifying the challenges
faced in addressing the cyber security is of great significance to ensure that every possible
effort is made to avoid such cases (Kao et al, 2014). Such documents hold the future of a
company and if they are not protected against hacking, the company may end up making
persisted losses and eventually collapse and have its future cut short. Learning various types
of cyber hacking and how they happen gives an insight of how they can be avoided.

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Identifying the types of challenges is important as the company managers get a tip of how
such crimes can happen and how they can be prevented or develop some more sophisticated
means of storing the data.
6. Explain Plan how this learning you will apply
The learning will be of great importance especially in my future career life as I consider
doing business online. I will be able to engage with highly-skilled programmers and talented
personnel in my business who will be in a position to trace any form of hacking before it
worsens and deal with it as required. As the methodologies of the cybercrimes are changing
day after day, it is important to adopt a proactive defense mechanism is necessary to fight
such crimes and maintain good systems of data storage.
Generally, the learning experience has taught me various things which will build both
my personal and career life. Having interacted with people from different backgrounds has
helped me a lot in learning to adapt and work with all kinds of people under various
conditions. Having learned about the challenges facing cybersecurity is a vital aspect of my
career life as I will be able to assess the security level of the documents concerning my
business.

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