2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This paper presents the integration of Entrepreneurially Minded Learning (EML) principles into a senior-level Network Security course, demonstrating how EML can be effectively incorporated into a highly technical, security-focused curriculum through experiential learning, client-driven design, ethical reflection, and structured value-creation frameworks. The course employs three integrated learning modules to align with EML objectives: (1) Network Security Solution, (2) Ethical and Professional Responsibilities, and (3) Entrepreneurially Minded Security Design. Together, these modules embed the EML “3Cs”; curiosity, connections, and creating value, across theoretical, practical, and ethical dimensions of cybersecurity education.

The Network Security Solution module introduces a consultancy-based learning approach that mirrors real-world client interactions. Students act as network security consultants, developing technical solutions that meet client requirements while balancing performance, feasibility, and cost. This process fosters connections as students bridge theory with practice and weigh competing technical and business trade-offs. Simultaneously, the iterative design process cultivates curiosity, prompting students to seek clarifications, conduct independent research, and explore emerging technologies to address evolving client expectations.

The Ethical and Professional Responsibilities module emphasizes the social and moral dimensions of cybersecurity practice. Through guided class discussions, students analyze case studies and hypothetical scenarios that highlight ethical dilemmas such as privacy violations, insider threats, and responsible disclosure. These reflective dialogues strengthen students’ capacity for ethical reasoning and reinforce EML’s goal of creating societal value through responsible and professional action in the cybersecurity domain.

The Entrepreneurially Minded Network Security Design module embodies a comprehensive application of the EML framework through an open-ended, authentic design project structured around the Need-Approach-Benefits/Costs-Competition (NABC) model. Students engage in a multi-stage process that mirrors industry practice. First, they pitch an initial design concept and participate in interactive Q&A sessions with a simulated client, inspiring curiosity and inquiry-driven exploration. Next, they enhance and benchmark their designs against industry standards and competing solutions, reinforcing connections between academic knowledge and market realities. In the final stages, students develop a detailed proposal and implement their design using simulation tools, grounding their technical decisions in a value-driven mindset. The implementation phase emphasizes creating value through practical validation, allowing students to experience the full innovation cycle, from ideation and analysis to implementation and evaluation.

Through these EML-based modules, students not only achieve technical proficiency in network security but also develop the higher-order thinking skills vital for entrepreneurial success: critical inquiry, value assessment, ethical judgment, and client-oriented problem-solving. Integrating EML into the Network Security curriculum illustrates how entrepreneurial thinking enhances traditional engineering and computing education by promoting innovation, accountability, and purposeful learning. By embedding curiosity-driven inquiry, cross-disciplinary connections, and value creation into project-based and ethically informed contexts, this approach prepares graduates to navigate and lead within the dynamic and complex cybersecurity landscape. The full paper will further elaborate on the course structure, pedagogical strategies, assessment mechanisms, and student outcomes, offering a model for embedding EML principles across cybersecurity and related computing disciplines.