One of the last tasks in this course is to reflect on the lessons and materials learned, and the most memorable moments. The author of this work considers this practice useful because, through self-analysis, one can not only remember the lessons received but also determine their value and completeness (Back, 2019). Actually, the only task of this work is self-reflection concerning the given course on information security.
First of all, it should be admitted that this semester seemed to the author rather organized and systematic, despite the apparent problem with the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, during the course, the professor asked students to do a large number of tasks on time: otherwise, there was a chance of failure of this course. Despite the fact that this is a rather stressful environment, such methodical and logical lessons definitely aroused great interest in the author, and for this reason, the lessons were always attended with pleasure. Conducting a reflective work on past lessons, the author must note that the most memorable task is the one dedicated to comparing VPN and HTTPS in the context of choosing the best option for creating a secure network. In particular, this task met three of the author’s needs at once. First of all, a search of qualitative and up-to-date information always causes pleasant feelings as allow to keep the mind in tone: during research, the author faced the articles biased reflecting a problem, and therefore, the task demanded to estimate the reliability of the material. Secondly, the modern technological world is full of various business IT-solutions, and as a future professional employee of this sphere, the author should be able to understand theory and practice entirely. In other words, this task covered the need for analysis and choice based on the multifactor comparison. Finally, what attracted the most in this course was relevance and modernity. VPN and HTTPS are modern technologies, and consequently, such a discussion seems essential and necessary.
In the course, classmates and the author did their homework but also actively discussed their ideas in academic chat. This is an incredible experience for students, as it allows them to assess the level of knowledge of peers and their own (Corcoran, 2016). During the discussion of the assignment dedicated to VPN and HTTPS, the author responded to two comments, and each of them was unique and original. However, it should be admitted that among the comments were not always visible real thoughts of users, when classmates gave the qualitative criticism. Perhaps that was what was missing, as the author is convinced that criticism is of the most significant benefit, as it helps assess current knowledge.
However, it would be wrong to think that this course has made the greatest contribution to the author’s emotional or social world. In contrast, the eight weeks of the study structured the existing thoughts and created a unified picture of what information security is. Knowledge of access control models, types of secure networks and protocols, and encryption algorithms finally helped the author fill existing gaps in knowledge and find answers to his questions. An undoubted advantage of the approach used by the professor was the combination of theoretical and practical studies: this included material study, laboratory work, quizzes, and discussions. When choosing this specialty several years ago, the author imagined what role information technologies would play in the future. However, thanks to this course, the scope of knowledge about the scope, nuances, and details of the IT world has expanded significantly.
In conclusion, it should be noted that the eight weeks have undoubtedly become one of the most impressive during the period of study at the university. Despite the rigor with which the professor approached the training, and the complexity of the materials, after the course, the author was able to make a full picture of the acquired knowledge. In other words, these classes were definitely not useless, and even if sometimes it seemed extremely difficult, the author is convinced that this is the only way to learn real professional knowledge and skills.
References
Back, J. (2019). Making the most of student reflections. Getting Smart. Web.
Corcoran, S. (2016). Discussion in the classroom: Why to do it, how to do it, and how to assess it. Teaching on Purpose. Web.