Scaffolding Student Learning through GenAI in Cybersecurity Education

Hannan Xiao; Binoli Shah; Joseph Spring; Levgeniia Kuzminykh

Scaffolding Student Learning through GenAI in Cybersecurity Education

Hannan Xiao, Binoli Shah, Joseph Spring, Levgeniia Kuzminykh

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

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Abstract

The integration of Generative AI (GenAI) into education has the potential to transform pedagogical approaches and redefine learner engagement. Concerns, however, remain regarding the use of GenAI as a shortcut to final answers rather than as a scaffolding tool to support genuine understanding and critical thinking. This short paper presents a conceptual framework and system design for leveraging GenAI as a scaffolding tool to prompt student learning in cybersecurity education. The proposed framework introduces a GenAI-powered scaffolding agent that provides step-by-step guidance and fosters independent learning through inquiry-based dialogues aligned with established scaffolding strategies. The system architecture for this AI-driven scaffolding tool is presented in this paper, tailored within the context of cybersecurity pedagogy.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Joint Proceedings of IS-EUD 2025: 10th International Symposium on End-User Development
Subtitle of host publication	Workshop: Cyber Security Education for Industry and Academia (CSE4IA 2025)
Editors	Viktorija Paneva, Daniel Tetteroo, Vittoria Frau, Sebastian Feger, Davide Spano, Fabio Paternò, Stefan Sauer, Marco Manca
Publisher	CEUR-WS Team, Germany
Number of pages	6
Volume	3978
Publication status	Published - 16 Jun 2025
Event	The 3rd International Workshop on Cyber Security Education for Industry and Academia (CSE41A 2025) - Munich, Germany Duration: 16 Jun 2025 → 18 Jun 2025 Conference number: 3rd https://sites.google.com/view/cse4ia-2025/home

Publication series

Name	CEUR Workshop Proceedings
Publisher	CEUR-WS Team
ISSN (Print)	613-0073

Conference

Conference	The 3rd International Workshop on Cyber Security Education for Industry and Academia (CSE41A 2025)
Abbreviated title	CSE41A 2025
Country/Territory	Germany
City	Munich
Period	16/06/25 → 18/06/25
Internet address	https://sites.google.com/view/cse4ia-2025/home

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https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-3978/short-s3-06.pdfLicence: CC BY

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Xiao, H., Shah, B., Spring, J., & Kuzminykh, L. (2025). Scaffolding Student Learning through GenAI in Cybersecurity Education. In V. Paneva, D. Tetteroo, V. Frau, S. Feger, D. Spano, F. Paternò, S. Sauer, & M. Manca (Eds.), Joint Proceedings of IS-EUD 2025: 10th International Symposium on End-User Development: Workshop: Cyber Security Education for Industry and Academia (CSE4IA 2025) (Vol. 3978). (CEUR Workshop Proceedings). CEUR-WS Team, Germany. https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-3978/short-s3-06.pdf

Xiao, Hannan ; Shah, Binoli ; Spring, Joseph et al. / Scaffolding Student Learning through GenAI in Cybersecurity Education. Joint Proceedings of IS-EUD 2025: 10th International Symposium on End-User Development: Workshop: Cyber Security Education for Industry and Academia (CSE4IA 2025). editor / Viktorija Paneva ; Daniel Tetteroo ; Vittoria Frau ; Sebastian Feger ; Davide Spano ; Fabio Paternò ; Stefan Sauer ; Marco Manca. Vol. 3978 CEUR-WS Team, Germany, 2025. (CEUR Workshop Proceedings).

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title = "Scaffolding Student Learning through GenAI in Cybersecurity Education",

abstract = "The integration of Generative AI (GenAI) into education has the potential to transform pedagogical approaches and redefine learner engagement. Concerns, however, remain regarding the use of GenAI as a shortcut to final answers rather than as a scaffolding tool to support genuine understanding and critical thinking. This short paper presents a conceptual framework and system design for leveraging GenAI as a scaffolding tool to prompt student learning in cybersecurity education. The proposed framework introduces a GenAI-powered scaffolding agent that provides step-by-step guidance and fosters independent learning through inquiry-based dialogues aligned with established scaffolding strategies. The system architecture for this AI-driven scaffolding tool is presented in this paper, tailored within the context of cybersecurity pedagogy.",

author = "Hannan Xiao and Binoli Shah and Joseph Spring and Levgeniia Kuzminykh",

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series = "CEUR Workshop Proceedings",

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editor = "Viktorija Paneva and Daniel Tetteroo and Vittoria Frau and Sebastian Feger and Davide Spano and Fabio Patern{\`o} and Stefan Sauer and Marco Manca",

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Xiao, H, Shah, B, Spring, J & Kuzminykh, L 2025, Scaffolding Student Learning through GenAI in Cybersecurity Education. in V Paneva, D Tetteroo, V Frau, S Feger, D Spano, F Paternò, S Sauer & M Manca (eds), Joint Proceedings of IS-EUD 2025: 10th International Symposium on End-User Development: Workshop: Cyber Security Education for Industry and Academia (CSE4IA 2025). vol. 3978, CEUR Workshop Proceedings, CEUR-WS Team, Germany, The 3rd International Workshop on Cyber Security Education for Industry and Academia (CSE41A 2025), Munich, Germany, 16/06/25. <https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-3978/short-s3-06.pdf>

Scaffolding Student Learning through GenAI in Cybersecurity Education. / Xiao, Hannan; Shah, Binoli; Spring, Joseph et al.
Joint Proceedings of IS-EUD 2025: 10th International Symposium on End-User Development: Workshop: Cyber Security Education for Industry and Academia (CSE4IA 2025). ed. / Viktorija Paneva; Daniel Tetteroo; Vittoria Frau; Sebastian Feger; Davide Spano; Fabio Paternò; Stefan Sauer; Marco Manca. Vol. 3978 CEUR-WS Team, Germany, 2025. (CEUR Workshop Proceedings).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

TY - GEN

T1 - Scaffolding Student Learning through GenAI in Cybersecurity Education

AU - Xiao, Hannan

AU - Shah, Binoli

AU - Spring, Joseph

AU - Kuzminykh, Levgeniia

N1 - Conference code: 3rd

PY - 2025/6/16

Y1 - 2025/6/16

N2 - The integration of Generative AI (GenAI) into education has the potential to transform pedagogical approaches and redefine learner engagement. Concerns, however, remain regarding the use of GenAI as a shortcut to final answers rather than as a scaffolding tool to support genuine understanding and critical thinking. This short paper presents a conceptual framework and system design for leveraging GenAI as a scaffolding tool to prompt student learning in cybersecurity education. The proposed framework introduces a GenAI-powered scaffolding agent that provides step-by-step guidance and fosters independent learning through inquiry-based dialogues aligned with established scaffolding strategies. The system architecture for this AI-driven scaffolding tool is presented in this paper, tailored within the context of cybersecurity pedagogy.

AB - The integration of Generative AI (GenAI) into education has the potential to transform pedagogical approaches and redefine learner engagement. Concerns, however, remain regarding the use of GenAI as a shortcut to final answers rather than as a scaffolding tool to support genuine understanding and critical thinking. This short paper presents a conceptual framework and system design for leveraging GenAI as a scaffolding tool to prompt student learning in cybersecurity education. The proposed framework introduces a GenAI-powered scaffolding agent that provides step-by-step guidance and fosters independent learning through inquiry-based dialogues aligned with established scaffolding strategies. The system architecture for this AI-driven scaffolding tool is presented in this paper, tailored within the context of cybersecurity pedagogy.

M3 - Conference contribution

VL - 3978

T3 - CEUR Workshop Proceedings

BT - Joint Proceedings of IS-EUD 2025: 10th International Symposium on End-User Development

A2 - Paneva, Viktorija

A2 - Tetteroo, Daniel

A2 - Frau, Vittoria

A2 - Feger, Sebastian

A2 - Spano, Davide

A2 - Paternò, Fabio

A2 - Sauer, Stefan

A2 - Manca, Marco

PB - CEUR-WS Team, Germany

T2 - The 3rd International Workshop on Cyber Security Education for Industry and Academia (CSE41A 2025)

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Xiao H, Shah B, Spring J, Kuzminykh L. Scaffolding Student Learning through GenAI in Cybersecurity Education. In Paneva V, Tetteroo D, Frau V, Feger S, Spano D, Paternò F, Sauer S, Manca M, editors, Joint Proceedings of IS-EUD 2025: 10th International Symposium on End-User Development: Workshop: Cyber Security Education for Industry and Academia (CSE4IA 2025). Vol. 3978. CEUR-WS Team, Germany. 2025. (CEUR Workshop Proceedings).

Scaffolding Student Learning through GenAI in Cybersecurity Education

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