Grants
Active Funded Projects
Teacher Professional Development and Collaboration to Integrate CyberSecurity in Mathematics and Science Elementary Curriculum
Martin, F., Hunt, J., Carrier, S., Rutherford, T., & Shen, C. [Principal Investigator]. (2024-2028)
National Science Foundation, DRK-12 Project, $2,010,135.00
Project Website: https://research.ced.ncsu.edu/cims/
This project is designed to iteratively develop, refine, and test an innovative professional development program that supports teachers to infuse cybersecurity into 4th-5th grade mathematics and science instruction. The project will synergistically merge cybersecurity with mathematics and science content in authentic, real-world contexts to teach topics such as cyberbullying, digital security, encryption/decryption, digital privacy, and digital footprint.
Digital Equity and Learning Implementation (DELI). NC Digital Explorers
Huggins, E., Braaten, E., Martin, F. (2024-2026). [Co-Principal Investigator]. NC Department of Information Technology. $2,550,000
The goal of the project is to manage and support initial planning and implementation of the NC Digital Equity Plan as well as the development of measurement and assessment tools that will be used for Digital Champion grants and Digital Equity Subgrants.
Addressing Disparities in Data‐Driven Decision-Making Education (ADD ME): Enhancing Representativeness of Minorities and Women in Business Analytics.
Cheng, A., Rand, B., Martin, F. [Co-Principal Investigator]. (2024-2025)
North Carolina State University, Game-Changing Research Incentive Program (GRIP) for Economic Access and Opportunity, $86,500.
The project incorporates practical interventions, such as AI‐integrated workshops on data-driven decision making that are tailored to the unique needs of underrepresented minorities and women.
GenCyberPack: Professional Development for Middle and High School Teachers on Cybersecurity
Martin, F., Aysu, A., Davis, R. [Principal Investigator](2023-2025).
National Security Agency, $150,000
Project Website: https://research.ced.ncsu.edu/gencyber/
This GenCyber teacher camp at North Carolina State University o empowered middle and high school teachers in North Carolina to teach cybersecurity content in their classroom through professional development activities. The PD focused on six cybersecurity topics including GenCyber Cybersecurity Concepts, Cyber Ethics & Cyber Safety, Cryptography, Real-World Cybersecurity, Cyberpolicies, and Cybersecurity Careers.
Advancing Cybersecurity and Privacy of Educational Technologies Used in K-12 schools
Martin, F., Wang, W., & Byker, E. [Principal Investigator](2021-2024). No Cost- extension until 2025.
National Science Foundation, SATC:EDU, $499,971
Project Website: https://research.ced.ncsu.edu/k12edtechsecurity/
Transferred to North Carolina State University -$413,141.00 – NSF Award # 2309400
This project provided cybersecurity education to school administrators, technology support staff, and teachers across North Carolina through the novel Cybersecurity Awareness-Ask-Action (AAA) program focusing on how to secure their educational technologies, the communication skills to enable them to ask security- and privacy-related questions of software providers, and critical information on how to act when they recognize a threat to the digital privacy and security.
Keeping Students Safe in the Digital World: Examining Monitoring Technologies Used by K-12 Schools During the Pandemic.
Martin, F., Wang, W., Foxx, S., Edwards, C., & Davis, R. [Principal Investigator] (2022-2024).
North Carolina Collaboratory.Covid-19 Learning Impact Program. $297,953
Project Website: https://research.ced.ncsu.edu/k12studentsafetymonitoring/
NC Collaboratory Award
This project conducted an evaluation study to examine the implementation and impact of monitoring applications (e.g., GoGuardian, Gaggle, Securly, Lightspeed, etc.) in North Carolina’s K-12 schools during the pandemic. Literature review, extant data analysis, program review, surveys, and interviews, were used to evaluate the effectiveness of these applications.
Completed Funded Projects
Digital Safety Immersion for Elementary School Students
Martin, F., Polly, D. & Wang, W. [Principal Investigator] (2020-2023). No Cost- extension until 2024.
National Science Foundation, SATC:EDU, $399,999
Project Website: dsc.uncc.edu
Transferred to North Carolina State University – $125,843 NSF Award – #2319015
This project addresses the need for digital safety and privacy education at the elementary school level. To accomplish this goal the project will design a comprehensive suite of digital safety educational materials for elementary school students in Grades 3-5. Topics included cyberbullying, digital security and privacy, footprint, and the correct way of communicating on the Internet.
Preparing High School Teachers to Broaden Participation by Teaching Programming Online
Perez-Quinones, M., Pugalee, D., Martin, F. [Co-Principal Investigator] (2020-2022).No-cost extension until 2023.
National Science Foundation, RPP HS, $299,848
Project Website: cs4all.uncc.edu
NSF Award – # 2031496
This project developed and implemented an online professional development course for high school teachers to prepare them to teach computer science to diverse learners including learners from underserved and underrepresented groups. The project used automated graders as well as culturally responsive instructional materials to teach computing.
Establishing Digital Citizenship by Implementing Cyber Safety Curriculum with Middle School Students
Martin, F., Petty, T., Wang., C., & Wang, W. [Principal Investigator] (2017-2020)
National Science Foundation, SATC:EDU, $300,000
Project Website: dcc.uncc.edu
NSF Award – #1723746
The goal of this project is to increase cyber safety knowledge and skills among middle school students, teachers, and technology facilitators, while creating cyber safety awareness among parents of middle school students. The investigators designed a suite of instructional materials and application activities (e.g., e-learning modules, online course and videos) dedicated to bridge the gap in cyber safety education in schools.
Creating a Usable Security and Privacy Body of Knowledge
Lipford, H., Martin, F., & Rorrer, A., [Co-Principal Investigator] (2015-2018)
National Science Foundation, EAGER, $194,439
NSF Award – #1500052
Usability is widely recognized as important to the design of security and privacy systems. The current project followed a systematic instructional design process to analyze, design, develop, and evaluate a body of knowledge for education in usable security and privacy. Investigators led a community of experts in developing a body of knowledge, organizing instructional concepts into a set of 16 knowledge units covering the field of usable security and privacy.
Visual Digital Literacy: Curricula and Modules for the IT Worker
Buehman, A., Friesen, O., Martin, F. & Gibson, J. [Co-Principal Investigator] (2006-2009)
National Science Foundation, Advanced Technology Education (ATE): $600,000
NSF Award – # 0501965
Digital Visual Literacy is the ability to understand computer-generated images and use them to communicate effective and is increasingly essential for information technology (IT) technicians and other knowledge workers. This project focused on creating, using, assessing, and disseminating a curriculum and comprehensive set of teaching modules on introductory Digital Visual Literacy to prepare community college students to meet this workforce requirement.