Online Versus In-Person Cybersecurity Training: A Randomized Controlled Comparison of Skill Acquisition

What Did This Cybersecurity Research Find?

This cybersecurity training effectiveness study randomly assigned 600 learners to online self-paced, online instructor-led, or in-person instructor-led formats for the same 40-hour security fundamentals course. Cybersecurity skill acquisition (measured by hands-on lab assessments) was statistically equivalent across all three formats, but course completion rates differed dramatically: in-person achieved 94%, online instructor-led 78%, and online self-paced only 52%.

Key Findings

• 1Skill acquisition scores were statistically equivalent across all three formats (p > 0.05)
• 2Course completion rates: in-person 94%, online instructor-led 78%, online self-paced 52%
• 3Online self-paced learners who completed scored as well as in-person completers
• 4Learner accountability structures (cohorts, deadlines) increased self-paced completion to 71%
• 5Six-month skill retention was also equivalent across formats for those who completed

How Does This Apply to Cybersecurity Careers?

Learners can select the training format that best fits their schedule while understanding the completion risk of self-paced programs. Training managers can design programs that maximize completion rates.

Who Should Read This?

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