Kelly Ritchie

11-26-99

CECS 5400

Dr. Knezek

Everyday, millions of people purchase items on-line, giving out their credit card numbers to faceless screens, without fully understanding if the entire process is safe. Even more people use e-mail systems, trusting that the messages they send are being opened and read only by the intended recipients. Fortunately, most day to day business on the Internet is made safe and possible by the use of encryption. Because encryption is such a technical procedure, this paper will understandably be more limited in scope than the field of encryption really is. We will look at the main process by which encryption works and also how that technology is going to be vital in the future classrooms.

Strong encryption was once used only by the military; however, in the current information age, it has become a crucial tool for almost everyone who uses a computer. Most people do not really understand the process by which encryption works; they just trust that it does. In basic encryption, when an original message is typed, it is called plaintext. When a person encodes that message so that outsiders can not read it, that is encryption. In the plaintext, each character is assigned an ASCII value and then an algorithm is performed on each of those values (Shay, 1999). Once the message is encrypted, it is called ciphertext. When the recipient retrieves the plaintext from the ciphertext, it is called decryption (SSH Communications Security, 1999). Typically this process takes place by the use of a key and the coding method makes it possible to decrypt the message if the recipient knows the proper key.

Most encryption processes make use of algorithms, or numerical operations. For most algorithms, the encryption key must be the same as the decryption key (www.4encryption.com). There are two classes of key-based algorithms, secret key (symmetric) and public-key (asymmetric). Secret-key algorithms use the same key for encryption and decryption, but in public-key a different key is used for encryption and decryption (Meyer, 1997).

Humans can not easily execute Modern cryptographic algorithms. The algorithms are designed to be executed by computers or specialized hardware devices (Ladd, O’Donnell, et al., 1999). Cryptography, or keeping messages secret, is usually done by computer software. This is one of the safeguards that prevent encrypted messages from being easily decrypted. Good cryptographic algorithms should always be designed so that they are as difficult to break as possible.

Cryptographic random number generators produce random numbers for use in cryptographic applications, such as for keys. These generators are specially designed random number generators because the generators in most programming languages are not suitable for use in cryptographic applications (SSH communications Security, 1999). The importance of good random number generators can not be underestimated. Without this link, the entire system becomes too weak to trust with information exchange.

For a more detailed description of how different encryption methods work, please see the list of references at the end of this paper, especially Chapter 4 of the book, Understanding Data Communications and Networks. The world of encryption is ever changing and extremely technical. A complete explanation of the topic is far beyond the scope of this paper. Understanding the basic way that encryption works will give comfort to those who may fear use of particular technology, such as purchasing on-line or accessing grade information from programs such as Web-CT, assuring them that encryption codes should not be easily broken.

What does encryption technology mean for teachers in future educational settings? Many futurists see the face of education changing immensely in the next several years. Increased use of on-line activities will be the norm as parents are able to view live feed from their child’s classrooms, access weekly progress reports regarding their child’s conduct and grades, and have conferences with teachers on-line instead of coming to the school (Tapscott, 1998). Many distant learning opportunities are taking place in the university setting and more of the classes will become options as schools face problems with overcrowding and limited physical resources.

As schools and teachers make this transition, the issues of privacy and confidentiality will necessarily become increased concerns. It will be crucial for schools to ensure the students’ safety when releasing personal information. A thorough understanding of encryption and a well-researched hunt for the right encryption program will be essential for schools that wish to do more on-line between parents, students, and teachers (Row, 1999).

Encryption usage will change the face of education and, in particular, it will revamp the way teachers will teach. No longer will teachers have to worry about whether or not parents received information that they need. Every syllabus, homework assignment, rubric, discipline referral, and absence report can be accessed by the parent who has the correct encryption key Vision Net, 1999). While giving the parents more insight into their child’s education, use of encryption technology will also relieve some of the responsibility from the teachers who often find it difficult to contact parents with every bit of relevant information. Students will also gain autonomy, as they can be responsible for entering synopses of class activities, future class lessons, and postings of personal best work. By allowing students to post and maintain some of the information that is accessible by the parents, they are given them more control over their educational process and they will engage in important activities by which they can reflect on their learning. Many teachers complain that they do not have the skills to really facilitate learning, which usually requires more creativity than traditional teaching. Encryption will allow the kinds of activities for teachers to be more focused on facilitating learning opportunities than on providing "sit and get" lecture instruction.

Just as universities and some K-12 schools have made more use of on-line education, so can other school districts. Encryption is the key to making it possible. The key to making encryption work is to remember that encryption techniques must be evaluated periodically because if the user becomes too reliant on the effectiveness, he leaves himself vulnerable to hackers. People in public education settings will have to be especially vigilant in their attempts to maintain security due to legal and societal ramifications, but the effort that goes into fully implementing encryption technology will make all the difference in helping education leap into the 21^st century.

References and Relevant URL’s