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Session 2548

Coursework Focus: Inter-operation of Servers, Workstations, and Network Devices

David A. Border

Electronics and Computer Technology Program Department of Technology Systems Bowling Green State University Bowling Green, Ohio 43403

Abstract

The paper details both the coursework and hardware used in a new two-semester sequence of data communication courses under development in the Electronics and Computer Technology (ECT) Program at Bowling Green State University (BGSU). (1) The traditional approach of teaching data communications from a well known topics as signal standards, message syntax, time-based and frequency-based transmission techniques, must now share the undergraduate's attention with newer topics. (2) These topics include administration of servers, workstations and network devices. For the educator, the problem posed by these new topics is the unwanted presence of a potentially large amount of vendor specific and proprietary information within the body of work. The curriculum under development at BGSU attempts to (1) minimize transient, or unnecessary, vendor-specific details, while presenting a strong core of new communication fundamentals that enable students to understand and exercise the (2) information technology basic to server, workstation, and network device operation and interaction.

Introduction

Traditional electrical engineering curricula includes a systems and signals course followed by a sequence of communication courses that include such topics as analog signal modulation, baseband digital signal transmission, signal filtering, channel capacity, and message coding. The depths of communication topics are dependent on how, or whether, a communication specialty is offered within the electrical engineering program.

At Bowling Green, our electronics and computer technology program has followed a similar template, while additionally covering topics such as physical interface standards (e.g. RS-232, RS-422). Since our program has a three-semester co-operative education component, emphasis on application over theory has proven beneficial to our students. With the rise of networking applications, and the “network appliance” in both corporate, manufacturing and consumer environments, our students need additional communication systems preparation. This is particularly critical for ECT graduates that seek a career in an Information Technology field. In this employment sector they will compete for jobs with recent graduates from other institutions that may already hold an IT industry related certification. These certifications can be either closely tied to the curriculum, as in the case of many two-year degree granting institutions, or

Proceedings of the 2003 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2003, American Society for Engineering Education

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Border, D. (2003, June), Coursework Focus: Inter Operation Of Servers, Workstations, And Network Devices Paper presented at 2003 Annual Conference, Nashville, Tennessee. 10.18260/1-2--11915