Evaluation of the Effect of Wireshark-based Laboratories on Increasing Student Understanding of Learning Outcomes in a Data Communications Course

Craig A Chin; Leigh Sharma; Garth V Crosby

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Conference: 2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Publication Date: June 23, 2013
Start Date: June 23, 2013
End Date: June 26, 2013
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: Integrating Curriculum and Labs in Engineering Technology Programs
Tagged Division: Engineering Technology
Page Count: 13
Page Numbers: 23.554.1 - 23.554.13
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--19568
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/19568
Download Count: 421

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Paper Authors

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Craig A Chin Southern Polytechnic State University

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Craig A. Chin received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Florida International University in 2006. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the electrical and computer engineering technology at Southern Polytechnic State University. His research interests include biomedical signal processing, pattern recognition, and active learning techniques applied to engineering education.

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Leigh Sharma Southern Polytechnic College of Engr and Engr Tech

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Garth V Crosby Southern Illinois University Carbondale

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Dr. Garth V. Crosby is an assistant professor in the Technology Department at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He obtained his MS and PhD degrees from Florida International University in Computer Engineering and Electrical Engineering, respectively.
Dr. Crosby’s primary interests of research are wireless networks, wireless sensor networks, network security and active learning strategies for STEM. He has served as a reviewer for several conferences, magazines and journals publications, including IEEE INFOCOM, and IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics. He is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a member of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), and Eta Kappa Nu.

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Abstract

Evaluation of the Effect of Wireshark-based Laboratories on Increasing Student Understanding of Learning Outcomes in a Data Communications CourseA 3000-level course in data communications is a part of the curriculum in the electrical engineeringtechnology program at my institution. Some of the primary learning outcomes of the course section thatinvestigates the data link layer are: to identify the different fields of a data link layer (Ethernet) frame, todescribe how the TCP/IP protocol suite utilizes physical, logical and port addresses to send/receive data,and to describe the operation of the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) in facilitating data link layercommunication. The content relevant to these outcomes is presented in class via a lecture format. Inthese lectures, frames are represented in a simplified graphical format. Recently, a laboratory using theWireshark packet-sniffer application has been added to deepen student understanding of these learningoutcomes. The laboratory involves investigating the function of the ARP by examining the contents of anARP request packet and an ARP reply packet produced when a user uses a web browser to access a filefrom a website. The laboratory also involves analyzing the different fields of an Ethernet frame as well asthe address fields of the network layer and transport layer packets that the frame encapsulates. It isexpected that the interaction with actual frames that this laboratory provides, should result in an increasedability to accomplish the above-stated learning outcomes. To investigate this hypothesis, studentknowledge is assessed by requiring them to take a test prior to the laboratory session and immediatelyafter the session. The pretest and posttest scores are analyzed to determine if there is statistical significantdifference between them. Also, students are required to complete a questionnaire that asks them toprovide a subjective assessment of what aspects of the laboratory helped to increase their understandingand what aspects of the laboratory could be improved. A discussion of these responses is given.

Citation
Format

Chin, C. A., & Sharma, L., & Crosby, G. V. (2013, June), Evaluation of the Effect of Wireshark-based Laboratories on Increasing Student Understanding of Learning Outcomes in a Data Communications Course Paper presented at 2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Atlanta, Georgia. 10.18260/1-2--19568

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Evaluation of the Effect of Wireshark-based Laboratories on Increasing Student Understanding of                      Learning Outcomes in a Data Communications CourseA 3000-level course in data communications is a part of the curriculum in the electrical engineeringtechnology program at my institution. Some of the primary learning outcomes of the course section thatinvestigates the data link layer are: to identify the different fields of a data link layer (Ethernet) frame, todescribe how the TCP/IP protocol suite utilizes physical, logical and port addresses to send/receive data,and to describe the operation of the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) in facilitating data link layercommunication. The content relevant to these outcomes is presented in class via a lecture format. Inthese lectures, frames are represented in a simplified graphical format. Recently, a laboratory using theWireshark packet-sniffer application has been added to deepen student understanding of these learningoutcomes. The laboratory involves investigating the function of the ARP by examining the contents of anARP request packet and an ARP reply packet produced when a user uses a web browser to access a filefrom a website. The laboratory also involves analyzing the different fields of an Ethernet frame as well asthe address fields of the network layer and transport layer packets that the frame encapsulates. It isexpected that the interaction with actual frames that this laboratory provides, should result in an increasedability to accomplish the above-stated learning outcomes. To investigate this hypothesis, studentknowledge is assessed by requiring them to take a test prior to the laboratory session and immediatelyafter the session. The pretest and posttest scores are analyzed to determine if there is statistical significantdifference between them. Also, students are required to complete a questionnaire that asks them toprovide a subjective assessment of what aspects of the laboratory helped to increase their understandingand what aspects of the laboratory could be improved. A discussion of these responses is given.
AU  - Craig A Chin
AU  - Leigh Sharma
AU  - Garth V Crosby
CY  - Atlanta, Georgia
DA  - 2013/06/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Evaluation of the Effect of Wireshark-based Laboratories on Increasing Student Understanding of Learning Outcomes in a Data Communications Course
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/19568
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--19568
ER  -