Conference Session

Curricular Issues in Computer-Oriented Programs

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thomas Hacker, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Information Systems

HPC, one for undergraduates and onefor graduate students, that provides students with hands-on experience in designing, developing,and testing commodity-based supercomputing systems. In this paper, we describe a cost-effective and scalable approach that we developed for this course, which has been successfullydelivered over several semesters. We describe the curricular context, pedagogical approach, andoutcomes along with a detailed description of the approaches and strategies we used to develop ahands-on laboratory component that can be replicated by others seeking to develop similarcourses. We believe that our results will be useful to departments and institutions interested indeveloping curricula to answer the increasing needs presented by

Conference Session

Information and Network Security

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

HongLi Luo, Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne

Tagged Divisions

Information Systems

utilize the available network resources at home and gain some hands-on practice.Most of the laboratories designed for the computer networking courses are set up on campusnetworks11, 14, 15. The labs run on real devices which needs a budget. Those networks aremaintained by technical staff and shared by all the users, so students only have limited access tothe networks. Besides the traditional networking laboratories performed on real devices, there aresome other approaches to teach networking labs, such as virtual lab software13 and simulationtools. Simulation software1,5,8 can be used to simulate the network environment, so realequipment and networks are not necessary. For example, VMWare1,12 is used widely in theteaching of computer networks

Conference Session

Information and Network Security

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Hetal Jasani, Northern Kentucky University

Tagged Divisions

Information Systems

them and participate in active learning basedmodules. This paper elaborates innovative projects that are suitable for laboratory work incomputer information technology curriculum. It explores both hardware and softwarecomponents that are now being used for practical exercises in wireless networks courses. Thispaper discusses the hands-on labs for wireless networks such as site survey, MAC (MediumAccess Control) layer settings, upgrading the firmware of wireless devices, etc. In addition, thispaper also illustrates the wireless security labs which discuss how to set up WPA/WPA2 (Wi-FiProtected Access) on Cisco and Linksys wireless access points (AP).IntroductionThe field of wireless networks is dynamically changing due to the advances in the

Conference Session

Curricular Issues in Computer-Oriented Programs

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ashley Banaszek, Missouri University of Science and Technology; Hong Sheng, Missouri University of Science and Technology; Richard Hall, Missouri University of Science and Technology; Ronaldo Luna, Missouri University of Science and Technology; Ghulam Bham, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Tagged Divisions

Information Systems

module for teachingGeographic Information Systems to civil engineering students within the context of a problemrelated to crash data analysis. This module is one part of a National Science Foundation Course,Curricula, and Laboratory Improvement Project in which GIS modules are being developed forseveral areas of civil engineering. The module was used as a laboratory assignment in atransportation engineering course. Two days later students completed both an objective multiplechoice quiz over the material covered in the lab and a subjective questionnaire. Quantitativeanalysis was carried out on the quiz answers and the Likert scale portion of the questionnaire. Aqualitative grounded-theory open-coding analysis was applied to the open-ended

Conference Session

POTPOURRI

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Afsaneh Minaie, Utah Valley University; Kirk Love, Utah Valley University; Paymon Sanati-Mehrizy, University of Pennsylvania; Reza Sanati-Mehrizy, Utah Valley University

Tagged Divisions

Information Systems

Technology:The Rochester Institute of Technology has started a Woman in Technology (WIT) program in2003 to help retain female Engineering Technology students with the goal of increasing thenumber of female graduates of their Technology programs20. Their program consisted of foursupportive activities for the first three years: 1. “Study groups facilitated by adjunct faculty 2. Peer tutoring by juniors and seniors 3. Purchase of academic laboratory kits for the first and second year students 4. Support for students attendance at the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) national conference.”20Since 2003, retention of their first-year women students has increased from 84% to 96%. In2007, they developed a new program that consists of a

Conference Session

Curricular Issues in Computer-Oriented Programs

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

C. Richard Helps

Tagged Divisions

Information Systems

knowledge of the field and also investconsiderable effort and resources in updating their technical curricula and laboratories toaccommodate these new developments in their field. Therefore instructional design in thisenvironment needs to respond to this continually changing technical landscape. Page 15.1109.1On the other hand, faculty tenure and promotion decisions in computing disciplines arefrequently based on successful research and peer-reviewed publication. Upgrading curricula isseldom well recognized and rewarded for faculty in higher education academic environments.Thus, updating of curricula places additional stress on busy faculty members