Networking Education Teacher Support

This project is developing enrichment materials and methods that use the power of Web-based tools to enhance students' preparation in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology via a new hands-on virtual learning environment for information technology (IT) networking education.

Online features are supporting teachers in leading IT networking courses and supporting students in their learning. The goal is for innovative and scale-up applications of new, low-cost technologies, such as console port Telnet session sharing, to strengthen network training in a sample of community colleges and secondary systems. Network equipment configuration activities rich with student inquiry assignments are accessible through an online teacher and student support Web site. Support to teachers and students in the form of mentoring and moderated discussion is available. Innovative software is making possible remote classroom sharing of multi-vendor network routing and switching equipment hosted on the Internet. Flexible curriculum activities and pedagogical guidance are enabling real-time instructor-led mentoring in the virtual classroom and virtual laboratory environment. Students are benefiting by having multi-vendor access experiences via remote connections, a typical "real world" professional work mode. The pairing of realistic case problem curricula with Internet classroom delivery tools is saving money for school systems while providing the most realistic educational settings and scenarios. The reduction in laboratory equipment costs is encouraging networking program start-ups at resource-limited schools.