Outcome based approach to Teaching, Learning and Assessment in Computer Networks: An Experience

Teaching Computer Networks course for undergraduate Computer Science and Engineering program has always been a challenge, since it has to be effectively bridged with its corresponding laboratory course. Students may find the course too technical and dry while teaching, because in this they need more imagination and analysis ability to know the concepts. If students actively participate in the classroom learning activities, they will be more cognitively engaged and as a result be able to achieve a better understanding of computer network concepts. This thought led the authors to come out with new and innovative methods of teaching this subject. In this paper authors describe an innovative approach to teach the network course and develop the laboratory assignments. The usual way of conducting lab was based on predefined problem statement given in the curriculum and NCTUNS simulator was used to do the simulation assignments. Now we have introduced the lab experiments at open-ended level -1(problem, ways & means are given and answers are open) and NS2 simulator is used for better understanding of simulating lab assignments. The pedagogy tool like group activity is used to conduct the course. The group activities are RFC(Request For Comment) document presentations, campus network survey and IEEE paper presentation. Other individual activities like quizzes, crosswords and puzzles are also conducted in the class. A few questions will be given to the students at the end of each class to know more about practical concepts. Our innovative activities resulted in better learning for the students and thus increasing their confidence level. Another important achievement is that multiple teams of students are allowed to work simultaneously, thus fostering student interaction and team work experiences.