Enhancing the computer networking curriculum

An increasing number of students in computer science are requesting advanced study and active learning experiences in computer networking. Employers need graduates who not only understand the fundamentals of networking but those who can quickly be involved in network administration. Meeting these demands in the curriculum suggests that new and well-planned laboratory and internship experiences should be incorporated into the computer science curriculum. However, there are some major challenges in providing these experiences; it is much more complex than just adding another compiler or server to a laboratory. This paper describes several efforts the authors are making to meet these challenges.The environment in which these efforts have been studied is a small state-supported university, Northwest Missouri State University, in rural Missouri. Northwest has over 6,200 students pursuing baccalaureate, masters and specialist degrees. The networking environment at Northwest is more robust than one might expect. In 1987, the University became the first public institution in the United States to develop an "Electronic Campus" featuring University-provided, networked computing stations located in every residence hall room and faculty office. Then in 1999, each faculty member was issued a personal notebook computer and the residence halls were upgraded to Windows-based, networked desktop computers. [9]