Student Learning with an Industry Certification Course at University

1
Student Learning with an Industry Certification
Course at University

• Andy Simmonds
• Faculty of IT, UTS
• simmonds_at_it.uts.edu.au

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Talk overview

• Some issues in using industry courses
• The unit, and the conditions of use
• Unit aims and content
• Multiple choice exam issues
• Feedback what the students think

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Issues

• competent versus stretched students
• preparation time for new material
• freedom to teach if you sell out?
• but actually its the student learning experience
  that counts

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UTS unit Networking 1

• Cisco Semester 1 course
• large computer networking corporation
• Cisco Learning Institute (CLI)
• collaboration
• main Cisco conditions
• must use all or nothing
• all instructors must be trained
• no copying/downloading of material

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Some aims

• Cisco semesters 1 4 preparation for CCNA
• UTS Networking 1 preparation for work as a
  network engineer
• on-line forum
• journal
• 30 students per lab

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Content

• Whats in
• protocols
• Address Resolution Protocol (11.3.3)
• hands on
• making a cable (5.3.2)
• Whats not in
• maths (except lots of binary/hex)

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Multiple choice exams

• Surface learning
• ?
• Effective testing of all the syllabus
• ?
• Machine marked
• ???

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Cisco feedback

• Twenty Q, 5 point Likert scale
• Q6. The class was interesting and enjoyable
• Q1. The instructor was adequately prepared to
  teach this course
• Q3. Presentations were clear and easy to
  understand
• Plotted on graph Q1, Q3 ? v. Q6 ?

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Cisco feedback cont

• Q6. The class was interesting and enjoyable
• Q4. Answers to questions were provided in a
  timely manner
• Q5. Class participation was enhanced through
  effective use of questions
• Q7. Best Practices and good teaching strategies
  were modeled during the training
• Q9. Class members felt comfortable approaching
  the instructor with questions/ideas

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University feedback

• Better than faculty average on all except I
  received constructive feedback when needed
• 3.2 vs. 3.3
• My learning experiences in this subject were
  interesting and thought provoking
• 3.8 compared to 3.79 for Q6. The class was
  interesting and enjoyable

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Industry Certification Courses Summary

• Shown that good teaching is as important as ever
• Strict quality controls
• Emphasis on hands on approach
• Good unit design and materials
• Thank you, and any questions?

simmonds_at_it.uts.edu.au