Development of a Simulated Internet for Education

Andrew Smith

a.smith@open.ac.uk

@teraknor

Version 1

Packet Tracer in a minute (or more)

Packet Tracer has a semi hidden ‘killer app’

• We could interconnect our networks via Packet Tracer– Across local area (wireless or cabled) or wide area networks

(eg the Internet)

– Not just 1:1

– Many:Many is possible

• Packet Tracer also allows for external application (API) access, enabling other systems to talk to Packet Tracer

• This is the same application, offering multiple purposes

So the idea …

Build an Internet on the Internet, using packet tracer as the

medium, method and learning tool

So the idea …

Now, we could have students and/or centres able to build

interconnected complex systems.

Without interacting with the ‘real’ Internet

Or, letting students build a complex system that in the real world would never happen

In class, between classes, remotely, in groups or individually

So the idea …

Early stages …

• The early model– Script

– Chaotic

– It worked

– BUT it crashed

• Back to the drawing board

• Conceptualisation????

A critical issue

Expecting a novice to accommodate some of the conceptual discipline of

an experienced engineer

Overcoming this disconnect?

And then …

• Facilitation > two-part session with participants– First part : Familiarization and conceptualization

– And then : Build a 1:many system

• Mass participation• Seeing the network evolve

– Locally (on their computer)

– Remotely (on the facilitators machine)

• This was delivered more than once, at two centres, the data from the paper explores this in more detail.

And then …

I can see, what you can see, we all can see the network evolve

Observations …

• Participants engage with the cooperative element

• Participants benefit from the familiarization exercise

• Appears to enable the participant to ‘construct’ an mental model of the larger system

• Participants perceive the activity as a valuable ‘learning experience’– Plenty of “more please”, from educators and students

What next

• Gathering more centres to complete the process explored in this paper– UK and International– Repeat/refine process– Yes, this is a request

• About to proceed with a multi-campus college to create a template for a two-site+relay 1:many scenario– Sites are in same town as relay– Long goal is pairing centres in different geo-locales– Long goal also to explore asynchronous methodology– Explore a robust data collection method– Explore use of PT activity/assessment wizard

Final thoughts

"It is the mark of an educated mind is to be able to entertain a

thought without accepting it." Aristotle