CLASS SCHEDULE AND READINGS
Below is the class schedule. Please be aware that the schedule is subject to change. Notice that each week (for the most part) there are three important items: a topic for discussion, a required reading, and an ICA. More information on these three items is discussed below.
[Topic for Discussion]:
This is the overarching theme for the week. Please note that this is a topic for DISCUSSION. In other words, the lecture portion of the class will by no means be a lecture during which I present a PowerPoint presentation and you all sit there. Instead, the lecture portion of the course will consist of a discussion driven by you and your classmates. This course structure stems from a wide range of research that suggests lecture-only courses do not convey much information to students. So, in this course, I will guide and facilitate the class discussion through the reading, PPTs, and ICAs. This means that during class, you are required to be be prepared to DISCUSS THE READING (not sit there and zone out). Remember, this is YOUR class and YOU should drive it (and LEARN something too!).
[Required Reading]:
Class discussions will center on the required readings for the week, I have given you all the task of reading a chapter or two each week. This should be done BEFORE CLASS STARTS so that we can discuss the material during class. A good way to prepare for the class discussions is to take notes while reading.
[In-Class Assignment (ICAs)]:
There are several in-class assignments (ICAs) associated with the topic for discussion for most of the weeks. The ICAs are meant to further the learning process by having you all work as a group to complete an activity related to the course material. I will discuss more about the ICAs each week. The ICAs will begin during class. I will give you class time to work on them so please BRING YOUR LAPTOP/TABLET. Depending on how much time we have in class, you may finish the ICA for the week during class.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OUTLINE
[Week 1]: 4/3
[Week 2]: 4/8 & 4/10
[Week 3]: 4/15 & 4/17
[Week 4]: 4/22 & 4/24
[Week 5]: 4/29 & 5/1
[Week 6]: 5/6 & 5/8
[Week 7]: 5/13 & 5/15 (guest lecture on 5/15 - Ben Brobak, WatchGuard Technologies)
[Week 8]: 5/20 & 5/22
[Week 9]: 5/27* & 5/29 (*Monday is a holiday)
[Week 10]: 6/3 & 6/5 - DEAD WEEK!
[Week 11]: FINAL EXAM (GROUP PROJECTS): Tuesday, June 11 from 10:30am to 12:30pm (double check!)
- Introduction to Course;
- Seven Things in Common;
- Videos and Discussion: How the Internet Works; What we will learn in this class
[Week 2]: 4/8 & 4/10
- Topic for Discussion: What in the World is a Network Model?
- Required Reading: Chapter 1: Network Models
- Begin HoA#1; Upload HoA#1 to Canvas by Friday @ 11:59pm
[Week 3]: 4/15 & 4/17
- Short Recap of the Previous ICA
- Topic for Discussion: Cables, Methods, and Topologies, Oh my!
- Required Reading: Chapter 2: Cabling and Topology
- Begin HoA#2; Upload HoA#2 to Canvas by Friday @ 11:59pm
- Think about your groups for the Group Project (Groups should be 3-4 people)
[Week 4]: 4/22 & 4/24
- Short Recap of the Previous ICA
- Topic for Discussion: Nothing but Ethernet
- Required Reading: Chapter 3 and Chapter 4
- Group Project Phase 1 due by Sunday, 4/28 @ 11:59pm
- Wednesday: Guest Lecture: Derrick Michelson, CBE IT Manager (PowerShell, Navigating the Networking World, etc)
- Begin HoA#3; Upload HoA#3 to Canvas by Friday @ 11:59pm
[Week 5]: 4/29 & 5/1
- Short Recap of the Previous ICA
- Topic for Discussion: Let's get Physical
- Required Reading: Chapter 5: Installing a Physical Network
- Wednesday: Guest Lecture: Presentation and Tour of WWU Networking by Bob Ibach, WWU Network Engineer
- Begin HoA#4; Upload HoA#4 to Canvas by Friday @ 11:59pm
[Week 6]: 5/6 & 5/8
- Short Recap of the Previous ICA
- Monday: Exam 1: All Previous content (week 2 thru 6). Exam will be given immediately at 12 and will last the entire class period. DO NOT BE LATE!! More information will be provided when the exam approaches.
- Wednesday: Work on Group Project
- Phase 2 of Group Project Due on Monday, 5/13 before class
[Week 7]: 5/13 & 5/15 (guest lecture on 5/15 - Ben Brobak, WatchGuard Technologies)
- Monday: Group Project Presentations & Security
- Wednesday: Topic for Discussion: Security Guest Speaker
- Required Reading: Chapter 10
- Begin HoA#5; Upload HoA#5 to Canvas by Sunday @ 11:59pm
[Week 8]: 5/20 & 5/22
- Short Recap of the Previous ICA
- Topic for Discussion:
- Monday: TCP/IP
- Wednesday: Wireless Networking
- Required Reading: Chapter 6: TCP/IP Basics, and Chapter 14: Wireless Networking
- Begin HoA#6; Upload HoA#6 to Canvas by Friday @ 11:59am
[Week 9]: 5/27* & 5/29 (*Monday is a holiday)
- Monday is a Holiday
- Exam 2 on Wednesday, 5/29: Exam 2 is cumulative, that is, it covers all the content we discussed over the last 11 weeks. However, it will emphasize more of the content we discussed since Exam 1.
[Week 10]: 6/3 & 6/5 - DEAD WEEK!
- Begin HoA#7; Upload HoA#7 to Canvas by Friday @ 11:59am - Internet of Things
- Monday: Explore Technology!
- Wednesday is a Group Project Day!
[Week 11]: FINAL EXAM (GROUP PROJECTS): Tuesday, June 11 from 10:30am to 12:30pm (double check!)
- Group Project Milestone 3 due Tuesday, 6/11 before the final exam period
- Group Project Presentations on Tuesday 6/11 during the final exam period
- WWU Finals Schedule