CPSC CSSEI Course Modification Proposal

CPSC 317 is the department's introductory networking course. A group of us (Donald Acton, Bill Aiello, Norm Hutchinson, and Alan Wagner) have recently been reflecting upon this course. We asked the question "What are the key things we would want every student who has taken an introductory networking course be able to do?" Our goal is to compare the current CPSC 317 offering to these learning outcomes and then modifying 317 to ensure that students can achieve these identified learning outcomes.

Currently CPSC 317 is delivered as a classic lecture style course consisting of 3 hours of lectures and one 1 hour of tutorial per week. The goal is to modify 317 using the techniques identified through the CWSEI body of work so that students meet the learning outcomes. The current intention is to move away from a lecture based format to one where the students engage in in-class group activities, and whole class discussions to achieve the desired learning outcomes. (It should be noted that we expect to work with an STLF to determine the actual structure and use the of class time.)

With the help of an STLF we completed attitudinal surveys of the two most recent offerings of CPSC 317 and we intend to continue with such surveys. The outcomes from the attitudinal survey will, in part, be used to determine the success of the course delivery modifications that we make. In addition we intend to review current final exam questions to see if any can be used as benchmarks for measuring learning improvements. If not then we would also develop some benchmark questions to be administered in upcoming 317 offerings. (Both modified and unmodified versions.)

STLF will be required for:

• Creating, conducting, and analyzing attitudinal surveys
• Help with review and refining of learning outcomes
• Advice and guidance with respect to the development of appropriate in-class activities (this might include clickers), associated materials, and assessment mechanisms and strategies.

Deliverables:

• Course/Topic Level learning outcomes
• Fine-grained learning outcomes
• A collection of in-class activities
• Pre-class activities, possibly videos
• A set of assignments for out of class activities

The next offering of CPSC 317 is in September 2011. The intention is leave the course essentially unchanged and to gather additional attitudinal and benchmark data. Depending upon the progress made over the next few months with preparing the new course delivery material, some or all of the changes might be rolled out in the January 2012 offering. The changes will definitely be rolled out at least by the September 2012 offering.

Budget: 15K

We would like to hire two Ph.D. level students who can be involved with the course for at least the next year. Our initial plans are to use these students part time over the summer and fall terms to develop pre-class activities, in class activities, assignments or out of class activities, and refined learning goals. Ideally, at least one of the students would also be hired (again part time) as a TA for 317 in each of the next 2 or 3 offerings; of course that would be charged to the department budget and not to the CWSEI budget. I'm not completely sure about the numbers, but two students at about half time for a little less than a year (since we are aleady partway through the current summer) sounds like about $15K to me.

2 (students) * 0.5 (half time) * 2.625 (terms) * $5671/student/term = $14,886.38.