the cisco networking academy program elearning as the new distance learning

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The Cisco Networking Academy Program

elearning as the new distance learning

Dr Michelle Selinger

Education Specialist

Cisco Systems

2Perth 2003, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 22

The Cisco Network Academy Program

Public Private Partnership between Cisco, governments, educational institutions and NGOs created to teach students how to design, build and maintain computer networks thereby equipping them with the skills to be economically active in an area of employment vital to the new Internet economy


Curriculum

Labs

Instructor Community

Assessment

Curriculum, Labs, Instructor Guide, Assessment

Maintenance


Key features

• Curriculum and teaching model developed at a distance but with international input

• Locally taught

• Instructor training and ongoing support

• Regional communities

• Vocationally oriented


Program Structure

CiscoCisco

CATCCATC

RegionalRegional

LocalLocal

StudentsStudents


Programme development

Train the Trainer, quality, support

Train the trainer, quality,support

Training of students

Training Model

Cisco

CATC

Regional

Local

Students

Cisco

Funds

Cisco

Funds

Cisco

Funds

Cisco F

unds


THE PARTNERSHIP

Cisco provideCurriculum

Training

Equipment

Virtual Community

Schools ProvideSpace

Teachers

Students

Curriculum Integration


Cisco Career Certification: Life-long Learning

CCIE

High School

Tech. School

College

University

Tech. School

College

CCNA

Academy Curriculum

Academy Curriculum Now

Career

CareerCCNP

Career


Largest E-Learning Laboratory

425,125 StudentsCurrently Enrolled138,000 Graduates

10,351 Academies

19,995 Instructors

149 Countries


Expanding Networking Academy Program

Sponsored Curriculum

Cisco is expanding the Networking Academy curriculum to include courses sponsored by IT industry leaders providing students with comprehensive Internet technology skills.


Expanding theNetworking Academy Program

• IT Essentials I: PC Hardware and Software

• IT Essentials II: Network Operating Systems

• Fundamentals of Voice and Data Cabling

• Fundamentals of UNIX

• Fundamentals of Java Programming

All 70-hour Courses urrently Available Only in English


Wide appeal and minimal pre-requsites

Target Audience:

• Students interested in an in depth look at Network Operating Systems and an introduction to Networking – practical pre-cursor to the CCNA curriculum

• Students who would like to study for the CompTIA Server + exam

• Working adults from outside the IT industry interested in expanding their technical knowledge

Prerequisites:• Students should have a Reading Age Level (RAL) of 13, basic

computer literacy and awareness of the Internet

• No prior experience with network operating systems or networking required


All courses involve hands-on learning

• Students design, build, & maintain networks

• Students assessed on ability to apply skills

• Develops problem-solving and critical thinking skills

• Students have fun and put what they learn into practice


Fundamentals of UNIX

• 70-hour course on the basics of the UNIX operating system

• Prepares students to perform basic, entry-level UNIX operator skills and UNIX operating system commands


IT Essentials I and II

Two 70-hour courses

IT Essentials I: An in depth exposure to personal computer hardware, and desktop operating systems

IT Essentials II: An introduction to networking and network operating systems.


Fundamentals of Voice and Data CablingFundamentals of Voice and Data CablingFundamentals of Voice and Data CablingFundamentals of Voice and Data Cabling

70-hour course on the physical aspects of cabling


• 70 hour course which provides a conceptual understanding of Object Oriented programming

• Teaches students how to use the JAVA language's object oriented technologies to solve business problems

Fundamentals of Java ProgrammingFundamentals of Java Programming

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Cultural and pedagogical relevance in different countries


Data collected

• Visits to 57 Academies in 11 countries

Denmark, Hungary, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, UAE, UK

Interviews with 100 instructors and 300 students

Observation of classes

All interviews recorded and transcribed

• Web based questionnaire

Piloted and then developed for the web

Data from 1650 students and 110 instructors across EMEA


Questions

• Can a global curriculum serve the needs of students in all countries?

• What adaptations need to be made?

• How does the level of Internet access affects the pedagogical process?

• What are the challenges facing locally based tutors?


Findings

• Cultural beliefs about teaching and learning have some impact on the way the Program is taught

• Lack of experience and understanding of how traditional instruction interfaces with web based teaching materials


Example 1: South Africa

• Limited understanding needs precursor to Program

• Integration of theory and labs and drawing links is important to students

• Internet access is slow and difficult outside class and few students have access at home

• Students with little Internet experience need time to adjust to the e-learning materials


Example 2: France

• The tradition of didactique is very strong in France so the Program was very much instructor led.

• More student autonomy in the university particularly for the Bac + 2 students.

• Instructor input was strong in all areas and they took their teaching seriously.

• None made much use of the best practices site in the instructor community because they did not fit pedagogy and they were in English so required translation


Example 3: Sweden and Denmark

• Little e-reading in lessons

• Considerable student autonomy and group work

• The curriculum was seen as too repetitive in some places

• The onus is on students to be organised and prepared for tests

• Often teachers liked the students to pre-read the curriculum before coming to a lecture, though not all did

• There was more use of web links from the curriculum than seen elsewhere


Example 4: Poland

• Program was embedded in a module on networking complementing and adding practical skills to the module.

• Student assessment includes the Cisco online tests, a skills test, sometimes a group activity and a written theoretical test

• Lack of English language skills of students

• Condensed semester one for university students

• High Internet access charges prohibit students’ access to the curriculum outside classes and especially at home


Implications for policy and practice

Vocational education can be globalised under certain conditions

Recognition of the need for cultural adaptation

Local tutors are important in helping to make resources pedagogically and culturally relevant

Support for local tutors is vital in helping them to use and adapt global e-learning resources with students

The variations in ease and cost of access to the Internet will affect the way programmes are used and taught

the cisco networking academy program elearning as the new distance learning

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