Assessment of Learning Report

Computer Science Networking

CPC

Fall 2014 – Spring 2016

Report prepared by:

Michael Fuszner, Professor Department Chair

Computer Networking

CPC Assessment of Learning Report page 2 of 12 Fall 2014-Spring 2016

Assessment of Learning Report Computer Networking

Fall 2014 – Spring 2016

St. Charles Community College Mission Statement St. Charles Community College is an affordable, and accredited, accessible learning environment

providing life-changing opportunities for personal growth and professional success.

Computer Science Mission Statement The Computer Science Program’s mission is to offer both academic and vocational computer

science programs that are responsive to the information technology needs of business and

industry, as well as responsive to the personal and professional objectives of our students. We

are committed to excellence in instruction and will recruit and retain a professional faculty

imbued with real world, cutting edge experience and expertise.

Course Prefixes The CPC prefix is being used to exclusively define computer networking courses.

Overview of the Computer Networking Program The Computer Science program has been divided into two broad areas:

Computer Networking (which this report addresses)

o Cisco Networking Academy

o Microsoft Networking

o IT Technical Support

o Red Hat Academy (Linux)

o Network Security

o Virtualization Technologies

Computer Science

o Computer Programming

o Database Management

o Multimedia & Web Design

o Telecommunications

I. Introduction and Background

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Computer Networking Degrees and Certificates The following degrees and certificates are currently offered:

Associate of Applied Science

o Networking

o Network Security

o Cyber Security

Certificates of Achievement

o Networking

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Program Goals and Objectives The computer networking program is comprised of four overlapping areas with the goals and

objectives listed below:

IT Technical Support (A+)

Identify basic terms, concepts, and functions related to computer repair and maintenance

Identify basic procedures for adding and removing field replaceable modules in computers

Install and configure peripheral devices such as printers, modems, and external storage

devices

Install and configure internal devices such as hard drives, sound cards, and network cards

Identify and install RAM

Identify the most popular types of motherboards

Troubleshoot common symptoms and problems associated with computer malfunctions.

Identify basic concepts and procedures with selected current and legacy operating systems

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Microsoft Networking

Installing the currently most popular Windows Desktop and Server operating systems

Implementing and conducting administration of resources

Implementing, managing, and troubleshooting hardware devices and drivers

Monitoring and optimizing system performance, reliability, and availability

Optimizing and troubleshooting performance

Implementing, managing, and troubleshooting network protocols and services

Implementing, configuring, managing, and troubleshooting local security policy

Managing, configuring, and troubleshooting storage use

Configuring and troubleshooting Windows network connections

Implementing and managing Active Directory

Integrating the Domain Name System with Active Directory

Implementing and Configuring Group Policy

Cisco Networking Academy

Computer hardware and software, electricity, networking terminology, and protocols

LANs and WANs, Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, Ethernet, and Internet

Protocol (IP) addressing

Design and documentation of a basic network and structured cabling

Network-to-network communications

Router user interfaces, components and configurations

Basics of IOS versions, naming and software backup

TCP/IP Protocol Suite and IP addressing and subnetting

Interior routing protocols—RIP, IGRP

Switching and VLANs

Spanning-Tree Protocol

Routing and Routing Protocols

Access Control Lists (ACLs)

Network documentation, security and troubleshooting

WAN devices, encapsulation formats, and communication

PPP components, session establishment, and authentication

ISDN uses, services, and configuration

Frame relay technology and configuration

Red Hat Academy

Installing of selected distributions of Linux with a focus on Red Hat

Using Linux utilities

Understanding Linux file systems

Working with Linux shells

Administering Linux systems

Writing basic scripts

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Networking Linux

Setting up file and printer sharing, print servers, and Web servers

Network Security

Designing a security strategy

Protecting the network infrastructure

Authentication, Authorization, Accounting (AAA)

Securing layer 2 technologies

Using access control lists

IOS zone-based firewalls

Cisco’s Adaptive Security Appliance (firewall)

VPN technologies

Intrusion Prevention and Intrusion Detection Systems

Public Key Infrastructure

Ethical hacking

Computer forensics

Academic Assessment Plan The computer networking program prepares students in two ways:

General education course work to train students in reading, writing, analysis/critical thinking,

and decision-making.

Program specific training in IT technical support, Microsoft networking, Cisco networking

thru the Cisco Networking Academy, Linux thru the Red Hat Academy, virtualization as part

of the VMware IT Academy, ethical hacking and computer forensics as an EC-Council

Authorized Training Center, and network security as a CompTIA partner.

Therefore, the computer networking assessment plan consists of the following:

An average of four final online assessments assigned as part of the Cisco Networking

Academy at the conclusion of each quarter of training. These are standardized exams.

o Final grade assessment scores may range from 0 to 100.

o Assessments occur in a proctored environment.

o The skills listed under Program Goals and Objectives above are evaluated.

o Assessments include multiple choice, multiple guess, drag and drop, Flash-

generated forms that go beyond traditional, computer-based testing, and a hands-

on, skills-based comprehensive assessment.

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The following table includes students who completed the program in Fall 2014 thru Spring 2016.

Many computer networking students are seeking job skills to enhance their current career and not

on a degree track. They attend specific classes relevant to their career field.

Final Exam Grades

SCC ID CCNA1 CCNA2 CCNA3 CCNA4 FINAL AVG

XXXXXX 98 85 97 99 95

XXXXXX 95 96 90 98 95

XXXXXX 89 89 89 100 92

XXXXXX 93 77 98 98 92

XXXXXX 94 88 89 91 91

XXXXXX 86 83 92 96 89

XXXXXX 80 82 94 98 89

XXXXXX 81 89 86 94 88

XXXXXX 79 83 91 95 87

XXXXXX 83 70 92 99 86

XXXXXX 76 75 96 94 85

XXXXXX 73 87 82 98 85

XXXXXX 74 79 89 98 85

XXXXXX 84 81 84 88 84

XXXXXX 66 94 82 91 83

XXXXXX 76 82 87 88 83

XXXXXX 87 84 88 72 83

XXXXXX 80 83 83 84 83

XXXXXX 74 74 82 96 82

XXXXXX 68 74 86 97 81

XXXXXX 55 82 88 100 81

XXXXXX 80 79 75 91 81

XXXXXX 87 89 55 94 81

XXXXXX 84 81 81 78 81

XXXXXX 67 81 85 90 81

XXXXXX 85 79 83 76 81

XXXXXX 83 82 66 92 81

XXXXXX 76 80 80 85 80

XXXXXX 50 86 87 98 80

XXXXXX 78 86 74 81 80

XXXXXX 81 82 76 80 80

XXXXXX 54 86 88 91 80

XXXXXX 80 70 82 86 80

XXXXXX 73 73 92 78 79

XXXXXX 81 75 82 77 79

XXXXXX 67 88 66 91 78

II. Data and Results

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XXXXXX 64 54 83 97 75

XXXXXX 78 70 77 69 74

XXXXXX 71 74 70 76 73

XXXXXX 32 71 85 95 71

XXXXXX 88 61 59 74 71

XXXXXX 76 71 71 63 70

XXXXXX 80 63 68 67 70

XXXXXX 78 52 58 88 69

XXXXXX 57 74 68 77 69

XXXXXX 76 56 66 68 67

XXXXXX 70 66 62 59 64

XXXXXX 53 55 74 73 64

XXXXXX 76 81 57 41 64

XXXXXX 73 59 62 60 64

XXXXXX 75 76 49 53 63

XXXXXX 63 48 60 72 61

XXXXXX 53 39 70 81 61

XXXXXX 57 50 48 81 59

XXXXXX 55 62 60 57 59

XXXXXX 55 66 55 56 58

XXXXXX 41 61 32 84 55

XXXXXX 51 49 50 66 54

XXXXXX 56 39 57 63 54

XXXXXX 46 41 38 87 53

XXXXXX 43 45 44 71 51

XXXXXX 54 44 50 35 46

Averages 72 72 74 82 75

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Final Grade Assessments for those completing CCNA1 through CCNA4 were very strong with

an average score of 75. This compares to an average score Fall 2012-Spring 2014 of 74. A

passing score would be a 60 or above. Scores ranged from 46 to 95. A total of 53 students out of

61 passed (87%) compared to 83% previously.

Students begin with CCNA1 and progress through the sequence in order by finishing with

CCNA4. However, there are some students who only need to complete CCNA1 for other

degrees, or just CCNA1 and CCNA2 for our Cyber Security degree. Students consider the

curriculum challenging.

A large number of our students rely on tuition reimbursement programs through their employer.

As a result, our enrollments depend heavily on the state of the economy which affects training

budgets at many companies. The typical retention rate nationwide among Cisco Networking

Academies is around 50%, but our retention rate is much better.

IT Advisory Council Discussions Soft skills that are considered important by our IT Advisory Council. Critical thinking skills,

customer service skills, and social skills are highlighted. IT workers must be able to write a

coherent email message, know how to translate technical into non-technical language when

speaking with customers, how to build a relationship with other employees and customers, and

how to manage crises. These have been addressed within our classes in the following ways:

The curriculum already contains Case Studies that require extensive documentation,

troubleshooting skills, and project management in order to complete within the timeframe

required.

Students are required to work and communicate in team settings in many of our classes.

Case Study projects are frequently completed in a team or group setting.

The lab environment frequently requires working together in groups either formally or

informally.

IT Advisory Council members were asked what skill sets are most in demand in their IT

department. These are some of the responses:

III. Data Analysis and Interpretation

IV. Discussion of Data with IT Advisory Council and Program Faculty

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Virtualization is a huge skill set to have with VMware being the leading company. We

are a VMware IT Academy and utilize their training materials.

Ability to document properly with case notes

Troubleshooting skills

Know how to respond to customer incidents

Red Hat Linux is another skillset in demand, so we are in the process of becoming a Red

Hat Academy.

Security is key in almost every area of IT. We are CompTIA partner and focus part of our

security training on the Security+ certification. In addition, we are an Authorized

Training Center for EC Council that sponsors the Certified Ethical Hacking certification.

IT Advisory Council members offered the following recommendations:

Students need to learn how to support hand-held devices. Our previous Computer

Maintenance and Troubleshooting class has been rebranded as IT Technical Support and

now includes training on mobile devices.

Students need to learn to write case notes in order to properly document and manage

knowledge – whether related to a customer case or as a result of troubleshooting

Help desk technologies need to be taught

Students need to learn to troubleshoot and program Android and IOS apps

Council members suggested job shadowing, internships, and classroom visits by advisory

members as a way to show the importance of soft skills to students.

The council provided these additional suggestions:

Companies will not be moving to Windows 8 for quite some time yet

Programming languages that SCC should be teaching include Java, Javascript, Python,

and SQL and other object-oriented languages

Cisco is the IOS to teach – Juniper is not used very much

Certifications are not important for programmers but may be more important for

networking

Council members were also asked how companies are handling security, data security, and

information security in general:

Students need Active Directory skills and security awareness training.

Businesses need either biometric security for laptops or a program like SOPHOS.

Laptop and mobile device security – a big issue.

Passwords need to be longer and include numbers, letters and symbols.

Network skills are very important and for users to understand social engineering.

Students need to learn about web site security, cloud computing, and storage area

networks

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The following implications for improvement or changes have been noted:

Students need to continue to develop their soft skills thru team projects and working together.

Students need to continue to develop their abilities to document information.

Troubleshooting skills need to continue to be a focus in training.

A larger database is necessary to add validity to the results of the assessment process. Most

of our students are taking specific classes rather than targeting a degree. We are now

assessing all computer networking students and not just those seeking a degree.

Hybrid classes may better meet the needs of some working adult learners.

Certifications and degrees are both important to employers.

It is now more important than ever that students achieve job skills that will make them ready

on day one at a new job.

Students need to understand the business side of networking.

V. Implication for Improvements or Changes

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The following action steps are planned:

Group or team activities are being emphasized.

Case studies requiring documentation that includes writing skills, organizational skills,

creation of tables, charts, and graphics are included in the curriculum.

All students, whether degree-seeking or not, will be included in the assessment process for

future reports and evaluation.

Many marketing and promotional events will be conducted to promote the program. These

will include newspaper advertisements, on-line advertising, press releases, internal promotion

and cross-promotion among classes.

Students who do not already possess a college degree will be encouraged to work towards an

AAS degree in addition to earning certifications.

Hands-on skills are being emphasized within classes to give students the skills they need

when starting a job.

Certificates of Specialization have been proposed to focus on specific skill sets.

VI. Action Steps