| 摘要: | 過去的十年大學的計算機網路教學發生了很大的變化，從理論驅動的方式（支持學習者的設施）到實踐驅動的方式（例如電子學習和翻轉教室）。在計算機網路教學中，使用了諸如Packet Tracer，NS2之類的仿真軟件，以簡化設置實驗室系統的複雜性。這些模擬已經證明了對教學的影響與幫助。但是由於網路技術與數據處理需求的快速發展，網路架構必須進行更改以適應未來變化，諸如SDN，SDx，Hyper-V，虛擬化等新解決方案也可以作為新一代網路體系結構的替代解決方案。這種變化導致需要改變教學網路技術的方式。另一方面，教師需要一種替代解決方案，該解決方案可以幫助他們輕鬆地將新概念和知識帶給學生，同時支持更多的學習者與有效地管理網路實驗室。另一方面，協作機制和自我設計能力逐漸成為未來需求。顯然，這是因為學習者需要能夠隨著技術的快速變化而迅速適應的好的解決方案，而學生的練習不僅是教科書中寫的，而且是發生的真實情況。因此，在這項研究中，我們建立了一個虛擬化的網路實驗室，可以為學生帶來方便的使用以及與同學合作的靈活性。此外，它還可以通過為他們提供具有許多有用功能的開放式工作區來提高他們的創造力。對於缺乏購買硬件的資金或難以管理大型教室和學生互動的問題，這種方法可能是一種有前途的解決方案。
在這一計畫，我們使用一個名為NETLab的系統進行了實驗。這是一個混合網路實驗室系統，後端是VMWare，而基於Web系統集成的前端仿真器，聊天室和終端機。利用上述元素，NETLab可以支持設置配置多個網路拓撲以供學生練習。他們還可以輕鬆地遠程工作，並共同協作處理艱鉅的任務。在本實驗中，我們將學生分為兩組：實驗組和對照組。在實驗組中，學生使用NETLab以及網路終端機和聊天室等有用功能完成了實驗任務。而對照組的同學則使用網路終端執行了課堂任務，而沒有團隊合作。經過6週的實驗，根據統計結果，實驗組的後測成績顯著高於對照組。此外，經過數週的熟悉NETLab系統後，實驗學生通過協作活動中取得顯著成績而表現越來越好。此外，科技接受模式問卷結果表明，我們提出的系統能滿足學生的需求。同時，他們還認為該系統對於幫助他們完成實驗非常有用。;Over the last ten years, there was a big shift in teaching network at universities, from theory-driven way with limited facilities for supporting learner in practicing to practice-driven way like e-learning and flipped classroom. In computer network teaching, at the beginning of this change, simulation software such as Packet Tracer were applied in teaching to simplify complication of setting up lab system. These simulations have proved the effect on teaching for a long time, while network technologies were at beginning of the dawn. But due to the rapid developing of data-processing demand, the network architecture must change to adapt. In turn, new solutions like Software-defined Network (SDN), Software-defined Everything (SDx), Virtualization, etc., appear as alternative answers for new network architecture generation. Software-defined networking (SDN) technology is an approach to efficient network management that allows to configure network programmable in order to improve network performance. Furthermore, dynamic monitoring and flexible change to adapt network traffic condition making it more powerful like cloud computing than traditional network management, and “SDx” is a term mentioning to any physical item or function that can be performed as or automated by software. This change leads to the requirement of changing the way in teaching and learning network technology. On the one hand, teachers need alternative teaching way that can help student not only learn network knowledge and configuration but also foster them to achieve high level cognition like network design and network management. On the other hand, collaborative mechanisms to help network design become real demands. This is obvious because students need good solutions that can adapt quickly with rapid changes of technology, and students’ exercises are not only what are written in textbook, but also to solve real scenarios in enterprise. In this study, we built a virtualized network lab, called NETLab that can bring students convenience in using, suitability in time managing, and flexibility in collaborating with their classmate. Our proposed approach might be a promising solution to the problem of lacking funding for purchasing hardware or difficulty in managing a large classroom and students interacting.
We conducted one experiment using NETLab with two groups: experimental group with collaborative mechanism and control group without. NETLab. This is a hybrid network lab system, the VMWare in the backend and the web-based terminal in the front. NETLab can support to set up an configure multiple network topologies for students to practice. They also can easily work remotely and collaborate to deal with complicated network design and practice. In the experimental group, students accomplished their assignment using NETLab together with chatting box for collaboration while control group performed assignment individually using web terminal without teamwork. After 8 weeks of experiment, according to the statistical results, the experimental group outperformed control group in post-test. Also, getting familiar with the NETLab system helped students in experimental group to perform better and better than control group. Besides, the student perception toward our proposed system was satisfied and showed it was useful to help them accomplish their assignment. Finally, most of students also showed they were highly prompt to use NETLab in the future. |
