This abstract describes the use of IoT in a network design project to inspire student creativity.

What is it about?

Creative learning and teaching were key to the last two weeks of the Introduction to Networking course as students created their unique network designs. There was also more student-to-student and student to instructor collaboration during the last two weeks as the classroom “flipped” into working lab sessions. This teaching approach contributed to the confidence of students that they were able to solve real-world networking problems and that they could rely on the classroom community to help troubleshoot. The Packet Tracer simulation was key to students rapidly prototyping the design. The simulator was used to build, configure, and troubleshoot their networks until they had full connectivity between all the end devices. Also, key to the originality of the designs was the inclusion of IoT within a traditional networked system.

Featured Image

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Creativity has been identified as a key competency for twenty-first education. Higher education is assessing creativity as a needed skill set in an increasingly complex technical environment. Solutions that are creative are original, valuable, and useful Including activities that require students to problem-solve with no clear guidelines on the ultimate solution and encourage divergent, unique solutions.