8th Annual Curriculum Workshop - Session Descriptions

July 11 - 14, 2005, Springfield, MA

Sessions are 1.5 hours except where specified.
Some sessions are repeated to accommodate attendees. Please see the full agenda.

Monday, July 11

1-A, Vladimir Riabov
Challenging Projects and Virtual Labs in Web-enhanced IT Classes

Effective ways of instruction in IT classes (students’ projects, virtual labs, analytical exercises, and Websites) are discussed with demonstration of lecture notes, OPNET lab assignments, homework/test problems, and final projects. The materials for three courses (Introduction to Networking Technologies, Advanced LANs, and Network Management) are available on the instructor’s Website.

1-B, Siben Dasgupta
Application of Matlab for Digital Signal Processing

This will be laboratory based presentation. The presenter will show how to improve the sound quality by using the Digital Signal Processing Algorithm.

1-C, Babak Beheshti
Cellular Wireless Migration to 3G and Beyond 3G

This presentation would cover the technological migration path of the current cellular wireless systems to the third & fourth generation systems, affording higher data rates and mobile multimedia/Internet access.

2-A, Karl Kapp
Using E-Learning to Teach ICT

In this session, participants will learn how technology can be used to provide distance education experiences for students. The session will include hands-on work with Macromedia’s virtual classroom and lesson recording product Breeze which uses PowerPoint to provide distance education as well as demonstrations of Macromedia’s Captivate software which creates recordings of software functionality.

2-B, Yakov Cherner
Integration of Interactive Simulations and Virtual Experiments in Fiber Optics and Wireless Communications Courses for Onsite, Online and Hybrid Delivery

The session will focus on the use of highly interactive simulation, virtual experiments, interactive lessons, assessment tools and other multimedia curricular resources for teaching telecommunications courses. Session participants will learn how to integrate various online resources, virtual experiments and assessment to create an interactive learning and training environment. The session will be comprised of two parts: the first one will be the presentation of simulation-based activities and courseware for telecommunications; the second – the hands-on workshop on creating virtual experiments, assessment and interactive lessons, using templates and ATeL’s authoring tools that do not required any programming skills from teachers.

2-C, Warren Hioki and Michael Connolly
RFID and Bluetooth Technology

This technical session will focus on RFID and Bluetooth technology. Topics will include the technology history, theory of operation, applications, specifications, advantages and disadvantages, including privacy and security issues, future outlook, and a demonstration.

Tuesday, July 12

3-A, Jeff Davis
Public Key Encryption (3 hours)

We will use PGP and the stegenography program to demonstrate how Public key encryption works and how it is used to distribute symmetric keys. We will then look at how this lab applies to the real world use of Public key encryption to distribute symmetric keys on the web.

3-B, Scott SaintOnge
Introduction to Information Architecture on the Web

This workshop will start with the basics of World Wide Web core technologies such as the Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) scheme and the Domain Name System (DNS) as well as discuss the underlying logistical structure of the web itself, including physical connectivity issues. The workshop will then transition from technological explanations of the web and move into issues of design and usability. Standard HTML document structure will be explored in detail. The separation of content from presentation with the use of Cascading Style Sheets will be addressed in depth, as will other techniques of Dynamic HTML. Special emphasis in this section will be on designing websites that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1996 as well as the importance of other user concerns such as clear navigation and aesthetically pleasing websites.

3-C, Diane Snyder
Teaching and Learning Using Tablet PC’s

In this hands-on, interactive workshop, participants will use Tablet PC’s, Office applications, electronic ink and Camtasia Studio to demonstrate a method for integrating Office applications, electronic ink, video and audio recordings into lectures and presentations. The presentation will begin with a brief overview and demonstration of the Tablet PC, Office 2003 applications and Camtasia Studio, detailing the basic operations as they apply to the Tablet PC platform. Topics will include: Electronic student work submission and feedback, recording screen activity with narration and publishing to a wide variety of formats including Flash, CD-ROM and streaming video. Each participant will have a Tablet PC for use during the session.

L, Chance Glenn
Integrating Applied Research into the ICT Classroom

A unique challenge exists in the integration of high-level applied research and development with effective teaching. This talk will highlight specific examples of addressing this challenge in the Telecommunications Engineering Technology program at RIT. We will show how the establishment of new research programs in cutting edge technology have brought about deeper engagment of students in coursework at the graduate and undergraduate level.

AL, Steve Budd, Laura Qaissaunee and Pete Saflund
Grant Writing

This course will provide participants with an overview of how non-profits, state agency staff and others can write fundable grant applications to federal, state and private agencies. Topics will include writing compelling needs statements, searching for grant funds and technical assistance on-line, and developing realistic work plans and budgets.

Wednesday, July 13

5-A, Linda Scott
How-to Access Students’ IT Skills in Non-IT Classes (3 hours)

How do we insure that students and workers develop the common core set of IT skills needed for career success in technical program areas? Learn how to benchmark your students’ IT proficiency using the IT Core Applications Rubrics developed by the NSF-ATE funded project IT Across Careers. The presenters will share authentic workplace scenario examples developed by community and technical college faculty teams demonstrating that both program content and IT Core Applications can be used successfully as an integrated teaching tool in the classroom.

5-B, Gina Potenza
Economic Impact of Industry Sponsored Information Technology

Thesis Project – examines the economic impact of certifications in the field of Information Technology in today’s business environment. With budget cuts and information technology layoffs there is even more competition for skilled IT workers. Study looks at the impact on salaries with regard to degree achieved, salary determination based on Certification and degree status and potential career outcomes.

5-C, Sala Qazi
Optical Wireless Communications: Challenges and Opportunities

Recent breakthrough in wireless technology for multimedia applications and the need for wireless extension of the Internet have increased the demand for access to higher data rate in wireless access networks. Optical wireless communications offer certain advantages over traditional RF communications such as higher bandwidth, immunity from interference, higher security, smaller size and weight, lower power consumption, lack of regulation and ease of implementation. These advantages have led the use of optical wireless communications in a range of applications including small range optical interconnect to very large distance intersatellite and interplanetary links. Optical wireless products are available for personal computers, peripherals, embedded systems, indoor optical wireless LANs and outdoor building-to-building connectivity. However, optical wireless communications face many challenges in its implementation because of high loss in the outdoor environment due to adverse weather conditions, maintaining line of sight link due to sway and vibration in the building and eye safety and multipath effect in the indoor environment. This presentation will review optical wireless communication systems, the challenges and various approaches that have been proposed to deal with these issues.

6-C, Michael Qaissaunee and Mohammad Shanehsaz
The ABC's of Wireless Security: WEP, TKIP, WPA & Beyond

Brookdale Community College is home to the Mid-Atlantic Institute for Telecommunications Technologies (MAITT), a nationally recognized leader in wireless communications education and instructional innovation. A key focus of the curriculum developed by MAITT is security and wireless security. In this session, presenters will provide a brief overview of new and emerging standards and technologies for securing a wireless LAN – detailing the pros and cons of each. The session will conclude with hands-on demonstration of a number of these alternatives for advanced wireless security.

Thursday, July 14

7-A, Dennis G. Vaillancourt
High-availability Clustered Computing

High Availability Systems (HAS) are a growing segment within the Information Technology market.

A broad range of applications such as messaging, retail, manufacturing, power company operations, health, navigation, reservation, banking, financial, telecom and defense are dependent on some degree of high availability.

Topics of discussion include: fundamental concepts of availability, HAS terminology, HAS market, methods for HAS such as clustering and HAS providers.

Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those
of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Science Foundation.

This material is based on work
supported by the
National Science Foundation
under Grant Number DUE 0302548.

Springfield Technical
Community College

The ICT Center c/o STCC, One Armory Square, PO Box 9000, Suite 1, Springfield, MA 01102-9000
(413) 755-6550 (phone) | (413) 755-6325 (fax)