Enhancing Students’ Learning Experience via Low-Cost Network Laboratories

• Published in: IEEE communications magazine 2019-11, Vol.57 (11), p.34-40
• Main Authors: Slamnik-Krijestorac, Nina, Bosmans, Stig, Hellinckx, Peter, Marquez-Barja, Johann M.
• Format: Magazinearticle
• Language: English
• Subjects: Collaborative work; Computer networks; Economic indicators; Engineering education; Knowledge engineering; Laboratories; Learning; Learning systems; Low cost; Stability analysis; Students; Synchronization
• ISSN: 0163-6804; 1558-1896
• DOI: 10.1109/MCOM.001.1900233

This article presents a low-cost laboratory that has been designed and developed to enhance learning experience and help students gain skills and knowledge in the field of distributed systems. In order to build a comprehensive distributed file system, we used the laboratory consisting of 40 card-sized Raspberry Pi devices, with the accent on stability, scalability, and low cost. Aiming to assess the impact of this new learning environment on the learning process and its outcomes, we surveyed students following the completion of three project stages during the 17 laboratory exercises in one academic year, ensuring that we maintained the same subjects of study during the experiments. Supported by interesting answers on various sets of questions, we provide a valuable insight into students' experience, obstacles and observations during system's implementation. This particular insight paves the way toward further laboratory improvement, adopting this approach in other courses related to ours, and encouraging teachers to embrace similar practice regardless of the field of education.