WLAN-designer: a web-based software tool to enhance teaching and learning wireless LAN design
Nurul I. Sarkar · 2004
Until recently, it has been difficult to motivate students to learn about wireless local area networks (WLANs) design because students find the subject dry and theoretical. A Web-based software tool (named WLAN-Designer) has been developed at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) that gives students an interactive, hands-on experience in WLAN design. The WLAN-Designer is suitable for classroom use in introductory level courses in wireless networking. This paper describes the WLAN-Designer and its effectiveness in teaching and learning about WLAN design. The effectiveness of the WLAN-Designer has been evaluated both formally by students (student evaluation forms) and informally - through discussion within the teaching team. The paper concludes by discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the WLAN-Designer and that the WLAN-Designer has a positive impact on students' performance.