Overview
The students in the class are required to do group projects. Each group will be composed of up to a maximum of four students. An appropriate topic in communication or networking should be chosen by each group. The topic must be practice oriented.
Projects that explore the actual implementation of hardware and software will be graded favorably. In this case, actual demonstrations conducted in the class during the presentation of the project will add further weight to the project and subsequently will result in a higher grade being assigned for the project. Information relating to the topic must be provided by reviewing recent articles on the topic from magazines and/or other publications.
To help in choosing a topic for the project, a few sample topics are listed later in this section. In addition, a topic that explores a cutting edge or an evolving technology in communications or networking may also be chosen with the approval of the instructor.
For further brainstorming on project topics, the students may visit the websites of vendors of communication and networking products to survey the latest developments in the field. Technology forums may also be accessed for the selection of an appropriate topic for the project.
The selection of the project topic will be discussed during the first class meeting. The end result of the project will be a project presentation and the submission of the slides used in the presentation.
Project Presentation
All the members of a project group are required to participate in an oral presentation describing their component of the project work. The presentations are scheduled for the ninth and tenth weeks of the Quarter. The duration of the project presentation by each group should not exceed 30 minutes.
The schedule for presentation will be listed at the end of this web page. The page will also contain a link to the presentation slides.
Project Report
The project report is essentially composed of the PowerPoint slides used in the presentation, but revised to reflect the feedback given by the instructor during the presentation. The slides must be stored in OneDrive in the cloud. The PowerPoint presentation must have public access for viewing. Access privilege to edit the slides must be given to the instructor. The students may also bring their projects stored in flash drives to be downloaded and stored on the instructor's drive. Hard copies of the project report will not be accepted.
Format of PowerPoint Slides
The number of slides to be produced by each group member is at the discretion of the member concerned. However, there must be an adequate number of slides conveying clearly the work done by each member of the group. For consistency, the slide style and the format used in the course slides (Lecture Notes) is recommended for project presentation as well. At a minimum, the presentation slides must include the following.
A title slide with the name of the group members
- A slide showing the contents of the entire presentation
- A list of objectives of the project
- The main body of the presentation divided into smaller modules
- A summary of the project
- The web references used in the presentation
- A glossary of key terms relating to the project topic
Citations of work from others included in the slides must clearly be provided.
Report Due Date
The PowerPoint slides are due on the day of the project presentation. Delayed submission of reports will result in penalty points being assessed and deducted from the cumulative score.
Sample Project Topics
- Cloud Computing Applications
- Cloud Computing Resources
- Network Security
- Windows Server in the Cloud
- Server Virtualization
- Web Server in the Cloud
- Media Streaming from the Cloud
- Social Media Information System
- Business Intelligence
- Business Data Analytics
Please note that the above topics are listed only as a guideline and that the students are not required to choose from the above list of topics. A group may also select a topic that expands upon the material covered in the course. An example would be a topic that would expand on the material covered on cloud hosting of a Windows Server. However, it is important not to repeat the material already covered in the course.
Experience and Job Related Topics
With the approval of the instructor, a student may also embark on an individual project in lieu of the group project. Students having extensive experience in networking or those who are heavily involved in a networking related positions or projects at their place of employment are candidates for individual projects. In this case, the project to be undertaken will focus on a specific area of application in networking that would, in turn, relate to the field of expertise of the student concerned.
Students interested in doing individual projects may engage in writing a paper based largely on the material provided on this website. A topic from the material presented in this website may be chosen for the project. Good writing and researching skills are expected from students choosing to do the individual projects.
Project Grading
The grade assigned to the project will be based on the following weighted criteria:
| Assessment Criteria |
Contribution in % |
| Relevancy |
Required |
| Presentation |
10 |
| Technical Content |
50 |
| Understanding of Topic |
30 |
| In-class Demonstration |
20 |
Group Details
