Corporate and academic curricula integration @II.EDU.MK

1. Corporate and academic curricula integration @II.EDU.MK Anastas Misev Institute of Informatics Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics University “Ss Cyril and Methodius” Skopje, Macedonia

2. The possibilities • More corporate curricula available • Universal and worldwide availability • Better workforce development • “Closing the digital divide”

3. Corporate curricula examples • SUN Academic Initiative • CISCO Networking Academies • Microsoft IT Academies • …

4. SUN Academic Initiative • Oriented towards SUN technologies • Covering both HW and SW • Most useful for Java training • More details in last years’ WS presentation

5. CISCO Networking Academy • “Comprehensive e-learning program that provides students with the Internet technology skills” • Launched in October 1997 with 64 educational institutions in seven states • Today: more than 150 countries, over 1.6 million students have enrolled at more than 10,000 Academies located in high schools, technical schools, colleges, universities, and community-based organizations. • Standardized curricula • http://standards.netacad-currdev.net/home/default.asp

6. The CCNA model • http://cisco.netacad.net • Training the trainers • 3 levels

7. GLN • Blended learning environment • Rich Media, promoting broad, media-intensive curricula for text, video, audio, interactive, and animated content, all of which address multiple learning styles and needs • Course materials and assessments done on-line • Practical, hands-on exercises done on actual equipment at labs • Simulators and remote labs for practicing when equipment not available • Personalized Feedback, providing students and instructors with information on each student's progress and proficiency level • Prerequisites • Institution with accredited curricula • PC or MAC lab • Internet connection

8. Courses and partners • CCNA 1-4 (280h) • Basic networking courses • Suitable for high schools, universities • CCNP 1-4 (280h) • Advanced networking • Technical university level

9. Courses and partners (2) • Fundamentals of Network Security (70h) • Suitable for specialized high schools, universities (especially short 2-3 year studies) • Fundamentals of Wireless LANs (70h) • Suitable for specialized high schools, universities

10. Courses and partners (3) • HP IT Essentials I: PC Hardware and Software (70h) • Partnership with HP • Suitable for high school, non CS/CE universities • HP IT Essentials II: Network Operating Systems (70h) • Partnership with HP • Suitable for specialized high schools, universities (especially short 2-3 year studies)

11. Courses and partners (4) • Fundamentals of Java Programming (70h) • Partnership with SUN • Terminating by 01.06.2006 • Suitable for universities • Fundamentals of UNIX (70h) • Suitable for specialized high schools, universities (especially short 2-3 year studies)

12. Courses and partners (5) • Fundamentals of Web Design (70h) • Partnership with Adobe Systems • Terminating by 01.06.2006 • Suitable for high schools, non CS/CE universities • Panduit Network Infrastructure Essentials • Partnership with Panduit • Suitable for technical high schools

13. Curricula Offerings 2005 2 Remote Access University Career 4 Trouble Shooting Enterprise Networking Security 1 Advanced Routing CCNP College 1 Basics 4 WAN 3 Multilayer Switching CCNA High School 2 Routing 3 Switching Wireless UNIX Sun JAVA Sun Career SMB Networking Fundamentals Courses ITE 1 HP NIE Panduit Career Network Installer Basic IT Support System Admin Software support / dev 1120 Hours of learning ITE 2 HP

14. Academy Curricula and Certifications CIT CCNP 4 BCRAN CCNP 3 BCMSN Higher Education, Technical University CCNP 2 BSCI CCNP 1 CFSS+ Security CCNA CCNA 3&4 Higher Education CWNA Wireless ICND Secondary Schools, Colleges, University CCNA 1&2 IT Essentials I & II SECONDARY SCHOOLS Comptia A+ Comptia A+ PC Hardware & Operating Systems ICND Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices Exam CCNA Cisco Certified Network Associate CWNA Certified Wireless Network Administrator CFSS+ Cisco Firewall Specialist & Security + BSCI Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks BCMSN Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks BCRAN Building Cisco Remote Access Networks CIT Cisco Internetwork Troubleshooting support

15. Microsoft IT Academies • Designed to allow accredited academic institutions to deliver to students a premium education on the latest Microsoft technologies • Prepares students for academic education tracks, rigorous Microsoft certification exams, and for career opportunities as IT professionals

16. Academy curricula • Designed around Microsoft Software • Operating System Software • Developer Software • Server Software • Productivity Software • Requires yearly membership fees • Depending on the model, instructors training can be free • Benefits in software licensing

17. Academy Levels • IT Pro Plus • designed to provide complete workforce development resources to institutes offering career development from the desktop to the IT professional for degrees or certifications: IT Pro (MCP) and Microsoft Office Specialist certification. • IT Pro • designed to provide workforce development resources to institutes offering career development in the IT profession for degrees or certifications: IT Pro (MCP)only • Office Specialist • designed to provide benefits toward Microsoft Office Specialist certification. This level does NOT include IT Pro (MCP) benefits.

18. Levels of integration • Loose integration • Offering the courseware as additional, non required course material • Left to the students to choose • Strong integration • Offering the courses in the integral part as the whole or including the courses in the integral part as parts of other academic courses • Independent offering of the courses out of the curricula • Open for students, but also for general public

19. Integration@II: SUN • Loose integration • Offered as supplement to the students of the courses: • Programming languages • Data structures and algorithms • Internet technologies (partly)

20. Integration@II: CISCO • Strong integration • The students of the courses: • Computer networks • Computer networks design are offered an option to take the course according to the CCNA program • Independent offering of the courses to the general public • The new curricula will add two more courses from the 3 year studies to the list: • Wireless networks • Wireless and mobile technologies which will be accompanied with the Wireless LANs

21. Integration@II: Microsoft • In the process of establishment • Possible integration • Strong for the subjects • System software (partly) • Networking operating systems (partly) • Independent offering as additional courses to the students, but also to the general public

22. Experience@II • Very positive!!! • Example: CISCO • When offered as option, all the students choose to take CISCO curricula • Small fee charged, covering only the material expenses (manuals, cables, connectors,…) • Very high attendance, especially the labs

23. Experience@II (cont.) • Three models used so far • The first one (used with the first generation) • Computer Networks given by our curricula • CCNA 1 and 2 covered the whole course in Computer Networks Design • The second one • Computer Networks given by our curricula • Computer Networks Design covered mostly by CCNA 1 and 2, but with additional course material • The third one • Computer Networks given as combination of CCNA1 and our curricula • Computer Networks Design (will be given this year) as combination of CCNA 2 and 3, with additional course material • CCNA courses not included in the curricula offered as additional independent courses

24. Final thoughts • Positive experience so far • Positive feedback from the industry • “Ready-to-work” graduates • Big interest from the students • Include more industry curricula … • … but maintain the academic level