Although the value of experiential learning is increasingly widely recognized, it is sometimes hard to provide such experiences to students studying computer networks because of the breadth of the material that must be covered in the short time available. A second course in networks introduces even more wide-ranging and seemingly disparate topics further compounding this problem. The aim of this study was to integrate many of these topics in a second course on networks using a common framework, the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) application. The course also provides students with a very hands-on and practical learning experience; students actually implement a fully functional VOIP Public Automated Branch Exchange (PBX) that can inter-operate with a traditional Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The VOIP project provides the context for introducing new networking topics as needed. Traditional lecturing is interspersed with hands-on project sessions in the classroom. Student comments on conclusion of the course were very positive and indicated that the project-based approach gave them new insights and enthusiasm for learning about computer networks.
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