虛擬化技術是提供雲服務的關鍵，因此軟體、硬體和實驗室可以被虛擬化模 擬，並通過網際網路提供給學習者。有一些研究使用該技術通過虛擬實驗室 (Virtualization-based lab)幫助學習和實踐資訊科學相關知識與技能，例如: 計算機網路或安全。然而，這些研究大多數只專注於技術方面或個人學習。因 此，這項為期3 年的研究計畫將以虛擬化技術為基礎，規劃與實作虛擬化實驗 室（VBLab），並設計幾個合作多產式(collaborative and productive)的學習 活動，這是不同於以前的相關研究只專注於個別學習。 在這3 年研究提出的系 統與活動設計說明如下:在第一年，將採用一個合作多產的學習機制，如每周規 律練習和作業，且實驗組學習者可以通過聊天室幫助學習者互動和討論，同時 共享終端工具(Shared Terminals)幫助學習者可以共同設定網路設備和架構， 幫助實務經驗分享與互助。在第二年，將在實驗室中設計網路重新設定 (Network re-configuration)活動，以培養學習者如何重新設定或設計規畫網 絡設備或拓撲，以提高網路整體性能。這是因為大多數網路實驗室通常只專注 於教授網路除錯，設定和管理，而不考慮如何通過重新設定、配置或規劃來提 高網路性能。我們知道軟體定義網絡SDN(Software Defined Network）是非常 有前途和有用的，幫助優化網路資源的利用率，重新配置與設定機制發揮到重 要的關鍵技術，幫助學習者深入了解和學習這一技術是刻不容緩，我們預期幫 助他們了解與實現SDN 如何工作。在第三年，以專題式學習（PBL）為基礎，再 加入另一個多產式策略，如每週書面報告和每月口頭報告，幫助每一專題小組 可以進行組內和組間的合作討論分享，產出有意義的學習內容(報告與呈現)， 促進學習者通過多產專題式學習引導(Productive PBL)有效的設計和完成複雜 的電腦網路專題。 我們預計實驗組的學習者將使用VBLab 與合作生產式學習活動來有效地執行與 完成實驗任務，比控制組的學習者得到更多的互動與更好的學習成效。因為 VBLab 與合作多產式學習活動可以設計各種虛擬網絡的實驗與幫助學習者一步 一步完成學習任務。此外，多產專題式學習機制可以促進團隊成員定期討論和 集思廣益完成每一階段工件，從而有效和高效率地解決任務和完成最後的專題計畫。 ;Virtualization technology is a key point to offer cloud services, hence software, hardware and laboratories can be emulated and delivered to learners through internet. There were some studies using the technology to help to learn and practice knowledge related computer science through virtual labs, however, most of them only focused on technologic aspects or individual learning. This 3-year proposed study will implement Virtualization-Based Laboratory (VBLab) with and design several collaborative and productive learning activities different from the previous related studies that only focused on individual labs. The leaning activity design of the 3-year proposed study are shown in the followings. In the first year, one collaborative and productive learning mechanism like regular practice and homework will be employed to help learner interaction and collaboration through chat room and shared terminal, in which learns can co-configure network devices and learn from each other. In the second year, the experiment will design network reconfiguration activities in the laboratory to train learners how to reconfigure network devices or topology to improve overall performance. This is because most network laboratories usually only focused on teaching network debugging, configuration, and management without considering how to improve network performance through reconfiguration. As we know, Software Defined Network (SDN) becomes very promising and useful to optimize the utilization of network resources, the reconfiguration mechanism plays a critical point to help learners to understand and learn network deeply, then facilitate them to realize how SDN works. Therefore, this experiment study and design network reconfiguration activities as a main learning subject in the second year. In the third year, project-based learning (PBL) with another productive mechanism like weekly report and monthly presentation will be applied as a learning strategy for facilitating learner to design and test complicated computer network project through guidance. We expect that the learners of the experimental group will use VBLab with the collaborative and productive learning activities to perform laboratories well and they will get more benefit than the learners of the control group. VBLab can design a variety of virtual networking topologies for laboratories with collaborative learning activities. Furthermore, the productive mechanisms can facilitate team members to discuss and brainstorm regularly with generating artifacts, thereby solving tasks and projects efficiently and effectively.
