On the use of animated media in communicating the abstract concepts of computer networking: A preliminary survey

Advanced and abstract concepts of engineering and sciences are difficult to teach using traditional media such as whiteboards and still slides. In the computer networking classroom, teachers have the challenging task of communicating abstract ideas and concepts such as the Open Systems Interconnect Model (OSI Model), Message Encapsulation, Protocol Stacks and many others. Modern teaching methods such as case studies, laboratory experience, visiting real-world scenarios and story-telling are commonly and easily practiced. In this paper we identify the challenges faced by teachers of computer networking in Malaysian polytechnics and study how animated media can be a most valuable tool to use in communicating the abstract and advanced concepts of computer communication to students in this institutions. We discuss some preliminary ideas on the development of animated and interactive media for teaching computer networking and elucidate the benefits of using animated media.