Improving a Software/Hardware Integrated Computer Networking Laboratory Course

In this working-in-progress paper, we reported the recent progress of a proposed course of computer network laboratory. A number of crucial issues in the current curriculum: 1) the outdated, wired, verification based experiments, 2) low efficiency of the lab sessions, and 3) lack of evaluation and interaction schemes, have been summarized. To tackle these problems, an independent course of computer network laboratory with an expanded curriculum that integrates hardware platform and software simulation experiments is proposed. Based on that, we further introduce the blended learning methodology and outcome-based evaluation assessment in this laboratory course.