I’ve been teaching since 1999 and found throughout my tenor that training centers will fill the seats and it was always up to me to get them past the class into the cert to get their checkboxes checked ( sec+ check!) so they can do their job of click okay on the pop up. ( at least that’s what it seams like nowadays)
I’ve always had to include topics from net+ in my sec+ classes. It makes it difficult to complete the class without feeling like rushing thru a few chapters all because you had to explain subnetting and what DNS & DHCP does.
I tried to get my student the basics of what they needed to know and the rest would come from their prospective employer.
what I found frustrating is that with all the objectives covered in these classes, there is a good 25-40% that student just won’t see in the real world.
It’s great to know how to setup a DNS and DHCP serverbut realistically the students will most likely not be doing that on the job.
it all depends on what they are doing as part of their job responsibilities. Most of the students I’ve been teaching have been either military or folks that are looking for that first job in cyber.
I’ve also taught boot camps for years with high success rates to get folks running into the job with arms wide open. For those that were willing to put the hard work in got the reward.
I think the challenge is how do we as Instructors teach to learn and remember information for longevity.
one way I found that seems to work is, take something the student already knows and ‘relate’ to it.
now with chatGPT I challenge my students to ask questions like, could you explain the OSI model with marvel heros?
And this is the response:
ChatGPT
Sure, think of the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model as a team of Marvel superheroes:
- Physical Layer - The Hulk: The Hulk is the powerhouse, dealing with raw strength. Similarly, the Physical Layer deals with the physical connection of devices, like cables and hardware.
- Data Link Layer - Black Widow and Hawkeye: This layer is about communication between directly connected devices. Black Widow and Hawkeye work together efficiently, just like devices communicating on the same network.
- Network Layer - Iron Man: Iron Man handles routing and directing the flow of traffic in various situations. Similarly, the Network Layer manages the path data takes through the network.
- Transport Layer - Captain America: Captain America ensures the safe transportation of his team. Similarly, the Transport Layer is responsible for end-to-end communication and data integrity.
- Session Layer - Doctor Strange: Doctor Strange establishes, maintains, and terminates communication sessions. Similarly, the Session Layer manages and controls dialogues between two devices.
- Presentation Layer - Ant-Man: Ant-Man deals with the transformation of his size, much like the Presentation Layer, which handles data format translation and encryption/decryption.
- Application Layer - Spider-Man: Spider-Man interacts directly with users, just as the Application Layer provides network services directly to end-users or applications.
Each superhero (layer) has a specific role, and together they form a powerful team (model) to ensure efficient communication.
—————-
Now what’s nice about this is that you can really customize this to whatever the students are already familiar with.
I had a Chef in my class and we had found a way to explain the OSI model to him using same approach.
so all that to say,
Teach them to ‘relate’ to something they already know. It makes it easier for them to understand and comprehend, the beauty of it is that they also remember it in the long haul!!
Just my few cents worth.
thanks for ur time,
Red Kohler
