SRCE case

Introduction to wireless network design

Authoring institution: University of Zagreb, University Computing Center – SRCE

The aim of the course is to prepare system and network engineers, especially at higher education institutions, and also other IT specialist to successfully implement and maintain wireless network(s) in institutions where they work. In practical work participants will get hand-on knowledge how to design wireless network from the start. The course will also provide important tips&tricks how to troubleshoot wireless network problems and keep wireless network healthy. During the course participants will work on design for a wireless network based on customer’s needs for coverage and capacity.

Enter course
Institution website

Teachers

Kind of recognition:

The course “Introduction to wireless network design” is prepared and designed having in mind practical needs related to this professional field. Transparency of learning outcomes and the whole learning process via digital badge as well as alignment with ECTS points are foundation for recognizing this course by higher education institutions or interested employers. Higher education institutions can accept this course as a part of their course curriculum and employers can have a confirmation that their current or potential employee has acquired appropriate level of knowledge needed for processional tasks.

 

srce-creds

Credentialization

In case the course “Introduction to wireless network design” is recognized by a formal education institution, it would be awarded with 1 ECTS. This number is based on 25 learning hours, planned for the successful completion of the course.

Learning outcomes/competences

  • Explain basic features of common Wi-Fi standards
  • Recognize and describe benefits and limitations of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands
  • Describe basics of 802.11n and 802.11ac standards
  • Define differences in architectures of wireless networks
  • Describe steps in wireless network design
  • Prepare capacity analysis for wireless network design
  • Prepare basic predictive coverage model according to customer demands

Badge description

Digital badge is awarded for successful completion of the course “Introduction to Wireless Network Design”. During this 25 academic hours course attendees were required to study online and solve practical tasks in the classroom lab. In order to demonstrate newly acquired knowledge and skills they needed to pass final exam with at least 70% correct answers to 50 questions.

The digital badge was issued to 7 learners in the first piloting round.

Challenges addressed:

From the perspective of employer organization there is room for improvement of the process of recognition: as part of an employee evaluation process, concrete ways of rewarding those employees who have been extremely successful in upgrading their competences could be established.

Added value for the course author institution:

By recognition of non-formal courses by higher education institutions or employer organizations, the course author institution is being recognized as well, as the important education institution delivering quality education and successfully preparing participants for practical work. This way an institution is becoming more recognizable in its respective field.

Teacher

Robert Maltaric

University Computing Centre University of Zagreb (SRCE)/Network and Communication Services Department.

Plans for the future:

SRCE is planning to establish further connections with teachers at higher education institutions in Croatia, delivering courses in the field of computer networks, as well as with employer organizations and professional associations.

Education provider

zagreb-university-of-applied-science

Institution recognizing the course:

Zagreb University of Applied Science (TVZ) is public higher education institution providing education from different professions which gives the opportunity for a very precise positioning according to the demands of the labour market. TVZ educates engineers and specialists in the fields of electrical engineering, construction, information technology, computing, mechanical engineering, mechatronics and prosthetics and orthosis. At the Zagreb University of Applied Science there are about 150 professors and assistants employed, and more than 100 teachers, who are lecturers from other higher education institutions or acknowledged practitioners are part-time in teaching and work. Although TVZ is primarily geared towards the education of professionals, teaching staff is led by more than 20 permanent staff of science scientists with large and proven scientific and professional potential.

Kind of recognition:

According to the Rulebook on Evaluation of Lifelong Learning Programs TVZ, the course “Introduction to Wireless Network Design” can be recognized in formal education as a Training Program with ECTS credits. For this it is necessary to request the approval of expert bodies TVZ.

Challenges addressed:

Upon approval of such a new lifelong learning program, recognition is part of the procedure.

Added value for the institution recognizing the course:

Added value for the institution within formal education system: The student after attending such a new lifelong learning program is being assessed for the all the learning outcomes and upon that gets ECTS credits, and this brings seriousness of such education. Added value for the employer organization:

Since it is in the interest of an employee to have his/her competences recognized, regardless of the way they were acquired, it is also in the interest of the employer to have information of what competences a particular employee has. Ideally, rewarding those employees who made significant progress over a certain period of time in upgrading their own competences, could be valued by promotion to a higher job position or be awarded in some other form of reward (more complex job, team management, participation in international conferences).

Description of the process:

The Lifelong Learning Department TVZ conducts the procedure for the approval of such education and through the procedure determines the amount of ECTS credits, in this case most likely 1 ECTS as stated in the “Introduction to Wireless Network Design” course description. The proposal for such a new Lifelong Learning program is being prepared in the form of completed forms for the description of lifelong learning programs, description of the spatial and human resources requirements for program execution, financial analysis forms and quality assurance schemes, and monitoring of the performance of the program and the resume of the lecturer(s).

Employer

Institution recognizing the course:

In this context, SRCE represents both roles: author institution and employer organisation. University Computing Center (SRCE) is the main computing center and the architect of the e-infrastructure, covering both the University of Zagreb and the whole research and higher education system. Furthermore, SRCE is the competence center for information and communication technologies as well as the center for education and support in the area of ICT application. The University Computing Center (SRCE) has a long tradition in the area of information and communication technologies. It was founded in 1971 within the University of Zagreb, the only Croatian university at the time, with the purpose to enhance the implementation of ICT in the academic community as well as in Croatia in general.

Description of the process:

After the completion of the education and/or the exam, the employee submits the certificate of course completion or the passed exam certificate to the Human Resources Department, with the purpose of registering the data on acquired competences. The Human Resources Department keeps records of all completed studies, passed exams, and acquired certificates and then records them in an employee’s personal file.  Also the data are recorded in the SRCE e-portfolio of employees to make information available to others, especially management when planning the future tasks and projects. Continuous professional development of employees in high on the SRCE agenda and this is realized through in-house training but also through external services.

Added value for the institution recognizing the course:

Since it is in the interest of an employee to have his/her competences recognized, regardless of the way they were acquired, it is also in the interest of the employer to have information of what competences a particular employee has. Ideally, rewarding those employees who made significant progress over a certain period of time in upgrading their own competences, could be valued by promotion to a higher job position or be awarded in some other form of reward (more complex job, team management, participation in international conferences).

Challenges addressed:

Although the process of recording the data on acquired competences is well established, still there is room for improvement: as part of an employee evaluation process, concrete ways of rewarding those employees who have been extremely successful in upgrading their competences could be established.

Your feedback matters!

Fill in the short survey Feedback matters!