At a Glance
Students in the Network Systems Technology program at Seneca Highlands Career and Technical Center play a specially designed trivia board game as a method for reviewing technical material.
Overview
In 2013, the Network Systems Technology instructor at Seneca Highlands Career and Technical Center created a board game, modeled after Trivial Pursuit, to encourage students participate in learning activities based on their Program of Study (POS). The categories and colors of the game reflect the ten categories in the 11.0901 Network Systems Technology POS. Using the in-classroom resource library and/or the online curriculum, students are required to read and research specific topics outlined in the POS. Each student is given a certain number of colored index cards and working with a partner has to create either multiple choice or fill in the blank questions with the correct answer/s tied to their POS task list.
Origin / Implementation
Due to the technical nature of the content in this program, it can become boring for high school age students. The instructor was looking for a fun and exciting method to deliver the curriculum, engage students, and help students prepare for the NOCTI test and industry certification exams.
The impetus to start this program was to create a fun and engaging way to involve students in a review process. This activity provides more student involvement in their own learning (pre-learning, during learning and post-learning stages). Studies indicate that students learn and retain more when they research and develop their own questions and answers. By participating in a trivia game based on their POS, students enhance their research skills by looking up and generating questions and answers. Both NOCTI prep and in-house final exam prep questions and answers are developed.
Results / Impact
This student collaboration and team building activity has become a great learning and review tool for students.
As a result of participating in the Net Trivia game, students have shown a fresh excitement for their POS and improved confidence in taking the NOCTI exam. NOCTI exam scores have increased in the past two years. In addition, the CISCO pre-test to post-test results also shows improvement in all areas tested. Every student has made significant advances in the overall weighted score, as well as individual domain areas.
Although one cannot entirely conclude the Net Trivia game was the only factor in score improvement, the fact remains that having students become more engaged in their learning and taking ownership in the educational process yields positive results.
Contact
Seneca Highlands Career and Technical Center
Donna Giannattasio, Network System Technology Instructor
Email: dgiannattasio@iu9.org
