Evaluation of the Effect of Wireshark-based Laboratories on Increasing Student Understanding of Learning Outcomes in a Data Communications Course

This paper focuses on a 3000-level course in data communications that is a part of the curriculum in an electrical engineering technology program. Some of the primary learning outcomes of the course section that investigates data packet flow are: to identify the different fields of a data link layer (Ethernet) frame and to describe how the TCP/IP protocol suite utilizes physical, logical and port addresses to send/receive data. In addition, the ability to describe the operation of the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) in facilitating data link layer communication by using ARP request and ARP reply packets is also a learning outcome. The content relevant to these outcomes is presented in class in a traditional face-to-face lecture format. In these lectures, the data frames are represented in a simplified graphical format. Recently, two laboratories using the Wireshark packet-sniffer application has been added to deepen student understanding of these learning outcomes. The second laboratory of the sequence involves investigating the function of ARP by examining the contents of an ARP request packet and an ARP reply packet produced when a user uses a web browser to access a file from a website. The laboratory also involves analyzing the different fields of an Ethernet frame. It is expected that the interaction with real-world frames resulting from these laboratories should result in an increased ability to accomplish the above-stated learning outcomes. The primary objective of the research was to determine the suitability of Wireshark as a learning tool in the undergraduate data communication classroom. The hypothesis is "empirical investigation with the Wireshark packet sniffer application increases student understanding of communication protocols". This hypothesis is tested through quantitative and qualitative assessment. The quantitative assessment measured the students' knowledge and understanding based on their performance in pre- and post-tests. Qualitative assessment is done by requiring students to complete a survey that focused on their perception and attitude towards their attainment of the learning objectives. The statistical analysis of pre-test versus post-test scores and the survey responses indicate that student participation in the Wireshark laboratories resulted in an improvement in their ability to interpret and analyze real-world data link frames and in an increase in their understanding of how TCP/IP protocols are used for information exchange between two hosts.