Kinsley
High School
Kinsley,
Kansas
Teacher:
Dr. Galen R. Boehme
Computer Networking
By
Garett Schmidt
Even
though the drawbacks on losing an hour of in-school time and cost exist, a
youth apprenticeship program focusing upon computer networking would benefit
the students of Kinsley High School at least three ways: Learning about
computer networking, giving hands-on training, and earning a Network+
certificate.
A
youth apprenticeship program has students gaining school-to-work knowledge in
their appropriate field. This
program also involves the community by having students work at local
businesses.
The
computer-networking program at Kinsley High School would be offered to any
junior and senior student interested in the computer networking field.
Juniors and seniors have lower loads of required classes and a one-hour
class in networking would easily fit into their schedules.
The resources for this program are already in place at the school and
in the community. The teachers
who qualify for this program are Tom Barnes, a Cisco Certified educator; John
Davis, a computer teacher at Kinsley High School; and Richard Thompson, a
professional computer net worker living in Kinsley.
The computer lab at the high school would be sufficient for use for
this class. Hands-on training
could come from Thompson, who works with networks throughout the community.
The
computer networking program at Kinsley High School contains many strong
points. One, students will have a
workable skill once they graduate. Students
going into this program should have some security that they are not taking
this training for a worthless certificate.
The students should have a job when they are done with their training.
Second, students will gain a certificate of national recognition.
The Network+ certificate is recognized by companies including Novell,
Intel, Lotus, 3Com and Cisco. Third,
the program enhances the local work force.2
These students going through this program will be trained for the
future of networking.
This
program offers many benefits. First,
the students learn about computer networks.
Certified instructors teach computer networking skills.
Second, the program provides hands-on training.
Hands-on training helps develop needed skills for the students when
they enter the work place. Students
would wire, problem solve and network computers together.
Third, the student will earn a Network+ certificate. To earn this
certificate one must take an exam of 65 questions in a period of 90 minutes.
The test is divided into two groups: knowledge of networking technology
for 77 percent of the test, and knowledge of networking practices for 23
percent of the test. The skills
measured by this test are derived from industry-wide job task analysis and
validated through a survey. The
Network+ program is different from the 560-hour, eight-semester, web-based,
hands-on curriculum that Cisco offers. In the computer networking
program at Kinsley High School students would learn knowledge to pass the exam
while gathering skills for the work place rather than following a curriculum
and completing busy work. The
fourth benefit is the beneficial training for college-bound students.
This training would benefit students who are going on to college and
seeking a degree in computer science. For
example, Spring Valley High School has a program teaching computer electronics
that lasts for two years. By the
second year the students should be able to pass the technical advance
placement exam. This training
prepares them for a four-year college or a technical college.
With
every program exist some drawbacks. One drawback is the cost.
Networking equipment needed for practice is costly in some cases.
Furthermore, the routers, switches, and cables demand funds.
The second drawback is losing an hour of in-school time.
In this program students will work a lot off campus.
Comparing this to taking another class that would involve them in the
classroom it might suggest that the students are gaining less knowledge for
the future. The third drawback is
time. The proposed program would
last for two years. Seniors
coming in would have to finish this program on their own if the students want
to be certified.
With
any drawback there exists a resolution. The first resolution to the cost
factor is many grants exist that schools can receive from the state. Kinsley
High School currently has a grant that pays half of the high school’s
internet service bill. Computer
networking is the future and grants will be available to help fund students'
learning for the future. The
second resolution is to losing an hour of in-school time. If students are
willing to learn networking skills to obtain a certificate the class could be
taught after school. By having
this class after school, more in-school time would allow the students to take
all classes needed to receive scholarships while working to be certified in
computer networking. The third resolution is to the time issue.
Seniors wanting to receive their certification before going on to
college could take classes during the summer to obtain this. Also, juniors
wanting to finish the program early could take classes through the summer.
This
program would benefit willing and hardworking students wanting to go into the
computer networking field.This program should be implemented in Kinsley High
School.
1.
In our community we only have one program working on the school-to-work
philosophy. The program is best known as “internship.” This program allows
students to work at sites in the community and be paid for their services.
Currently four students are working through this program. The businesses range
from a retirement home to a computer business.
At there work sites, the students learn different skills.
For example, one of the businesses is a computer business. That student
learns computer skills that will prepare her for her field of study or
business. Other businesses where future “internships” could happen at
would be the hospital, the bank and the courthouse.
2.
Kansas has a limited number of school-to-work programs. One program is
the Learning Exchange. The Learning Exchange was founded in 1972 and its
original mission was to help educators come up with new strategies to get
students to learn. The Learning
Exchange now develops quality school-to-work programs for students.
In 1992, the Learning Exchange was asked to manage all the
school-to-work grants for over 60 school districts. With the limited number of
programs, Kansas can learn from other programs already in place. One of these
programs is the Ohio school-to-work program. This program works with
elementary through high school. This program allows elementary students to
learn about the businesses in their communities and as they grow older
employers come and talk to the students about their business. Once the
students are in high school, the students can have internships with
participating businesses. Another program is the Northeast Metro 916 Youth
Apprenticeship Program. This program is structured for eleventh and twelfth
graders. This program allows the
students to work with a mentor at a paid job and also attend a once-a-week
seminar where the students learn skills that will make the students successful
in their occupational areas.
3.
Clinton enacted many pieces of legislation; two prominent examples are
the School-to-Work Opportunities Act and the National Skill Standards Act of
1994. The School-to-Work Opportunities Act sends federal funds to schools that
are changing from vocational classes to programs for non-college-bound
students with high academic standards. This act allows for education reform
and allowing the workplace to be an open learning environment. The National
Skill Standards Act was enacted to improve workforce skills. This act
coincides with Goals 2000. Goals
2000 helps local and state programs to develop and put in academic standards
and improves learning and teaching through all grades.
Goals 2000 also sets standards for what every students should be able
to do and also supports state efforts to enforce this legislation.
Right now 49 states cooperate with Goals 2000 legislation.
4.
In our high school, businesses have been willing to form these
partnerships with the school. Currently four students work in this program.
They go to their place of business during the corresponding hour.
At the business the students may be taught the skills and practice
needed for that field. While
there, they may be paid for the time they put in at that workplace. The
businesses involved are A-1 Computer Services, Duckwall’s (a variety store),
and Medic lodge (a nursing home). Other
businesses wanting to have something to do with the school could contact the
high school and request that they want to be involved.
Other places where there could be students in the workplace could be a
bank, a farm, or even a hospital.
5.
Outcome-based means one must be able to perform a skill that was taught
during an apprenticeship, not just be able to say that one has completed a
required number of hours. Apprenticeships must be able to prepare one for the
work force right out of high school. One example of an outcome-based program
is an auto-mechanic program. When
one is through with the program, he should be able to work on a car and be
able to diagnose the car’s problems, not just be able to know what a wrench
looks like.
6.
Three reasons that the AFL-CIO might be opposed to youth development
programs are these: The programs would undercut child labor laws and the Fair
Labor Standards Act, would abuse the word “apprentice,” and would abuse
the certificate in state and federal programs.
Youth development programs start youth out early in the workplace and
could bend the rules on child labor laws. The word “apprentice” causes
confusion with the well-known “registered apprentice program” because
youth apprenticeships uses the word apprentice and people associate that with
a “registered apprentice”. A “registered apprentice program” refers to
the 43,000 highly structured, multi-year programs that have been negotiated
around the country in collective bargaining agreements. Unions also oppose
having a recognized certificate. If
a new certificate were recognized, the new certificates might discredit older
certificates already used by employees.
7.
Employers might be opposed to youth apprenticeship programs for three
reasons: Many U.S. firms resist a three-or-four year hiring commitment and
prefer college graduates because the students are much more mature, firms are
“dumbing down” instead of hiring well-educated workers, and youth
apprentices add to training costs since the youth are guaranteed a rotation
through different parts of the company. Employers
want older workers because they fit well in the work place. Older workers seem
to work more smoothly because of their social development.
Employers do not want to pay higher wages if they do not have to.
Training costs the employers money, and, therefore, employers would rather
have no guarantee of a job rotation.
8.
Aviation High School has a unique program in which the school gives
hands on training with real airplanes on-site. This program prepares students
for careers in aviation-related fields. Students take courses for aviation
mechanics and engineering while taking other courses. Upon graduation from
Aviation High School, one receives a diploma and certificate from New York
State, New York City, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Federal
Communications Commission. The students use the certificate to enter into the
job market of aviation specialization.
9.
Contextual learning deals with learning from context. This is learning
from material found in books. Applied learning means to learn by applying
one’s knowledge to a project. This is like taking the one’s skill in
accounting and processing one’s own taxes. Community-based learning means
learning while working inside the community. For example, one sacking
groceries at the local grocery store is a job that works close to the
community. Experiential learning is learning by experience. This would mean
that a person would hold a job and learn that skill and apply it later on in
life.
10.
The word “catalyst” should describe the federal government’s role
in school to work programs. We define “catalyst” as one that precipitates
a process or event, especially without being involved in or changed by the
consequences. In order to be a
“catalyst” the federal government would promote some nationally recognized
standards, but each industry would have to set its own standards.