186 - 238 CCNA 2: Routers and Routing Basics v3.1 Instructor Guide – Appendix B Copyright © 2004, Cisco Systems, Inc.
B.2.4 Simulations Figure 1: Simulations
Research indicates that learning is more extensive when content is interactive and provides
instant feedback. The Academy curriculum contains a variety of interactive Flash activities.
One class of these activities is simulation. Examples of simulations are content items, such as,
command-line interfaces (CLIs), graphical user interfaces (GUIs), and programming language
development environments.
Figure 1 shows a simulation activity from the UNIX curriculum. The Help feature in the
simulation can be used to obtain the necessary information to complete the required task.
There are generally three levels of Academy simulations:
• Syntax drill – The simplest and most scripted activity can be thought of as a
syntax drill. This exercise gives students immediate practice when a new
command or procedure is introduced. These simulations help move online
curriculum away from an e-reading approach to a more interactive e-learning
approach.
• Lab drill – The second level can be thought of as a lab drill. This exercise involves
a step-by-step simulation of hands-on labs and configuration tasks. The hands-on
lab or configuration task will include a complete flash analogue that can be done
by students even if they have no access to the lab equipment.