Moving Data, Moving Students: Involving Students in Learning about Internet Data Traffic

Undergraduate students often have difficulty understanding the way in which data moves across a TCP/IP network, such as the Internet. From the initial data request, to larger files being packetized and transmitted via multiple routes, the students can become lost in the details. These are important concepts for both introductory Management Information Systems courses and telecommunications courses in the business school. This article describes the results of an in class exercise that involves the students in the process of data transmission and aids their understanding of this topic.