The development of a protocol simulator for active learning

The development of a first-year module in communications protocols is described, employing active learning techniques enabled by a new protocol simulator designed for education. The simulator has a simple graphical user interface and is designed for ease of use, rather than speed or flexibility. Protocols can be programmed in a version of C and run from the graphical user interface with no requirement to use an object-oriented programming language or scripting language. The simulator and the active learning approach has proved popular and robust and allows problem-based learning techniques, whereby students invent and test their own protocols, to be used at an early stage in the degree.