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Open 2013: A Virtual Incubator to Promote Information Technology Innovations
This document describes a virtual incubator called the Virtual Incubator @ Berks (VIB) that was created to promote IT innovations among students. The VIB provides virtual IT resources for student entrepreneurship (E-) teams to prototype their ideas over extended periods without limitations of physical computer labs. It aims to instill an entrepreneurial spirit in IT students and engage them in solving local business problems. The document outlines the objectives, targeted technologies, an example project, challenges, and a plan to evaluate using Kolb's experiential learning model to design hands-on activities for the virtual computer lab.
Open 2013: A Virtual Incubator to Promote Information Technology Innovations
- 1. A Virtual Incubatorto Promote Information Technology Innovations Abdullah Konak Sadan Kulturel-Konak Penn State Berks Reading, PA
- 2. Penn State Berks 2,800 undergraduate students with about 800 of them reside on campus 15 baccalaureate degrees and first two years of 160 Penn State degrees Entrepreneurship Minor (E-Ship) since Fall 2009 Two NCIIA grants Virtual Incubator @ Berks
- 3. E-Ship Minor LearningObjectives Demonstrate communication skills (verbal, non- verbal, and written skills) needed to share innovative product/ideas. Identify opportunity including seeing market possibilities and the product/idea from a customer’s perspective. Define and solve problems. Work in a team environment. Demonstrate appropriate critical thinking skills requisite in an entrepreneurship environment. Demonstrate ability to be an “ambidextrous thinker”, Virtual Incubator @ Berks one who can appropriately blend rigor with creativity.
- 4. Motivations We assume that students have the technical knowledge and skills and try to provide them with Entrepreneurship knowledge and skills. New ideas, Knowledge Engineering & Skills Seizing opportunities New Technology Ventures Programs Innovative thinking Business skills Entrepreneurship Leadership Education & Programs Virtual Incubator @ Berks
- 5. Challenges in ITEducation & Innovations Strict IT policies on campus computers Lack of secure computing environments to test critical tasks Challenges to dedicate specialty computer labs to the exclusive use of E-teams for extended periods of time Projects limited to a semester time frame Limited access to specialty software and operating systems A steep-learning curve Virtual Incubator @ Berks
- 6. A Solution: VirtualComputers Virtual computers are software emulators of fully functional operating systems (OS). Multiple OS can be simultaneously run on a single host. Virtual PC1 Virtual PC2 Virtual PC2 (LINUX) (Windows XP) (WS 2003) Host (Lab Computer) Virtual Network ` Virtual Machine Software Virtual Incubator @ Berks
- 7. The Collaborative VirtualComputer Labratory (CVCLAB)- Penn State Berks The CVCLAB aims to provide students with an open learning environment in which they can experiment with high risk operations without any concern. http://ist.bk.psu.edu/cvclab Virtual Incubator @ Berks
- 8. Virtual Incubator @Berks (VIB) Virtual IT resources dedicated to the exclusive use of E-Teams over extended time periods to prototype their IT-based innovation ideas. Virtual Incubator @ Berks
- 9. Objectives Instill entrepreneurship spirit into IT students Shorten the lead time from idea to prototype Pre-configured computers Software repository Tutorials Engage entrepreneurship students in local business and community needs for economic development Business and community partnerships Internships Virtual Incubator @ Berks
- 10. Target Technologies Distributed object computing with an emphasis on database and web applications Application development for mobile devices Open source technologies Data mining (Big Data) Virtual Incubator @ Berks
- 11. An Example LMC Software Solutions, Inc. Innovative Product: A Development and Operations Platform Needed to test their products on various operating systems, Solaris, Windows Server, and Linux Virtual Incubator @ Berks
- 12. Challenges Rapid changes in IT Creating policies that make both our students and IT happy Recruitment Competitions Integration into classes Virtual Incubator @ Berks
- 13. Experiential Learning Model Claim: Activities designed as step-by-step instructions that guide students through challenging tasks do not achieve complete learning. Research Question: What are the best pedagogies to design hands-on activities for virtual computer laboratories? Virtual Increased Computer Student Activities Learning and Laboratories Motivation Virtual Incubator @ Berks
- 14. Experiential Learning Cycle(Kolb, 1984) •Hands-on activities Concrete Experience •Projects •Tutorial Active Reflective Experimentation Observation •Review questions •Short discussions •Lab reports •Generalization Questions •Peer-to-peer interaction Abstract •Open ended questions Conceptualization •Quiz Virtual Incubator @ Berks
- 15. Research Plan &Experimental Setup Control Treatment (Kolb’s Model) Class Treatment Control IST 110-I 19 IST 110-II 15 IST 110-III 19 IST 110-IV 17 MIS 204 5 IST 220-I 12 IST 220-II 7 Total 44 50 Virtual Incubator @ Berks
- 16. Data Analysis Virtual Incubator @ Berks
- 17. Results The Smaller, The Better Virtual Incubator @ Berks
- 18. Discussions We can foster more comprehensive learning by including all stages of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle in hands-on activities. Design activities based on an inquiry-based framework rather than a cookbook methodology. Virtual Incubator @ Berks