Open 2013: A Virtual Incubator to Promote Information Technology Innovations

A Virtual Incubator to Promote Information Technology Innovations

Abdullah Konak Sadan Kulturel-Konak

Penn State Berks

Reading, PA

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

E-Ship Minor Learning Objectives 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”, one who can appropriately blend rigor with creativity.


Motivations We assume that students have the technical

knowledge and skills and try to provide them with Entrepreneurship knowledge and skills.


Entrepreneurship Education &

Programs

Engineering & TechnologyPrograms

New Ventures

Knowledge Skills

New ideas, Seizing opportunities

Innovative thinkingBusiness skillsLeadership

Challenges in IT Education & 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


A Solution: Virtual Computers Virtual computers are software emulators

of fully functional operating systems (OS). Multiple OS can be simultaneously run on a

single host.


`

Virtual Network

Virtual PC1(LINUX)

Virtual PC2(Windows XP)

Virtual PC2(WS 2003)Host (Lab

Computer)

Virtual Machine Software

The Collaborative Virtual Computer 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 (VIB) Virtual IT resources dedicated to the exclusive

use of E-Teams over extended time periods to prototype their IT-based innovation ideas.


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

InternshipsVirtual Incubator @ Berks

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)


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


Challenges Rapid changes in IT Creating policies that make both our students

and IT happy Recruitment

Competitions

Integration into classes


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 Computer

LaboratoriesActivities

Increased Student

Learning and Motivation

Experiential Learning Cycle (Kolb, 1984)

Concrete Experience

ReflectiveObservation

Abstract Conceptualizati

on

Active Experimentati

on


• Review questions• Short discussions• Lab reports• Peer-to-peer interaction • Generalization Questions

• Open ended questions• Quiz

• Hands-on activities• Projects• Tutorial

Research Plan & Experimental Setup


Control Treatment (Kolb’s Model)

Class Treatment

Control

IST 110-I 19IST 110-II 15IST 110-III 19IST 110-IV 17MIS 204 5IST 220-I 12IST 220-II 7Total 44 50

Data Analysis


Results


The Smaller, The Better

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.


Open 2013: A Virtual Incubator to Promote Information Technology Innovations

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