A_case_study_of_teaching_paral

Provide the citation and attach a pdf of the article (10 pts) Pro Tip: You can use ZotZero, but check the output against the APA Style online guidelines.

Lin, H. (2014). A Case Study of Teaching Parallel and Distributed Computing Topics on a Computer Cluster. Journal of Cases on Information Technology (JCIT), 16(2), 58-71. http://doi.org/10.4018/jcit.2014040105

What is the abstract of the article? (10 pts) Tips: This is usually a 200 word or less article summary. The abstract is your only cut and paste answer.

This paper presents the establishment of cluster computing lab at a minority serving institution that aims to provide computing resources to support undergraduate computer science curriculum. The computing resources of the cluster are managed by a job distribution environment that allows the users to upload, compile, and run their jobs. The job distribution software distributes the submitted jobs to the computing nodes of the cluster. The authors will present a case study of using this platform to teach parallel and distributed computing topics in the operating system course. The evaluation of the teaching effectiveness is presented thereafter.

Was the study experimental or non-experimental? Explain, tell us what made that clear. (10 pts)

The study was experimental due to the fact that they were introducing the variable of the students having access to a computing cluster. They directly wanted to compare if having access to the cluster was going to increase the student’s ability to learn.

Was the research qualitative or quantitative? Again, explain. (10 pts)

The research was quantitative due to the fact they were able to directly compare the numerical grades that students received in their classes.

What was the population studied? Why do you say that? (5 pts)

The University of Houston-Downtown is the population being studied because they are trying to find out the effects that having access to a computing cluster would have on the students at that university.

What sample was used for this study? Explain. (5 pts)

The sample that was used was the entire student body due to the fact that usage of the cluster was required in the university’s graduation program.

What was the method of measurement? (10 pts)

The method of measurement was both the direct scores the students received in the class.

If the research was quantitative, was the measurement scale used, Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, or Ratio?

It was a ratio scale because it looked at a wide range of different grades received by the students.

If the research was qualitative, what data was collected?

It was not qualitative.

What was the method of analysis? (10 pts)

The method of analysis was the statistical mean analysis of students’ grades within the university.

If the research was quantitative, what statistical tools were used to analyze the data?

The statistical tool that was used to analyze the data was the Pearson Correlation Coefficient.

If the research was qualitative, in what manner was the data analyzed?

The research was not qualitative.

What was the conclusion of the study? (10 pts)

The conclusion of the study was that the education and use of the computing cluster within the curriculum had positive effects on the student body.

Why is this study useful to you? Explain in detail. (10 pts)

This study is useful to me because it shows the effects that properly educating yourself and practicing a subject can have on your ability to learn and apply skills. It also continues to highlight the necessity of being well versed in the use of computers and computing clusters in the real world.

What would be the next logical step in extending this study? (10 pts)

The next logical step in extending this study would be to cross-reference data from many different institutions and have them all use a similar computer cluster system and program to see if the conclusions of the study hold firm.