This content is located in CAPS under Network Technologies: Networks for Grade 10.

Teaching students about the advantages and disadvantages of networks provides them with an essential understanding of how interconnected systems function in real-world environments. This topic connects deeply with their everyday experiences—whether they use school networks, browse the internet, or share files with friends. Making this topic practical and engaging will help students relate to the subject while developing critical thinking about the benefits and drawbacks of networked systems.

Bring Networks to Life with Interactive Scenarios

To effectively teach this topic, create relatable scenarios that students can analyse. For example:

1. Scenario: School Network Setup
   • Present a simplified layout of your school’s computer lab network. Discuss the advantages, such as shared resources like printers and faster communication via intranet. Highlight the disadvantages, such as potential slowdowns when many students access the internet simultaneously or the risks of malware spreading through shared resources.

   Activity: Divide students into small groups to create a poster or presentation on one advantage and one disadvantage of the school network.

2. Scenario: Home Network vs. Public WiFi
   • Compare using a private home network to accessing a public WiFi network (e.g., at a coffee shop or library). Discuss the benefits of secure, personal networks versus the risks associated with public access points.

   Activity: Ask students to write a paragraph explaining which type of network they would prefer for personal use and why, encouraging critical analysis.

Simple, Hands-On Demonstrations

Use everyday materials to simulate network connections:

• String and Cups Simulation: Represent wired and wireless networks by connecting paper cups with string (wired) and comparing it to “wireless” communication (speaking directly across the room). Explain data flow and interruptions, tying it to network advantages (reliable communication) and disadvantages (signal interference).
• Shared Printer Simulation: Set up a classroom activity where students “request” print jobs (on paper) to one central printer (played by a student). Discuss the benefits of resource sharing but also the potential queueing issues or slow service when there’s high demand.

Debating Advantages and Disadvantages

Host a class debate or discussion to explore perspectives:

• Debate Topic: “Are the advantages of networks greater than their disadvantages?”
• Split the class into two teams—one focusing on advantages (e.g., resource sharing, cost efficiency, better collaboration) and the other on disadvantages (e.g., security risks, dependency on networks, technical issues).

This promotes higher-order thinking (evaluate and create) in line with Bloom’s taxonomy, as students defend their arguments with logical reasoning and real-world examples.

Practical Technology Comparisons

Use examples from students’ daily lives to connect theory with practice:

• LAN vs. WAN: Discuss how a LAN in a school setting differs from using the internet (a WAN). Highlight advantages like speed and control for LANs versus global access and versatility for WANs.
• Social Media Platforms: Many platforms rely on networks. Discuss how networks make them possible (advantage) but also lead to potential data privacy concerns (disadvantage).

Accessible Tools for Under-Resourced Classrooms

If you lack access to real networking equipment, leverage:

• Free Online Simulators: Tools like Cisco’s Packet Tracer or Google Drawings for visualising networks.
• Storytelling: Share a story about how a business, school, or home benefitted or suffered from a network setup.
• Visual Aids: Use printed diagrams of simple network topologies, annotated with pros and cons.

Wrap-Up

Conclude the lesson by having students reflect on their daily experiences with networks and write a short essay on how networks have positively or negatively impacted their personal lives. This will consolidate their understanding of theoretical concepts while fostering practical, real-world application. Encourage students to explore how they might address or mitigate the disadvantages of networks in their future roles as technology users or developers.