Summer Working Connections week 1 in-person experience will be held at Collin College, in Frisco, Texas. The program will feature six separate learning tracks for IT educators. Attendees may select only one track per week, as class tracks last for the entire duration of the Working Connections session.
The last day to register is Friday, June 28, 2024.
Data analysis is an essential skill in the fields of business, science, and social science. Python has become the preferred language for data analysis because of its simplicity, large and active community support, rich ecosystem of libraries and tools, and high-level programming capabilities.
Participants of this workshop will use the Anaconda Jupyter Labs/Notebook environment to develop data visualizations in Python using NumPy, Pandas, and Seaborn libraries.
Open mind and eager to learn. Python programming knowledge will be helpful.
“Murach’s Python for Data Analysis” by Scott McCoy. Textbook will be provided for free to workshop participants by the NITIC grant.
Chris Santo is a Professor in the Computer and Information Systems Division of Mesa Community College in Mesa, AZ, part of the Maricopa Community College District, where he teaches a variety of courses including Data Analytics, Tableau, Power BI, and Data Analytics for Python. Chris has taught Mathematics, Computer Science and Computer Information Systems courses for the Maricopa Community Colleges for 18 years.
Mr. Santo has 30 years of experience in the industry, holding various roles in omputer lab management, systems administration, project management, database development, application development, and IT management.
Collin College – Preston Ridge Campus, IT Center, Room XXX
Introductions. Overview of Anaconda/Jupyter Lab/Notebook environment. NumPy. Pandas essentials for data analysis and data visualization. Seaborn essentials for data visualization.
How to get the data. How to clean the data
How to prepare the data. How to analyze the data.
How to analyze time-series data. How to make predictions with linear and multiple regression models.
Session pick of: freecodecamp Data Visualization with D3/JavaScript/JSON APIs and AJAX, Presidential Polling Case Study, Forest Fires Case Study, Social Survey Case Study, Sports Analytics Case Study.
Please note that content is subject to change or modification based on the unique needs of the track participants in attendance.
AWS Academy Cloud Architecting covers the fundamentals of building IT infrastructure on Amazon Web Services, or AWS. The course is designed to teach participants how to optimize the use of the AWS Cloud by understanding AWS services and how these services fit into cloud-based solutions.
Because architectural solutions can differ depending on industry, type of applications, and size of business, this course emphasizes best practices for the AWS Cloud, and it recommends various design patterns to help you think through the process of architecting optimal IT solutions on AWS. It also presents case studies throughout the course, which showcase how some AWS customers have designed their infrastructures, and the strategies and services that they implemented. Finally, this course also provides opportunities to build a variety of infrastructures via a guided, hands-on approach.
This course helps you to prepare for the AWS Certified Solution Architect Associate Exam and Certification.
Participants are advised, but not required, to have completed the AWS Academy Cloud Foundations course, and/or have already obtained the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Certification before this course.
Participants are advised, but not required, to have completed the AWS Academy Cloud Foundations course, and/or have already obtained the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Certification before this course.
asad khan
Mr. Asad Khan is the Program Director of the Networking Specialist program and Dean Liaison in the Computer Sciences Division at Gwinnett Technical College. He also teaches as a Part Time Faculty of Information Technology at Georgia Gwinnett College.
His area covers five courses in AWS certification prep, four courses in Microsoft Server, two in data center, and three for CompTIA A+ and Network+ prep courses.
He manages the AWS, CompTIA, and Microsoft Learn Academies for the college as well.
He currently possesses 27 certificates in IT, including 16 in Cloud Computing (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, CompTIA, and Oracle Cloud).
He has taught AWS certification prep courses to students from across Georgia’s technical college system, state employees across Georgia’s state agencies, and instructors in the CCN for the last four years.
This will be his fourth time teaching for Working Connections.
Collin College – Preston Ridge Campus, IT Center, Room XXX
Module 1 – Welcome to AWS Academy Cloud Architecting
Module 2 – Introducting Cloud Architecting
Module 3 – Adding a Storage Layer
Module 4 – Adding a Compute Layer
Module 5 – Adding a Database Layer
Module 6 – Creating a Networking Environment
Module 7 – Connecting Networks
Module 8 – Securing User and Application Access
Module 9 – Implementing Elasticity, High Availability, and Monitoring
Module 10 – Automating Your Architecture
Module 11 – Caching Content
Module 12 – Building Decoupled Architectures
Module 13 – Building Microservices and Serverless Architectures
Module 14 – Planning for Disaster
Module 15 – Bridging to Certification
Please note that content is subject to change or modification based on the unique needs of the track participants in attendance.
AWS Academy Cloud Architecting covers the fundamentals of building IT infrastructure on Amazon Web Services, or AWS. The course is designed to teach participants how to optimize the use of the AWS Cloud by understanding AWS services and how these services fit into cloud-based solutions.
Because architectural solutions can differ depending on industry, type of applications, and size of business, this course emphasizes best practices for the AWS Cloud, and it recommends various design patterns to help you think through the process of architecting optimal IT solutions on AWS. It also presents case studies throughout the course, which showcase how some AWS customers have designed their infrastructures, and the strategies and services that they implemented. Finally, this course also provides opportunities to build a variety of infrastructures via a guided, hands-on approach.
This course helps you to prepare for the AWS Certified Solution Architect Associate Exam and Certification.
Basic networking skills and Linux experience.
Basic networking skills and Linux experience.
jason zeller
Jason Zeller is an assistant professor in the Informatics Department at Fort Hays State University. In industry, Mr. Zeller has worked for internet service providers and as a Senior Product Engineer for Network Development Group, where he was responsible for creating and writing curriculum and lab content for use in colleges worldwide. His instructional responsibilities include being the lead professor for the undergraduate and graduate Cybersecurity and Information Assurance Management courses. Mr. Zeller is the Co-Director of the Cybersecurity Institute and Technology Incubator at FHSU and the Co-Director of the Information Enterprise Institute, which is FHSU’s Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense. Mr. Zeller also owns a cybersecurity consulting company, CypherAxe, where he hires students from high school and in his college programs to gain real-world experience in the field.
Collin College – Preston Ridge Campus, IT Center, Room XXX
Please note that content is subject to change or modification based on the unique needs of the track participants in attendance.
We will cover five classes worth of material in a week: securing web applications, securing APIs, attack techniques, network security monitoring with Splunk, and ARM
Assembly and exploitation. There are many hands-on projects for each topic, ready to be inserted into your classes.
This workshop is structured as a Capture-The-Flag competition, so each participant can proceed at their own pace. The techniques will be briefly demonstrated, and we will provide tips and help as needed to make sure everyone is able to solve at least some of the challenges.
The participants will not all learn the same thing, but will each learn something new and useful.
Participants should understand networking and security at the Net+ and Security+ level. No programming experience is required.
All the software used is freely available, and all the projects are copyright-free and available freely on the Web. No textbooks are required.
sam bowne
Sam Bowne has been teaching computer networking and security classes at City College San Francisco since 2000. He has given talks and hands-on trainings at DEF CON, DEF CON China, Black Hat USA, HOPE, BSidesSF, BSidesLV, RSA, and many other conferences and colleges. He founded Infosec Decoded, Inc., and does corporate training and consulting for several Fortune 100 companies, on topics including Incident Response and Secure Coding.
Formal education: B.S. and Ph.D. in Physics Industry credentials:
Infosec: CISSP, Certified Ethical Hacker, Security+, Defcon Black Badge, Splunk Core Certified User
Networking: Network+, Certified Fiber Optic Technician, HE IPv6 Sage, CCENT, IPv6 Forum Silver & Gold, Juniper JN0-101, Wireshark WCNA
Microsoft: MCP, MCDST, MCTS: Vista
Collin College – Preston Ridge Campus, IT Center, Room XXX
Operational Technology (OT) is hardware and software that controls physical processes like factories and power plants. These processes are far more efficient when networked services monitor, control, and automate them, but also are exposed to network attacks. The primary OT protocols, such as Modbus and DNP3, are decades old and lack security features. This class covers the risks of OT installations and how to secure them.
Prior knowledge: No experience with programming or hardware is required. It’s recommended to have familiarity with networking at the Network+ level.
Practice finding flaws in real Android and iOS apps in this workshop, and you will be ready to avoid making similar security errors in your own apps.
Android apps are very easy to unpack, analyze, modify, and repack; partly because of the open nature of the system, and partly because most companies neglect basic security measures. In this workshop, participants will hack apps from tProgressive Insurance, IBM, Harvard, the Indian government, and other large organizations. We will find insecure network transmissions, broken cryptography, improper logging, and pervasive lack of binary protections.
Prior knowledge: Some experience with Java coding is helpful but not necessary.
Analyze malware to find indicators of compromise using static and dynamic techniques. We will modify Windows code to cheat at games and examine the actions of malware, including droppers, botnets, and keyloggers. We will use PEstudio, IDA Pro, Ghidra, OllyDbg and other tools.
Prior knowledge: Familiarity with programming in C and assembler is helpful but not necessary.
Learn how to take control of Windows and Linux servers running vulnerable software, in a hands-on CTF-style workshop. We begin with easy command injections and SQL injections, and proceed through binary exploits incuding buffer overflows on the stack and the heap, format string vulnerabilities, and race conditions.
After this workshop, you will understand how memory is used by software, and why computers are so easily tricked into executing bytes as code that entered the system as data.
We will exploit 32-bit and 64-bit Intel systems, and also ARM-based systems. We will examine modern Windows defenses in detail and how to defeat them, including ASLR, DEP, stack cookies, and SEHOP.
Prior knowledge: Previous experience with C and assembly language is helpful but not required.
Learn how to find vulnerabilities in code and fix them. First we will discuss threat analysis and how to prioritize risks using the STRIDE model and the CVSS scoring system. Then participants will examine deliberately insecure apps written in PHP, NodeJS, or other common languages. They will work in groups, and use three methods to find flaws: a source code scanner, a dynamic vulnerability scanner, and manual testing. Discussions during and after these examinations will help the participants understand how to apply these techniques to improve the quality of the code they write.
Prior knowledge: Participants should have some experience coding apps in any language.
Please note that content is subject to change or modification based on the unique needs of the track participants in attendance.
This course will cover the basics of Generative AI (Gen AI) concepts and how the generative models work in different applications. Fundamentals of neural networks, Large Language Models (LLM) and training methods used will be discussed in detail. To have a good output from LLM based Generative AI tools, the user requires technique and knowledge of proper prompting to get the desired output. Prompt Engineering techniques, capabilities and limitations of LLM will be demonstrated and discussed with hands-on activities. In this workshop setting, participants will understand the concepts of Generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, etc.) and learn to use such tools using hands-on/demonstration activities for creating text, images, audio, and video content. Participants will also understand generative AI’s capabilities and limitations. Ethical consideration and use of such Gen AI tools in the classroom will also be discussed.
Open mind.
None. The instructor will provide information to create accounts on different generative tools a week before the session starts. Free open-source tools will be used in this course. Subscription based Gen AI tools may be demonstrated but are not required for students to purchase.
rajiv malkan
Dr. Rajiv Malkan is a Professor in the Computer and Information Technology Department of Lone Star College – Montgomery in Houston, TX, where he teaches a variety of courses including Business Computer Applications, Programming Languages and Business and Management.
Dr. Malkan has over 30 years of leadership contributions in higher education within multiple settings. He has engaged in leadership roles including Founding Dean, Division Chair in transforming education. His involvement in driving key initiatives spans education delivery, thought leadership, grant writing, global partnerships and engagements on emerging trends. He has proven expertise in college accreditation & state compliance, including Dual Credit/Pathways initiatives for academic & workforce programs.
Dr. Malkan’s academic credentials include two master’s degrees, a doctorate in Higher Education Leadership, and he was the recipient of the prestigious Kellogg Fellowship in Leadership Development. He is active in various professional organizations and is continuing his ambitions in cyber security and incorporating data driven decision-making in higher education organizations. He presents at various conferences on data analytics and while executes on awarded grants, serving in community colleges and corporate education.
Collin College – Preston Ridge Campus, IT Center, Room XXX
Topics that will be covered:
Generative AI Fundamentals
Large Language Models (LLMs) for Education
AI-powered Content Creation and Learning Tools
Integrating Generative AI into the IT Curriculum
Please note that content is subject to change or modification based on the unique needs of the track participants in attendance.
This hands-on course will introduce the multiple strategies and approaches that the industry uses to create mobile apps. Additionally, multiple strategies and approaches to teach mobile app development will be discussed and compared. In addition to developing mobile apps, debugging and deploying apps to individual devices as well as Google Play store, and iPhone’s App Store.
Every participant will build apps in C# .Net Maui which will be used for the reference cross-platform development tool. Additionally, the Ionic cross-platform framework will be introduced and explored. The course will wrap-up with demonstrations on how to build native apps for both and iPhone and iPhone.
If you are missing any of the prerequisite skills needed for the class, please contact the instructor at mgreen14@wctc.edu. Dr. Green will be happy to provide tutorials or videos to help you fill-in any skill gaps.
None
matt green
Dr. Matt Green has been an instructor at Waukesha County Technical College for the last 14 years, teaching web and software development courses. Before that, he was a software developer, project coordinator, and data conversions analyst followed by a decade of Organizational Development management in the banking IT segment.
At WCTC, Dr. Green is the faculty advisor of the IT club and the instructor of the global IT experience. Additionally, Matt teaches Python at an all-men’s high school and teaches media development to a team in Bangladesh.
Matt is currently engaged in post-graduate studies in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at Marquette University. Dr. Green earned an undergraduate degree in Business and Math Computing at Eastern Illinois University, followed by a Masters in Educational Technology and Curriculum wrapping up with a Doctorate in Ministry with a focus in Education from Northwind Theological Seminary.
Collin College – Preston Ridge Campus, IT Center, Room XXX
Please note that content is subject to change or modification based on the unique needs of the track participants in attendance.
| Time | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00am - 8:30am Central | Registration check-in | IT Center atrium |
| 8:30am-12noon Central (10:30am Central break) |
Class | Assigned classroom |
| 12noon-1:00pm Central | Working lunch | Conference center |
| 1:00pm-5:00pm Central (3:00pm Central break) |
Class | Online |
| Time | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30am-12noon Central (10:30am Central break) |
Class | Assigned classroom |
| 12noon-1:00pm Central | Working lunch | Conference center |
| 1:00pm-5:00pm Central (3:00pm Central break) |
Class | Online |
| Time | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30am-12noon Central (10:30am Central break) |
Class | Assigned classroom |
| 12noon-1:00pm Central | Working lunch | Conference center |
| 1:00pm-5:00pm Central (3:00pm Central break) | Class | Online |
| Time | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30am-12noon Central (10:30am Central break) |
Class | Assigned classroom |
| 12noon-1:00pm Central | Working lunch | Conference center |
| 1:00pm-5:00pm Central (3:00pm Central break) |
Class | Online |
| Time | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30am-12noon Central (10:30am Central break) |
Class | Assigned classroom |
The “break room” location is TBD. Coffee, ice water, and hot water will be available. No food is permitted in the IT Center classrooms.
A travel stipend is available to eligible attendees to assist with all travel costs. The stipend amount depends on the distance you live from Collin College. You will not need to submit expense receipts.
The address listed on attendee “Supplier Form” submitted to Columbus State Community College will be considered attendee “residence.”
Three stipend levels
Stipend Eligibility – To be eligible for the stipend, you must:
Before you go
After you get home
The travel stipend is intended to assist with covering the following
The following hotels are convenient to Collin College’s Preston Ridge Campus (9700 Wade Blvd., Frisco, Texas 75035) and offer rooms under $144/night.
All rates and discount room courtesy block availability listed below are subject to change without notice and are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Book your room as soon as possible.
It is the attendee’s sole responsibility to confirm at check-out that any applicable discounted Working Connections rate has been correctly applied.
Hyatt House
2875 Parkwood Blvd, Frisco TX 75034 (at Gaylord Parkway)
972.668.4500
Distance from campus: 3.5 miles
Discount rate: $125/night – use this link to book your room
Last day to reserve is Thursday, June 20
Hot complimentary breakfast: yes
Shuttle to campus: NONE – this hotel is better for those who have a car
On-site parking: the parking fee can be waived if you register your car when you first check in
Marriott Springhill Suites
8401 Angels Drive, Plano TX 75024
469.362.7773
Distance from campus: 4 miles
Discount rate: $144/night – use this link to book your room
Last day to reserve is Friday, June 21
Hot complimentary breakfast: yes
Shuttle to campus: Available for free Monday-Friday, but please schedule this at the front desk when you check in – first come, first serve.
Distance from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Frisco: 24.7 miles
DFW transportation: https://www.dfwairport.com/explore/transportation/
Distance from Love Field (DAL) to Frisco: 25.0 miles
DAL transportation: https://www.dallas-lovefield.com/passenger-services/ground-transportation/limousines-sedans-and-black-car-services
Ground transportation: We recommend considering Uber or Lyft. Those are often more economical than traditional taxi services.
If you must cancel your registration, please notify Mark Dempsey immediately. The last day to make any registration change (request to change tracks or cancel) is Friday, June 28, 2024.
Because it is a priority of NSF grant funding that all available seats are filled, attendees who register but then fail to show up without providing advance notice may not be eligible for future Working Connections events. Please let us know right away if you’re not able to attend.
If you have questions, contact Mark Dempsey at mdempsey@collin.edu
Log in to your IT Innovation Network account to get full access to all ITIN Community of Practice content and opportunities. If you don’t have an ITIN account, register here.
