Most textbooks used in computer networks course are out-of-date when they are published. With the rapid expansion of network technology, it is important that the course be up-to-date. There are several ways of introducing currency in the course.

One way of introducing currency into a computer networks course is to require that students read relevant articles in the newspapers and magazines. The students are asked to read at least one article each week. The students are then asked to briefly describe what they read and ask questions about terminology and concepts that they may not understand. These summaries are then e-mailed to the instructor.

Students need to research an area of network management in depth. To accomplish this, each student is expected to participate in a project or write a paper. The projects could involve writing a grant for a local school or installing some advanced networking software. Research papers included topics like network management tools and network media.