🚀 go-pugleaf

Jerry,

Telecommunications is a large subject area.  You did not give any indication
of particular subareas.  You also didn't mention the background level of
the students.

Since you said that the course is for a local community college (2 year?),
I assume that you are looking for an introductory survey course for people
interested in computers (e.g., potential C.S/E.E. or management majors).

Andrew Tanenbaum's "Computer Networks" [Prentice-Hall, 1981] covers
the ISO OSI model at a level that can be appreciated by people whose
backgrounds differ widely.  It is also humorous at times.  By his own words:
  
  "The book is intended as a text for juniors, seniors, and graduate students
   in computer science, electrical engineering, and related disciplines.
   The only prerequisites are a general familiarity with computer systems
   and programming, although a little knowledge of elementary calculus and
   elementary probability theory is useful, but not essential."

This book explains *what* a network is, and *how* it logically operates.
Topics include topology design, routing issues, delay and throughput
analysis, layer protocols, packet-switching vs. virtual-circuit
tradeoffs, and network security, to mention just a few.  This could
be sufficient for an introductory course.

Other things that might be included in an advanced telecommunications
course are *how* a network physically works (e.g., principles of transmission,
AM/FM theory, modulation, fiber optics), elementary coding and information 
theory, and the history, economics and politics of communications (e.g., 
phone company monopoly, deregulation, F.C.C.).

Many of these topics were taught in several graudate telecommunications courses
given at M.I.T. [Hi Marvin!]

Good luck with the course.

Bob