The Use of MARIE CPU Simulator in the Computer Architecture Course: A Brief Exploratory Study of the Students’ Perception Learning (original) (raw)

The Use of MARIE® CPU Simulator in the Computer Architecture (CA) Course: An Exploratory Analysis to Assess the Students’ Perception of Learning

Journal of Literature and Art Studies, 2016

It seems that the combination of teaching practices creates interesting results in several areas of knowledge. The teacher has to always bear in mind that he/she has to present educational contents regarding his discipline always trying to present it an attractive way through new teaching dynamics. The challenge is to not to distance from the curricular content by using a broader educational proposal, intensifying the interaction with the students with the problems related to the professional area with artifacts and tools. Under such circumstances, the computer simulation can be a valuable teaching tool for the necessary contents in the formation of students. The preliminary studies based on students' opinions indicate it as a promising practice.

A contribution to innovation in the field of microprocessor systems: Evaluation of the use of SIMRA simulator in teaching

Tehnika, 2021

This paper describes and evaluates an application which provides the simulation of the functioning of the central processor (CPU). The simulation provides visual representation of anything occurring both at the level of arithmetic logic units (ALU) for different arithmetic and logical operations and at the level of bits. The evaluation of the application of this simulator in teaching was also conducted. The sample included 95 students from the Faculty of Technical Sciences in Čačak, study program – Information Technologies. The method with parallel groups was applied in this research. One group of students mastered the contents of the ALU in traditional way of teaching, while the other group used the simulator. Their advancement in ALU knowledge was measured by knowledge test specially designed for this research. In the end, the students of both groups evaluated the use of the simulator in teaching. The results of the research showed that students who studied with simulators were mo...

Procedures based on simulation and hardware for a computer architecture course

Computer Applications in Engineering Education, 2002

In this study, a procedure planning for a Computer Architecture Course that tries to create a balance between simulation and laboratory procedures is presented. For this planning, we use hardware implementation for parts of this subject that require careful dedication because of its complexity: interconnection networks and parallel processing. On the other hand, we use simulation packages for the teaching of pipelined and vectorial processors. ß

Computer Simulator: An Educational Tool for Computer Architecture

American Journal of Applied Sciences, 2006

The great advancement in computer architecture and cache memory design and technology had a considerable influence on the way computer architecture was taught in universities. This requires students to be able to visualize the detailed activities that take place within a computer processor and its interaction with memory system. Computer simulators could effectively be used to enhance the understanding and comprehension of cache memory operation. The main objective of this project was to design and implement a computer simulator that was used as an educational tool. This paper presents design specifications, implementation and the functional and structural components of this simulator. This allows students understand the concepts and theory of the computer hardware topics by constructing and verifying knowledge, testing and comparing several different configurations and memory access. Although there was a large number of computer simulators in the market, this simulator differs in the way it contains a specially designed assembler that feeds the simulator with the binary code. In this context it was a tool that provides a high educational value that, on one hand, helps students learn to write an error-free assembly code and on the other hand comprehend the activities that take place during the execution of the program under different settings. At the front-end of the system there are two parts; the editor and the simulator while at the back-end there are the system specially developed assembler and database.

A Survey and Evaluation of Simulators Suitable for Teaching Courses in Computer Architecture and Organization

IEEE Transactions on Education, 2000

Courses in Computer Architecture and Organization are regularly included in Computer Engineering curricula. These courses are usually organized in such a way that students obtain not only a purely theoretical experience, but also a practical understanding of the topics lectured. This practical work is usually done in a laboratory using simulators of computer systems. Since the open literature contains a variety of simulators being used for such purposes, this paper attempts to give a survey of simulators suitable for teaching courses in computer architecture and organization, to establish the evaluation criteria and to evaluate selected simulators according to these criteria.

Computer Training Devices (Simulators): Principles of Operation and Use in Pedagogical Education

Lecture Notes in Information Systems and Organisation, 2022

Interest in the development and application of computer training devices - simulators (virtual simulators) in various areas of professional training of specialists involved in human-machine interfaces is due to the specifics of professional activities in modern society that include many risks, redundancy of information, unpredictable professional situations, complexity of professional tasks, the necessity to cope with stress, uncertainty, etc. The article examines the principles of operation and practical application of computer simulators (CS) - training simulators, which are imitation (reproduction) of real objects in a virtual environment, with the help of which various skills are acquired. Digital technologies, which are rapidly changing the face of the modern industrial and social environment, are mostly used in various training simulators and process simulators in industrial companies and educational institutions. One of the important factors determining the rapid spread of computer simulators is an extensive application of multimedia technologies, which have made training complexes more accessible. Another important prerequisite for the massive dissemination of these systems is the rethinking of the pedagogical possibilities that simulators provide in comparison with traditional forms of vocational training. By now there have arisen conditions for a more effective and widespread use of simulators in vocational training, due to which training based on the application of simulators increasingly precedes real practice in professional spheres. In pedagogical education the development and use of simulators began much later than in many other branches of industry and science. The article discusses the successful experience of creating and using an original Russian-French digital simulator of pedagogical activity at the Naberezhnye Chelny State Pedagogical University.

Incorporating Simulation and Implementation into Teaching Computer Organization and Architecture

Proceedings Frontiers in Education 35th Annual Conference

This paper describes the motivation, the realization, and the experience of incorporating simulation and hardware implementation into teaching computer organization and architecture to computer science students. It demonstrates that learning by doing has helped students to truly understand how a computer is constructed and how it really works in practice. Correlated with textbook material, a set of simulation and implementation projects were created on the basis of the work that students had done in previous homework and laboratory activities. Students can thus use these designs as building blocks for completing more complex projects at a later time. The projects cover a wide range of topics from simple adders up to ALU's and CPU's. These processors operate in a virtual manner on certain short assembly-language programs. Specifically, this paper shares the experience of using simulation tools (Altera ® Quartus II) and reconfigurable hardware prototyping platforms (Altera ® UP2 development boards).

EVALUATION OF A SIMULATOR TO SUPPORT THE TEACHING OF COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE

Computer-based graphical simulators are widely used in universities to support the teaching of computer architecture. This paper describes how pre-and post-tests, attitudinal questionnaires and intervention questionnaires were used to evaluate a cache memory simulator. The methods by which such testing was implemented and how the data was analysed are discussed. Conclusions are presented concerning the educational effectiveness of the simulator.

The basic microprocessor education simulator

The aim of this study is to teach the principle of microprocessor command executions. This program shows user how the program commands are being executed. There is a field in this simulator users can write own program codes. Also the simulator has an Animation Object (AO). This object can roam on the interface of the simulator. After writing the code simulator compiles user program. In the meantime, error detection is performed and if there is an error related alert is displayed. The software is designed to run each command line separately to demonstrate how it is executed. The software supports four addressing mode, immediate, direct, register indirect and register addressing mode. To show the sub events of the code execution AO drifts on the graphic between related microprocessor units.