Computer Graphics in Simulating the Functioning of a Simple Computer (original) (raw)
Related papers
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.
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.
2012 15th International Conference on Interactive Collaborative Learning (ICL), 2012
In an introductory course of computer architecture, it is of high value that students use a simple and special CPU designed for this purpose and also its graphical simulator for better understanding of the computer hardware operation. In this paper, we present Abu-Reiahn, a simple 8-bit processor which we have specifically designed and built as the introduction part of computer architecture course to help students familiarize with hardware and software of a real CPU. Effective use of our computer graphical simulator along with the hardware allow the students to deepen their knowledge of logic circuits and the need for desired timing signals in a CPU to perform specific tasks.
A Graphical User Interface of a Visual Simulator for Computer Literacy and Architecture Education
A visual computer simulator has been designed and developed to help learners to understand computer literacy and architecture. It is used in real lectures and exercises of computer architecture. Our simulator is written in Java and works as an applet as well as a stand-alone application. Its graphical user interface (GUI) provides visual simulating function in the register-transfer level and assists beginners of computer science to comprehend how computer works. This paper describes details of its GUI and reports a statistical evaluation from its users (learners). And, it is confirmed that an educational effect of its GUI is statistically significant.
p88110: A Graphical Simulator for Computer Architecture and Organization Courses
IEEE Transactions on Education, 2000
Studying fundamental computer architecture and organization topics requires a significant amount of practical work if students are to acquire a good grasp of the theoretical concepts presented in classroom lectures or textbooks. The use of simulators is commonly adopted in order to reach this objective. However, as most of the available educational simulators focus on specific topics, different laboratory assignments
A Teaching Environment to Model and Simulate Computer Processors
The paper describes a system to design computer processors and to simulate their behaviour during the execution of assembly user programs. The system, called APE (Architecture Prototyping Environment), is based on a dynamic object oriented definition and use of processor components. After the user choice of the architecture components, the system builds a processor simulator allowing users to study the processor behaviour. The iterative process of modelling the computer architecture, prototyping the corresponding simulator and simulating its behaviour, makes the system particularly useful in the activity of teaching computer architectures.
A Visual Computer Simulator and its Applications to An ICT-based Higher Education
2006 7th International Conference on Information Technology Based Higher Education and Training, 2006
A visual computer simulator, called "VisuSim", has been developed and applied to real education for Computer Science at Kagawa University. It is one of educational tools associated with lectures on Computer Architecture and Assembly Programming. The simulator is written in the pure Java programming language, executed in several kinds of environment (free for types of OS and CPU) and invoked in the applet mode as well as in the stand-alone one. Typical usages of our simulator are twofold. Teachers employ our simulator, "VisuSim" to demonstrate visually how a computer processes its program. Students use the simulators in class or access our website, download "VisuSim", and invoke applet-based "VisuSim" on their browsers. After receiving feedback from users, we have provided communication support facility as a new function of "VisuSim". With such a communication facility, can send their programs, ask questions on them to their classmates and the classmates can test received programs with their "VisuSim" to think together about the questions.
Three simulator tools for teaching computer architecture: Little Man computer, and RTLSim
Journal of Educational Resources in Computing, 2001
Teaching computer architecture (at any level) is not an easy task. To enhance learning, a critical mass of educators has begun using simulator visualizations of different computer architectures. Here we present three representative computer architecture simulators for learning which show that there is a growing consensus for computer simulation as a teaching tool for complex dynamic processes, such as underlying computer operations. Simulators also show the wide spectrum of pedagogical goals for teaching computer organization and architecture. Specifically, the three simulators we describe are (1) EasyCPU for the Intel 80x86 family of CPUs; (2) Little Man Computer for a general von Neumann computer architecture; and (3) RTLSim, a data path simulator for a MIPS-like CPU. An appendix is provided for more detailed descriptions of each simulator.
Three Simulator Tools For Teaching Computer Architecture
2001
Teaching computer architecture (at any level) is not an easy task. A critical mass of educators has begun using visualizations of different computer architectures based on simulators to enhance learning. Here we present three representative computer simulators for learning which show: (1) a growing consensus for computer simulation as a teaching tool for complex dynamic processes such as computer architecture and (2) one solution to meet the wide spectrum of target populations and didactic goals for teaching computer organization and architecture. The three simulators we describe are: (1) EasyCPU for the Intel 80X86 family of computer architecture, (2) Little Man Computer for a general von Neumann computer architecture and (3) RTLsim a data-path simulator for a MIPs like CPU. We discuss the additional benefits of computer simulators in terms of flexibility, financial support, obsolesence, accessibility, and research. An appendix is provided for more detailed instructions for each si...
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.