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CAL 2 : Computer aided learning in computer architecture laboratory
Author(s) -
Djordjevic Jovan,
Nikolic Bosko,
Borozan Tanja,
Milenković Aleksandar
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
computer applications in engineering education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.478
H-Index - 29
eISSN - 1099-0542
pISSN - 1061-3773
DOI - 10.1002/cae.20141
Subject(s) - computer science , architecture , assembly language , multimedia , animation , software engineering , computer animation , computer lab , software , human–computer interaction , programming language , computer graphics (images) , art , political science , law , visual arts
Computer architecture courses are crucial core courses in computer engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science programs. Dramatic changes in technology, markets, and computer applications create a quite unique and challenging arena for computer architecture instructors and students. The goal is to provide learning environments that will offer hands‐on experience and nurture rapid learning, yet be intuitive and interesting to students. In this paper we discuss the challenges in teaching such courses and present a very flexible educational environment for teaching and learning of computer architecture and organization (CAL 2 ). The CAL 2 encompasses a number of software tools that are used both in laboratory settings and at home during self‐study. The CAL 2 allows students to write and execute their own assembly language programs, ‘experience’ program execution through graphic simulation and animation, inspect implementation details down to the register transfer level, display timing diagrams, and test their knowledge. In addition, the CAL 2 offers a number of features that help instructors define, configure, manage, and administer the laboratory exercises. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 16: 172–188, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com); DOI 10.1002/cae20141