A web‐based method for building and simulating standard cell circuits—A classroom application

Introductory courses in microelectronic circuits are integral components to electrical and computer engineering undergraduate curriculums. The nature of the material is well‐suited for the incorporation of simulation tools to enhance student understanding of core concepts. SPICE is an electrical circuit simulation tool that has been widely adopted for industrial applications and education. In many instances, engineering instructors have used SPICE‐based simulation tools for homework problems, laboratory exercises, and course projects. Although generally accepted as beneficial to electronics education, the use of SPICE simulation tools is typically restricted to these types of assignments and not heavily used for classroom activity. In this paper, we present a novel method for incorporating SPICE simulation tools into the classroom. Specifically, in a summer 2017 microelectronics course, we used simulation tools for all aspects of the course, incorporating simulation into lecture, in‐class active learning, as well as assignments, and projects. To evaluate this approach, we carried out a rigorous, comprehensive study of this pedagogical approach on student learning, and perspectives using a variety of direct and indirect assessment methods. The results across all measures showed substantial benefits for students to using this methodology and positive responses to the active learning. Beyond microelectronics and other electrical and computer engineering courses, this approach can be applied to other STEM courses where complex systems are studied and simulation tools for these systems are readily accessible to students.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

A classroom‐based simulation‐centric approach to microelectronics education

Dickerson

Clark

2018

“…Teaching the CO&CA courses for computer science, computer engineering, and electrical engineering students in a conventional way is inefficient if the teaching methods focus only on the theoretical aspects [1][2][3][4][5]. There is a need to bridge the understanding gap produced by the expanding number of abstraction layers between the hardware and software applications.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using simulators for teaching computer organization and architecture

Prasad

Alsadoon

Beg

et al. 2015

Self Cite

An important problem in teaching the subjects of Computer Architecture and Organization (CO&CA) is the linking of the theoretical knowledge with the practical experience. Visualization of different computer hardware architectures with the use of the simulators enhances the learning process among students. Many useful computer simulators can help address this issue by covering various aspects of CO&CA. The programs range from simple simulators to specific teaching tools to advanced and specialized software. We assessed several simulators and selected one that was freely available and that enabled the students to learn the concepts to the fullest. This paper describes our experience of incorporating simulation tools into teaching the CO&CA to information technology and computing students. We demonstrate that the use of simulators helped students understand better how a computer was constructed and how it functioned internally. ß 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 24:215-224, 2016; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/ journal/cae;

An easy to use open source authoring tool to create effective and reusable learning objects

Gordillo

Barra

Quemada

2017

Authoring tools play a crucial role in the development of learning content facilitating the creation of Learning Objects. However, not much work has been done in order to determine if educators actually can use these tools to create effective and reusable Learning Objects in an easy way. This paper address this issue by presenting and evaluating an open source authoring tool called ViSH Editor. Three factors were evaluated: the usability and user acceptance of the authoring tool, the quality and learning effectiveness of the created Learning Objects, and the reusability of these resources. Usability was evaluated through a lab test and the user acceptance with a survey among 180 users. Quality evaluation was conducted using LORI (Learning Object Review Instrument). The learning effectiveness was evaluated through learner surveys and test scores. Finally, reusability was evaluated by using the LORI instrument, by measuring metadata quality using a set of metrics, and by a quantitative analysis of reuse. Results show that ViSH Editor is an authoring tool capable of allowing educators to create effective and reusable Learning Objects in an easy way. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 25:188–199, 2017; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.21789