View in EDS

p88110: A Graphical Simulator for Computer Architecture and Organization Courses

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: p88110: A Graphical Simulator for Computer Architecture and Organization Courses
Language: English
Authors: Garcia, M. I., Rodriguez, S., Perez, A., Garcia, A.
Source: IEEE Transactions on Education. May 2009 52(2):248-256.
Availability: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. 445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854. Tel: 732-981-0060; Web site: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=13
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 9
Publication Date: 2009
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Descriptors: Assignments, Client Server Architecture, Simulation, Active Learning, Laboratories, Computers, Foreign Countries, Memory, Evaluation, Enrollment, Higher Education, Computer System Design, Computer Science Education, Technical Education
Geographic Terms: Spain
DOI: 10.1109/TE.2008.927690
ISSN: 0018-9359
Abstract: 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 usually require the use of different simulators. This paper presents a graphical and interactive reduced instruction set computer (RISC) processor and memory simulator that allows active learning of some theoretical concepts covered in Computer Architecture and Organization courses. The simulator can be configured to present different processor views, from a simple serial one, without caches or pipelines, to a more realistic one with caches and superscalar execution. This approach allows a set of increasingly complex code-based laboratory assignments to be developed using a single simulator, covering topics ranging from assembly language programming to the analysis of the different kind of cache misses, pipeline hazards or branch prediction hits and misses produced during a program execution. The simulator has been included in a an automatic assessment system that helps the students to complete the assignments and helps teachers to evaluate the correctness of the students' solutions in different environments, such as high-enrollment courses or distance education. Since 1996, both the simulator and the automatic assessment system have been successfully used by more than 5000 students in Computer Architecture and Organization courses at the Technical University of Madrid (UPM), Spain. (Contains 1 table and 10 figures.)
Abstractor: As Provided
Number of References: 20
Entry Date: 2010
Accession Number: EJ890179
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ890179
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: p88110: A Graphical Simulator for Computer Architecture and Organization Courses
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Garcia%2C+M%2E+I%2E%22">Garcia, M. I.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rodriguez%2C+S%2E%22">Rodriguez, S.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Perez%2C+A%2E%22">Perez, A.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Garcia%2C+A%2E%22">Garcia, A.</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22IEEE+Transactions+on+Education%22"><i>IEEE Transactions on Education</i></searchLink>. May 2009 52(2):248-256.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. 445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854. Tel: 732-981-0060; Web site: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=13
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 9
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2009
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Descriptive
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Assignments%22">Assignments</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Client+Server+Architecture%22">Client Server Architecture</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Simulation%22">Simulation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Active+Learning%22">Active Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Laboratories%22">Laboratories</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computers%22">Computers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Memory%22">Memory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Evaluation%22">Evaluation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Enrollment%22">Enrollment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+System+Design%22">Computer System Design</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Science+Education%22">Computer Science Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Technical+Education%22">Technical Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Spain%22">Spain</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1109/TE.2008.927690
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0018-9359
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: 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 usually require the use of different simulators. This paper presents a graphical and interactive reduced instruction set computer (RISC) processor and memory simulator that allows active learning of some theoretical concepts covered in Computer Architecture and Organization courses. The simulator can be configured to present different processor views, from a simple serial one, without caches or pipelines, to a more realistic one with caches and superscalar execution. This approach allows a set of increasingly complex code-based laboratory assignments to be developed using a single simulator, covering topics ranging from assembly language programming to the analysis of the different kind of cache misses, pipeline hazards or branch prediction hits and misses produced during a program execution. The simulator has been included in a an automatic assessment system that helps the students to complete the assignments and helps teachers to evaluate the correctness of the students' solutions in different environments, such as high-enrollment courses or distance education. Since 1996, both the simulator and the automatic assessment system have been successfully used by more than 5000 students in Computer Architecture and Organization courses at the Technical University of Madrid (UPM), Spain. (Contains 1 table and 10 figures.)
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: Ref
  Label: Number of References
  Group: RefInfo
  Data: 20
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2010
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ890179
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ890179
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1109/TE.2008.927690
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 9
        StartPage: 248
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Assignments
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Client Server Architecture
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Simulation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Active Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Laboratories
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Memory
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Evaluation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Enrollment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Higher Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer System Design
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer Science Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Technical Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Spain
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: p88110: A Graphical Simulator for Computer Architecture and Organization Courses
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Garcia, M. I.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Rodriguez, S.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Perez, A.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Garcia, A.
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 05
              Type: published
              Y: 2009
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0018-9359
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 52
            – Type: issue
              Value: 2
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: IEEE Transactions on Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1