Calculator: A Hardware Design, Math and Software Programming Project Base Learning

This paper presents the implementation by the students of a complex calculator in hardware. This project meets hardware design goals, and also highly motivates them to use competences learned in others subjects. The learning process, associated to System Design, is hard enough because the students h...

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Main Authors: F. Criado, L. Costero, P. Cabeza, M. Sanchez-Elez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universitat Politècnica de València 2015-03-01
Series:Multidisciplinary Journal for Education, Social and Technological Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:http://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/MUSE/article/view/2275
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author F. Criado
L. Costero
P. Cabeza
M. Sanchez-Elez
author_facet F. Criado
L. Costero
P. Cabeza
M. Sanchez-Elez
author_sort F. Criado
collection DOAJ
description This paper presents the implementation by the students of a complex calculator in hardware. This project meets hardware design goals, and also highly motivates them to use competences learned in others subjects. The learning process, associated to System Design, is hard enough because the students have to deal with parallel execution, signal delay, synchronization … Then, to strengthen the knowledge of hardware design a methodology as project based learning (PBL) is proposed. Moreover, it is also used to reinforce cross subjects like math and software programming. This methodology creates a course dynamics that is closer to a professional environment where they will work with software and mathematics to resolve the hardware design problems. The students design from zero the functionality of the calculator. They are who make the decisions about the math operations that it is able to resolve it, and also the operands format or how to introduce a complex equation into the calculator. This will increase the student intrinsic motivation. In addition, since the choices may have consequences on the reliability of the calculator, students are encouraged to program in software the decisions about how implement the selected mathematical algorithm. Although math and hardware design are two tough subjects for students, the perception that they get at the end of the course is quite positive.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2015-03-01
publisher Universitat Politècnica de València
record_format Article
series Multidisciplinary Journal for Education, Social and Technological Sciences
spelling doaj-art-7b4e1ef3d7d54425b6bc7b9544045d112024-12-02T01:49:39ZengUniversitat Politècnica de ValènciaMultidisciplinary Journal for Education, Social and Technological Sciences2341-25932015-03-012111012710.4995/muse.2015.22752889Calculator: A Hardware Design, Math and Software Programming Project Base LearningF. Criado0L. Costero1P. Cabeza2M. Sanchez-Elez3Universidad Complutense de MadridUniversidad Complutense de MadridUniversidad Complutense de MadridUniversidad Complutense de MadridThis paper presents the implementation by the students of a complex calculator in hardware. This project meets hardware design goals, and also highly motivates them to use competences learned in others subjects. The learning process, associated to System Design, is hard enough because the students have to deal with parallel execution, signal delay, synchronization … Then, to strengthen the knowledge of hardware design a methodology as project based learning (PBL) is proposed. Moreover, it is also used to reinforce cross subjects like math and software programming. This methodology creates a course dynamics that is closer to a professional environment where they will work with software and mathematics to resolve the hardware design problems. The students design from zero the functionality of the calculator. They are who make the decisions about the math operations that it is able to resolve it, and also the operands format or how to introduce a complex equation into the calculator. This will increase the student intrinsic motivation. In addition, since the choices may have consequences on the reliability of the calculator, students are encouraged to program in software the decisions about how implement the selected mathematical algorithm. Although math and hardware design are two tough subjects for students, the perception that they get at the end of the course is quite positive.http://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/MUSE/article/view/2275Active learning methodsProject Based LearningLogic DesignComputer Aided Design
spellingShingle F. Criado
L. Costero
P. Cabeza
M. Sanchez-Elez
Calculator: A Hardware Design, Math and Software Programming Project Base Learning
Multidisciplinary Journal for Education, Social and Technological Sciences
Active learning methods
Project Based Learning
Logic Design
Computer Aided Design
title Calculator: A Hardware Design, Math and Software Programming Project Base Learning
title_full Calculator: A Hardware Design, Math and Software Programming Project Base Learning
title_fullStr Calculator: A Hardware Design, Math and Software Programming Project Base Learning
title_full_unstemmed Calculator: A Hardware Design, Math and Software Programming Project Base Learning
title_short Calculator: A Hardware Design, Math and Software Programming Project Base Learning
title_sort calculator a hardware design math and software programming project base learning
topic Active learning methods
Project Based Learning
Logic Design
Computer Aided Design
url http://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/MUSE/article/view/2275
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AT lcostero calculatorahardwaredesignmathandsoftwareprogrammingprojectbaselearning
AT pcabeza calculatorahardwaredesignmathandsoftwareprogrammingprojectbaselearning
AT msanchezelez calculatorahardwaredesignmathandsoftwareprogrammingprojectbaselearning