Digital Logic Design: Meeting industry's needs through university & community college collaboration

Abstract

Hardware Description Language and Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) have revolutionized the way Digital Logic Design is taught and implemented. Traditional ways of teaching logic design using discrete components (TTL: Transistor-Transistor Logic and CMOS: Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductors) have been replaced by Programmable Logic Devices (CPLD: Complex Programmable Logic Devices and FPGA). Today, a more standard development process is widely used in industry. The process uses Hardware Description Languages as a design entry to describe the digital systems. The two most widely used Hardware Description Languages in industry are VHDL (Very High Speed Integrated Circuit Hardware Description Language) and Verilog (Verifying Logic). Although most traditional electrical and computer engineering programs have updated their curriculum to include topics in hardware description language and programmable logic design (FPGA/CPLD), two-year and four-year electrical engineering technology programs have fallen behind and are moving slowly in updating their curriculum. To effectively meet the next generation's workforce needs, the electrical and computer engineering technology curriculum must be current, relevant, and teach technology that is widely used in industry. To meet this goal, this paper propose a curriculum development project designed to meet the needs of both community college and university-based two- and four-year technology programs that will develop new courses in logic design and hardware modeling using VHDL and Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) Logic Design to teach students marketable logic design skills. Curriculum development will include the development of hands-on re-configurable computing labs both at the university and the community college, we will be able to provide students at universities and community colleges with state-of-the-art training tools that match the expectations of industry. Through this enhanced partnerships with community colleges, which will involve faculty development, sharing of curriculum resources, and undergraduate research exchanges, we aim to increase the transition of students from two-year to four-year programs. Our aim is not to take away from students attending or planning to attend community college but rather to improve curriculum for students in both two- and four-year programs and to make pathways clear and easy for those who do wish to continue their technology education past their two-year degree. © 2011 American Society for Engineering Education.