Helping students understand the datapath with simulators and crazy models

Abstract

Undergraduate computer science programs at many small colleges often include only one course focused on hardware. Many important concepts are covered in such a course, in-cluding the basics of computer architecture. By the end of such a course, students should have a good understanding of how a binary machine instruction is executed in hard-ware. Unfortunately, even a simplified diagram of a data-path is often difficult for students to master. We present two approaches that use lab exercises to help to address this problem. In one, students build a working model of the da-tapath out of ordinary materials; in the other, a software simulator is designed and implemented. These approaches are described and their merits discussed. Copyright © 2013 ACM.