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WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Combining Learning Strategies and Combining Learning Strategies and Tools in a First Course in Tools in a First Course in
Computer ArchitectureComputer Architecture
Pat TellerPat Teller, Manuel Nieto, and Steve Roach, Manuel Nieto, and Steve RoachThe University of Texas at El PasoThe University of Texas at El PasoDepartment of Computer ScienceDepartment of Computer Science
{pteller, manueln, sroach} @cs.utep.edu{pteller, manueln, sroach} @cs.utep.edu
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements
NSF MIE GrantNSF MIE Grant
Center for Effective Teaching and Center for Effective Teaching and Learning (CETaL) at UTEPLearning (CETaL) at UTEP
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
OutlineOutline
• Motivation/Introduction • Course Philosophy/Contents• Course Structure• Learning Vehicles
– RATS – Readiness Assurance/Assessment Tests
– Problem-based Discovery Learning• Simulation• Robots
• Evaluation
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
ObjectivesObjectives
• Cover a large volume of material• [Prepare students for follow-on
courses] • Develop oral and written
communication skills• Hone deductive reasoning and
critical analysis skills• Learn to work effectively in teams
Motivation/Introduction
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
StrategiesStrategies
• Traditional lecture• Active learning• Cooperative learning• Problem-based learning• Team-based learning
– RATs-Readiness Assurance/Assessment Tests
– Discovery Labs
Motivation/Introduction
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
ChallengesChallenges• Less material covered in class with
participatory learning strategies (as compared with traditional lecture)
• Accurate assessment of individual mastery given team-generated work product, i.e., building in individual accountability
• Dynamic adjustment of course design to meet student needs
• Development and utilization of technical, communication, critical thinking and analysis skills
Motivation/Introduction
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Course PhilosophyCourse Philosophy• Approach new, difficult concepts at multiple
levels of abstraction• Use RATs to motivate out-of-class preparation• Use problem-based learning (individual,
cooperative, and team-based) to master concepts
• Use innovative learning vehicles that facilitate problem-based discovery learning– Microprocessor Simulator Labs– Mobile Robots Labs
• Make it fun!
Course Philosophy/Contents
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Course FocusCourse Focus
• Between digital systems and computer archiecture course based mostly on Chapters 4-8 of Patterson and Hennessy
• Via Motorola 68HC11 – General method by which a computer executes
a program– Introduction to I/O interfacing, interrupt
handling, and robot control
• Basic concepts in software engineering• Textbook and Motorola 6811 manuals
Course Philosophy/Contents
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Course Module Structure - 1Course Module Structure - 1• Pre-class prep (study basic concepts outside class)
• RAT (in class)
• Lecture (maxmum 10-12 minute)
• One-on-one active learning• Active, cooperative, and team-based
learning• Simulator or robot lab • Lecture (maximum 10-12 minutes)
• In-class participatory learning (review)
• Assessment
Course Structure
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Course Module Structure - 2Course Module Structure - 2
• Active, cooperative, and team-based learning– in-class using simple problems – out-of-class using simple problems – in-class using more complex
problems– out-of-class using more complex
problems
Course Structure
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Learning VehiclesLearning Vehicles
• Readiness Assurance/Assessment Tests (RATs)– Out-of-class preparation– Diagnosis– Feedback
• Problem-based Discovery Labs– Simulation– Robots
Learning Vehicles
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Using RATs to Motivate Using RATs to Motivate LearningLearning
• http://www.ou.edu/idp/teamlearning• Larry K. Michaelsen, University of
Oklahoma, “Getting Started with Team Learning”
• Team-Option Workshop materials from Larry Michaelsen and Dee Fink, University of Oklahoma
• J. L. Madrigal, J. S. Lawson, and G. R. Bryce, Brigham Young University, “Experiences in the Use of Team Learning in University Level Quantitative Courses”
Learning Vehicles
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Team-based Learning: Team-based Learning: BasicsBasics
• Shifts focus from learning “about” concepts/ideas to learning “how” to use them in a meaningful ways
• Promotes a climate in which students (as individuals and as groups) feel free to challenge the instructor
• Student-centric rather than teacher-centric
• Up-front time investment w.r.t. RATs and application-focused activities
Learning Vehicles
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Purpose of RATs - 1Purpose of RATs - 1• Theory:
– Ensure students’ mastery of course subject matter
• Practice: – Ensure students’ preparedness w.r.t. mastering
course subject matter– Develop familiarity with and language to discuss
concepts– Less class time spent on basics; more time
spent on interesting questions and applications• Better work on basic concepts from better pre-class
preparation• Better work on mid-level concepts and applications via
team discussion
RATs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Purpose of RATs – 2Purpose of RATs – 2Application-focused Application-focused
ActivitiesActivities• The RATs guide the development of
projects and exams that require students to USE the concepts to solve the same kinds of problems they will face in subsequent course work and/or future jobs.
• These activities address the question: “How can I tell if students will be able to USE their knowledge of key course concepts?”
RATs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Readiness Assurance Readiness Assurance ProcessProcess
Context for RATsContext for RATs• Assigned Readings – individual study outside
class• Individual RAT- take test in class, turn in
answers, keeping record of answers• Team RAT – re-take the SAME test in class
(immediately after Individual RAT) but as a group; must reach agreement on each test question– Discussion required to choose a group answer
• Team Appeals– Open-book process outside of class– Formal submission of reasons for contest
• Instructor Feedback re: appeals
RATs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Readiness Assurance Readiness Assurance ProcessProcess
• Assigned Readings – initial exposure to concepts• Individual RAT- additional exposure helps to reinforce
students’ memory of what they learned during individual study
• Team RAT – students orally elaborate the reasons for their answer choices– excellent review of readings– exposure to peer input allows students to learn from each other– gains from acting in a teaching role
• Team Appeals – written appeal– focused re-study of troublesome concepts
• Instructor Feedback – aimed at resolving any misunderstandings that remain – the above ensures that the instructor is aware of students’ level
of concept understanding
RATs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Writing RATsWriting RATs• Define outcomes in behavioral terms, i.e.,
“What do you want students to be able to DO when they have completed this unit of instruction?”
• Define the content that must be covered in assigned readings to be able to achieve outcomes. That is, “What will students have to KNOW to do … ?”
• Define RAT questions by answering the question “How can I ASSESS whether or not students have successfully mastered KEY course concepts?”
RATs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Writing RATs-Form & Writing RATs-Form & ContentContent
• Short multiple-choice and true/false questions on KEY concepts from readings
• Questions that focus on foundational concepts and are difficult enough to create discussion once the team takes the test (avoid picky details)
RATs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Writing RATs-Form & Writing RATs-Form & ContentContent
• Focus on KEY concepts – not on details or computations– Focus on material in table of contents not index– Students should get a “Big Picture” from the RAT –
they will add and retain the details as they complete application assignments
• Focusing on details/computations may make students feel that they are being punished for not memorizing everything
• Potential value of group RATS will be lessened by fact that the discussion will be brief
– Detail focus - focus on what reading says instead of what it means
– Computation focus – one member simply acts on behalf of group
RATs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
My Experience with RATsMy Experience with RATs• RAT given after each reading assignment
(usually a chapter)• Students decided on combined score
algorithm – I set constraints: no more than 50% of group score
• Individual and Team RATs and sharing of answers during one meeting
• Appeals submitted before next class meeting
• Discussion of appeals during next class meeting
RATs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Example Good QuestionsExample Good Questions• All machine instructions have one or more opcode
bytes and one or more operand bytes. T or F• The input signals to a memory unit include
– An address, data, a read/write signal, a timing pulse, all of the above
• After fetching an instruction to be executed, the program counter is modified to point at the next instruction to be executed. This modification occurs by adding to the program counter the value– 1, 2, 4, none of the above
• Overflow only can occur when adding numbers of the same sign. T or F
RATs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
RAT Scores-Data Analysis - RAT Scores-Data Analysis - 11
Average of 7 RATs(Spring 2002)
50% Individual and 50% Group
5/26 >80 but <9013/26 >70 but <807/26 >60 but <701/26 >50 but <60
16/26 >80 but <9010/26 >70 but <80
The combined average score of every student but one was higher than her/his individual average score. The difference for the one student was individual average 86.98 and combined average 86.1.
RATs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
RAT Scores: Data Analysis - RAT Scores: Data Analysis - 22
Team
IndivLow
IndivAvg
IndivHigh
TeamScore
Team +Hi
Team +Low
1 59.81 69.96 81.09 86.92 5.83 17.11
2 73.37 76.19 78.21 88.25 10.04 14.88
3 64.93 75.31 83.34 86.65 3.31 21.72
4 60.28 71.86 80.34 88.17 7.83 27.89
5 65.15 73.64 86.98 85.22 -1.76 20.03
Avg 64.71 73.39 81.99 87.04 5.05 20.33
RATs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Observations Re: RATsObservations Re: RATs
• Students took the reading seriously– There were only 4 RAT individual
scores <= 50 and 2 of these are associated with RAT1, 1 with RAT2, and 1 with RAT3!
• The RATs made class more interesting– Only 5 students missed 1 RAT each!
RATs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Observations Re: Group Observations Re: Group RATsRATs
• Students take the discussion seriously– As you walk around the room, you
hear students effectively supporting their positions
– Because the discussions were so effective, I often let them continue for longer than planned
RATs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Observations Re: RAT Observations Re: RAT AppealsAppeals
• There were few – only two• Students took the appeal process
seriously• Discussion addressed
misunderstandings/ambiguity
RATs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Conclusions Re: RATS - 1Conclusions Re: RATS - 1
• RATs are amazingly effective!– Students
• rarely miss a RAT• come to class prepared• are able to discuss reading assignments
– Class time• not consumed by basic concepts• rather filled with discussion of interesting
concepts/ideas
RATs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Conclusions Re: RATS - 2Conclusions Re: RATS - 2
• RATs must be designed carefully– this takes time and practice
• I have a few examples with me that have good and bad questions – I was still learning!
– but it reaps VERY positive benefits
RATs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Learning VehiclesLearning Vehicles
• Readiness Assurance/Assessement Tests (RATs)-diagnosis and feedback– Out-of-class participation is KEY
• PROBLEM-BASED DISCOVERY LABS– Simulator Labs – Robot Labs
Learning Vehicles
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Problem-Based Discovery Labs - Problem-Based Discovery Labs - 11
Lab assignments based on guided learning via different levels of abstraction– Well-defined, proctored, cooperative
labs– Lead students down a path of self
discovery– Afford opportunities for students to
teach themselves via the scientific method Discovery Labs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Problem-Based Discovery Labs - Problem-Based Discovery Labs - 22
• Lab assignments are used to– Introduce, explore, and strengthen
understanding of new concepts– Stretch students’ knowledge
• Students work in pairs – Brain storming– Communication and team skills
Discovery Labs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Problem-Based Discovery Labs - Problem-Based Discovery Labs - 33
• Simulator labs– VISUALIZATION
• Assembler listing• Symbol table/cross-reference listing• Registers• Memory (text and data)
– Exploration/experimentation• Dynamically change state
– Eases move to next level of abstraction – robots
• Robot labs– FUN– Self reliance and critical analysis
Discovery Labs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Simulator: Learning ToolSimulator: Learning Tool
• Helps in understanding of concepts in a visual manner– Step through process via well-defined
labs (much like science labs)– View changes that occur at each step– Construct hypothesis– Experiment: change process in-place
• Facilitates discovery learning• Demo available after session
Discovery Labs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Why Robots?Why Robots?
• Student point of view– Robots are fun! – They really can hit walls!– Physical embodiment
Discovery Labs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Why Robots?Why Robots?
• Teaching point of view – I/O interfacing, interrupt
handling, vehicle for real-life utilization of microprocessor
– Discovery– Debugging– Brain storming
Discovery Labs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Robot Labs - DiscoveryRobot Labs - Discovery
Challenge students to discover how to
• Make robots go straight, turn right, turn left, etc.– Given how to make the robot go
in circles
• Use sensor to detect wall-hit – Given how to read a sensor
Discovery Labs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Robot Labs - DebuggingRobot Labs - Debugging
• Bugs can be hard to find• Programs too big for
– random debugging (uneducated, uninformed)
– guessing (educated, uninformed)
• Output too difficult for brute force (uneducated, informed)
• Analysis (scientific method) is necessary (educated and informed)
Discovery Labs
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
EvaluationEvaluation
• Some quantitative assessment• Ad-hoc assessment• Excellent course evaluations• Student comments• Observations
Evaluation
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Student Comments – Student Comments – SimulatorSimulator
[The simulator] HELPED me achieve knowledge about the material covered in the class
• “[it] helped me to understand what was happening”
• “we could test and see what happened for ourselves”
• “[it] helped me learn how to assemble and disassemble”
• “[it] helped me with programming”
Evaluation
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
Student Comments – Student Comments – RobotsRobots
[The introduction of the robots] was a good idea
• “[they] enforced the concepts learned in class”
• “[they] gave me confidence that I can do something that seems impossible at first”
• “[they] were fun!”• “[they] made it possible to see the power
of the 68HC11 in action”
Evaluation
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
ObservationsObservations
Students must• be clever about creating a hypothesis• be resourceful in testing hypothesis• discuss
– hypotheses must be in terms of behavior, not underlying computer architecture
– solutions in terms of underlying computer architecture
Evaluation
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
ConclusionsConclusions
Effective teaching and learning means• an open, student-centric
environment• up-front investment by the instructor• student cooperation/participation• continuous quality improvement• a more successful course experience
for all
Evaluation
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
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The Sun Conference at the The Sun Conference at the University of Texas-El PasoUniversity of Texas-El Paso
March 2003March 2003• Center for Effective Teaching and
Learning• Keynote speakers• Presentations from various
disciplines
WCAE 2003 - San Diego, CA - June 8, 2003
THANK YOUTHANK YOUfrom all of usfrom all of us
Simulator and robot demo available upon request
Example RATs (with good and bad questions)
Example Labs (both simulator and robot)
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