Teaching computer hardware and organisation using PIC-based projects

摘要

It can be difficult to motivate students to learn about computer hardware because students find the subject rather dry and theoretical. We have prepared a series of interesting projects that give students a hands-on introduction to computer hardware and organisation. Our projects, designed around the PIC16F84, a powerful 8-bit microcontroller chip that sells for less than $10, are suitable for classroom use in introductory-level courses about computer hardware. Their effectiveness has been evaluated both formally by students and informally through discussion within the teaching team. Feedback from students indicates that both development and implementation were successful. This paper describes the projects completed to date, their overall effectiveness and our plans for further projects.