Teaching computer concepts using virtual machines

Abstract

A set of virtual assemblers and a virtual machine are used as a teaching tool in order to teach students differences and similarities between architectural styles of computer processors. Programs written by the students in the virtual assemblers are compiled using the corresponding virtual assembler. They are then executed on the virtual machine so that students can follow the execution of the programs step by step or at full speed.

Student-Graded Oral Presentations

“…The first and second assignments were to write assembly language for a number of virtual machines [10,11,12] and to implement one of the virtual machines in any computer language, respectively.…”

Virtual machines as an aid in teaching computer concepts

“…There are four basic types of architectures ( [4,1]): Accumulator, Stack, Memory-Memory and Load-Store. In addition to these four we added a fifth, an Index Machine.…”

CPU Sim 3.1

“…Unfortunately, providing this experience can be difficult due to the cost of a lab with the necessary hardware and the time for students to become proficient in the use of tools for working with the hardware. For this reason, many CPU simulators have been developed [Abbatista et al 2000;Agren 1999;Yehezkel et al 2001;.…”