General Description
Rechnerarchitektur Visualisierung - RaVi
is a set of interactive training components for the teaching of the
computer architecture. Each component
visualises an aspect of the dynamic behaviour that is found in computer
architectures. For example the behaviour of a micro-coded MISP-processor,
a MISP-pipeline, the MESI protocol or the Score-boarding.
The development of these components has been trigged by the lack on
interactive teaching (learning) material in the context of computer
engineering. There was a demand on dynamic and interactive teaching
material which supplies more facilities than a slide presentation or an
animation. The components of RaVi provide an opportunity to change the parameters
or the input values interactively and to directly observe the variances in the
behaviour described by the component. For example, the execution of
MISP instructions is not fixed and cannot be effectively visualised using
earlier tools. During the demonstration the lecturer can
change the instructions and show the differences between the data routes
taken.
An additional aspect is, that RaVi supports explorative learning. The
integration of the RaVi components into labs for example is a way to make them
available for the students. This way, the students have the chance to explore
the dynamic behaviour themselves and this means an essential improvement of the
teaching material for computer architecture.
For making the RaVi components usable for a large number of lecturers, all
examples based on the book "Computer Organizition and Design" of
John L. Hennessy and David A. Patterson, which is the standard book for
teaching computer architecture all over the world. The RaVi components have
been used in lectures on computer architecture at the University of Dortmund,
Germany. The components have been evaluated and the feedback is considered during
the development of components.
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The development of RaVi is a part
of a larger project, the so called SIMBA project . SIMBA stands for
"Basic Concepts of Informatics in Multimedia Modules under Special
Consideration Learning of the Specific Interests of Women" and is a part
of the German government program "New Media in Higher Education".
Download and Installation
From this
website you can download a free version of RaVi. You will find all information
about system requirements, download and
installation in Download.
Documentation
A listing and a detailed description of the RaVi components and their use you will find under
Documentation and
Usage.
Contact
We are interested in learning your experience with RaVi. For any questions and
comments contact:
Birgit Sirocic
email: sirocic@ls12.cs.uni-dortmund.de
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