Visualization of VHDL-based simulations as a pedagogical tool for supporting computer science education

• Published in: Journal of computational science Vol. 36; p. 100652
• Main Authors: Garay, Godofredo R., Tchernykh, Andrei, Drozdov, Alexander Yu, Garichev, Sergey N., Nesmachnow, Sergio, Torres-Martinez, Moisés
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.09.2019
• Subjects: Active learning; Bloom’s taxonomy; Computer science education; VHDL; Visualization; Visualization; Bloom’s taxonomy; VHDL; Computer science education; Active learning
• ISSN: 1877-7503; 1877-7511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jocs.2017.04.004

•We address concepts of simulation visualization as a pedagogical tool for supporting computer science undergraduates.•We demonstrate the practicability and benefits of the proposed approach on a VHDL model of the network-to-memory data path.•We discuss Block diagram, Signal waveform, and Performance-oriented signal visualization techniques.•We described how simulation visualization could map a particular topic of computer architecture cognitive domain to Bloom’s taxonomy. Communication between information processing systems becomes a challenge, especially in the “big data” era. It is a mandatory subject in the topic “Architecture and organization” of the computer science curriculum. However, in our experience, it is a rather complex topic for students. Simulation visualization can be used to graphically illustrate various concepts of computer science. In this paper, we present the application of NICSim-vhd, which is an acronym for VHDL-based Network Interface Card simulation model, as a pedagogical tool for supporting undergraduate computer science students’ education. NICSim-vhd allows simulating the network-to-memory data path at a network node and generating Value Change Dump (VCD) files for simulation visualization of hardware description languages-based models. We provide a taxonomy of learner engagement with simulation visualization. Grounded in Bloom’s well recognized taxonomy of understanding, we suggest how to assess the learning outcomes to which such engagement may lead.