Distributed Expertise in Teaching Computer Organization

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Modern communication and resource sharing mechanisms make possible new ways of Assuring high qualitv education at locations where faculty expertise does not cover all topics appropriate to core courses. This project, using Computer organization/Architecture as a test case, explores the possibilities of distributed expertise applied in support of high quality course offerings. In this case, the course is considered to be of a traditional format: local faculty with complete control over the content of the course, assignments, and expected performance will benefit from the availability of materials developed by others and from the support of experts in topic areas of the course. The project brings together experts in content and in pedagogy to consider the best resources and the best ways to support teaching faculty. The minimum outcome of this project will be a report on the current curriculum recommendations relative to Computer organization/Architecture, an analysis of the state of the course around the world (including topics most commonly taught and topics that are most challenging), and a report on the recommendations of several groups on the application of distributed expertise to widespread course support. The results of these investigations will be applied in carefully monitored pilot offerings of the course and that experience will be reported at appropriate conferences. If results are promising, a plan for further development of the concept will be produced.