Collaborative Research: Portable, Modular, Modern Technology Infused Courseware for Broader Embedded System Education

嵌入式系统在我们社会的各个方面发挥着越来越重要的作用。嵌入式系统的快速发展导致了嵌入式软件开发专业人才的短缺。该项目正在创建一种嵌入式系统教育的新模式，其重点如下：(1)便携且价格合理。开发的课件是提供便携式真实实验室基于一个流行的微型计算机单元开发工具包，是可扩展和负担得起的。这消除了建立高成本嵌入式系统实验室的障碍；(2)模块化和灵活性。正在开发的课件和项目是模块化的，具有多个学习级别。模块化设计使教师能够灵活地采用整个课程或根据他们的具体需要集成选定的模块。建议的模块和项目融入现代嵌入式软件技术，以促进学生的创造力和激励终身学习。本课件以集成包的形式提供，包括与便携式嵌入式系统开发工具包捆绑在一起的配套教科书。该课件提供了一个“随时可采用”的模型，大大节省了扩展嵌入式系统教育的资源和时间，以满足科学、技术和工程领域新兴的劳动力和教育需求。这种新课件的便携式和模块化设计使许多急需嵌入式系统教育的大学和学院受益，但这些大学和学院受到有限的财政预算、实验室设施和缺乏专门的员工和教师的阻碍。该项目包括一个由来自五个州的八个机构组成的学术社区。

Computing-Others (35)Embedded systems play more and more important roles in all aspects of our society. The rapid growth of embedded systems has resulted in a shortage of professionals for embedded software development. This project is creating a new model of embedded systems education with the following emphasis: (1) Portable and affordable. The developed courseware is providing portable real labs based on a popular microcomputer unit development kit that is expandable and affordable. This removes the barrier of setting up high cost embedded systems labs; (2) Modular and flexible. The courseware and projects that are being developed are modular and have multiple learning levels. The modular design gives instructors the flexibility to adopt the full course or integrate selected modules based on their specific needs. The proposed modules and projects are infusing modern technology of embedded software to promote students' creativity and to inspire life-long learning. This courseware is delivered in an integrated package including a supporting textbook bundled with a portable embedded system development kit. The courseware is providing a "ready-to-adopt" model and greatly saves resources and time for broadening embedded systems education to meet emerging workforce and education needs in science, technology, and engineering.The portable and modular design of this new courseware is benefiting a wide range of universities and colleges that have a for need of embedded systems education but are hindered by limited financial budget, lab facilities, and scarce dedicated staff and faculty. This project includes an academic community that has eight institutions from five states.