Effects of Micro-Operations for Understanding the Relationship between Computer Hardware Mechanisms and Software functions.

本研究旨在增进学习者对软体（高级语言基本句、低级语言操作和微操作）功能与电脑硬体机制之间关系的了解。研究成果总结如下：(1)开发了微机模拟器软件包MOCS （A Micro-Operable computer simulator）。MOCS帮助学习者观察计算机运行时的软件功能和硬件机制。软件功能包括BASIC程序语句、低级语言（机器和汇编语言）操作和微操作。硬件机制包括计算机的门操作、数据流机制和控制外部设备的输入/输出机制。(2)已开发的计算机模拟器MOCS和教育计算机EDCOM在一些本科计算机科学入门课程中进行了应用和评价。评价结果如下：a。使用MOCS和EDCOM的小组比使用Basic个人电脑的小组获得了更好的测试后得分。测试题目为编写微操作和低级语言程序，用于向外部设备传输控制/状态数据。b.使用MOCS组的测试后得分高于使用EDCOM组。测试题目是编写BASIC程序，用于向外部设备传输控制/状态数据。使用外部装置具体模型组得分较高。综上所述，学习者可以通过基于微操作的计算机编程实践来提高对计算机软件功能和硬件机制的理解。具有具体外部装置模型的计算机模拟MOCS有助于学习者的理解。

The aim of this study is to improve learners'understand on the relationship between software (high-level language BASIC sentences, low-level language operations, and micro-operations) functions and computer herdware mechanisms. The reserch results are summarized as follows :(1) A computer simulator software package MOCS (A Micro-Operable Computer Simulator) has developed. The MOCS helps learners observation on runtime computer software functions and hardware mechanisms. The software functions include BASIC program sentences, low-level language (machine and assembly language) operations, and micro-operations. The hardware mechanisms includes computer's gate operations, dataflow mechanisms, and input/output mechanisms to control an outside device.(2) The computer simulator MOCS and educational computer EDCOM which was already developed were used and evaluated in some undergraduate computer science introductory classes. the evaluation results are :a.The groups used the MOCS and the EDCOM got better post-test score than the group used personal computers with Basic. The test qrestions were to write micto-operations and low-level language program for transferring control/status data to/from the outside device.b.The groups used the MOCS got better post-test score than the group used the EDCOM.The test questions were to write BASIC program for transferring control/status data to/from the outside device. Also, groups that uses concrete model of the outside device got better score.These results are summarized that the learner can improve the understand of the computer software functions and hardware mechanisms by the computer programming practices based on micro-operations. The computer simulator MOCS with concrete model of the outside device contributes to gain the learners'understand.