A Service Course in Microcomputers

This paper describes a three semester-hour laboratory-oriented service course in microcomputers which has been taught five times with steadily increasing enrollments. Using Apple computers, students are taught basic microprocessor and microcomputer concepts, as well as interfacing and applications fundamentals. Emphasis is placed upon developing the skills required to effectively communicate with the hardware and software specialists who will be comembers of a design team in the student's major area. Two 1-h lectures and one 3-h laboratory experiment are given each week. Assembly language is used throughout the course, with Basic being introduced for the last two experiments. The number of concepts which can be effectively introduced using the mutual reinforcement of lecture and laboratory is astonishing, including multiple interrupts, elementary real-time signal processing, software drivers, fail-safe techniques, and closed-loop temperature regulation.