VLSI design training with the help of the World Wide Web

For demanding subjects such as VLSI and CAD, computer based learning (CBL) reduces the workload on teaching staff, allows students to work remotely and to work at times of their own choosing. With this in mind, a CBL system for VLSI design training has been developed which is based on the bidirectional interface of the World Wide Web (WWW) browser, Netscape Navigator, to the ChipWise VLSI design system. ChipWise, as an in house product, was easily modified for bidirectional communications with the WWW browser, and is itself used by 40 sites in Europe. Several WWW features such as the ability to have multimedia documents, the simplicity of HTML syntax and the Web's networked structure allowing distance learning, make the adoption of HTML based materials attractive as the basis for constructing effective courseware. This coupled with the ability to control the design tools from within the courseware has allowed us to construct a high quality CBL system for VLSI design.