Session 3220 Introducing a Microprocessor Laboratory Experience for Entering Freshmen

As part of a new freshman course in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, each faculty member in the department was asked to introduce the students entering the program to an area of speciality in his or her field. This paper reports the approach, methods, hardware, and results involved in introducing new students to a microprocessor laboratory experience. Included is a description of the microprocessor system used by the students, software experiments performed in class and in homework exercises, and feedback from students regarding the microprocessor portion of the course. In short, teaching entering students how to use a microprocessor system was rewarding and enlightening both for the students and for the author. Background Students entering an engineering program are faced with a daunting sequence of math and physics courses that must be completed before traditional engineering topics can be addressed properly. Most engineering topics require some skills in calculus and differential equations and some knowledge of basic physical phenomena to use as foundations for developing material. Microprocessor programming and interfacing is one area that does not require sophisticate