Microway: a structured design exercise for teaching microprocessor applications

The careful specification of a structured design problem has promoted effective learning by facing students with the `need to know´ about subject matter that had failed to motivate them when taught by other methods. By partitioning the problem into subtasks and organising groups of students into design teams it has been possible for them to engage with a nontrivial system in the limited time available. Their understanding of concepts and techniques has thus been acquired in an applications context and general design skills have also been developed. The effectiveness of learning has been enhanced by the close integration of practical work with a variety of learning resources. There has been a marked improvement in students´ interest and confidence, especially among those who were previously worried about the subject