{"id":"https://openalex.org/W4390606926","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/fie58773.2023.10342910","title":"Moving Beyond VHDL in Introductory Computer Architecture Courses: An Exploration of MyHDL as a Modern Alternative","display_name":"Moving Beyond VHDL in Introductory Computer Architecture Courses: An Exploration of MyHDL as a Modern Alternative","publication_year":2023,"publication_date":"2023-10-18","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W4390606926","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/fie58773.2023.10342910"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1109/fie58773.2023.10342910","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/fie58773.2023.10342910","pdf_url":null,"source":null,"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"2023 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE)","raw_type":"proceedings-article"},"type":"conference-paper","indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":false,"oa_status":"closed","oa_url":null,"any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5016790378","display_name":"Rafael Corsi Ferr\u00e3o","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7086-1223"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I52977244","display_name":"Insper","ror":"https://ror.org/02nmavx05","country_code":"BR","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I52977244"]}],"countries":["BR"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Rafael Corsi Ferr\u00e3o","raw_affiliation_strings":["Computer Engineering Insper,Sao Paulo,SP,Brazil","Computer Engineering Insper, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Computer Engineering Insper,Sao Paulo,SP,Brazil","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I52977244"]},{"raw_affiliation_string":"Computer Engineering Insper, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I52977244"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5076774376","display_name":"Igor dos Santos Montagner","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5706-764X"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I52977244","display_name":"Insper","ror":"https://ror.org/02nmavx05","country_code":"BR","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I52977244"]}],"countries":["BR"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Igor Dos Santos Montagner","raw_affiliation_strings":["Computer Engineering Insper,Sao Paulo,SP,Brazil","Computer Engineering Insper, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Computer Engineering Insper,Sao Paulo,SP,Brazil","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I52977244"]},{"raw_affiliation_string":"Computer Engineering Insper, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I52977244"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5033731803","display_name":"Renan Trevisoli","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5876-8731"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I52977244","display_name":"Insper","ror":"https://ror.org/02nmavx05","country_code":"BR","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I52977244"]}],"countries":["BR"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Renan Trevisoli","raw_affiliation_strings":["Computer Engineering Insper,Sao Paulo,SP,Brazil","Computer Engineering Insper, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Computer Engineering Insper,Sao Paulo,SP,Brazil","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I52977244"]},{"raw_affiliation_string":"Computer Engineering Insper, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I52977244"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":1,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I52977244"],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":1,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":"1","last_page":"9"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11283","display_name":"Experimental Learning in Engineering","score":0.9944999814033508,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2214","display_name":"Media Technology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/22","display_name":"Engineering"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11283","display_name":"Experimental Learning in Engineering","score":0.9944999814033508,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2214","display_name":"Media Technology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/22","display_name":"Engineering"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10533","display_name":"Teaching and Learning Programming","score":0.9510999917984009,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1706","display_name":"Computer Science Applications"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/vhdl","display_name":"VHDL","score":0.8473754525184631},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/computer-science","display_name":"Computer science","score":0.7675050497055054},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/debugging","display_name":"Debugging","score":0.7610859870910645},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/programming-language","display_name":"Programming language","score":0.5867466926574707},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/hardware-description-language","display_name":"Hardware description language","score":0.5417701601982117},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/abstraction","display_name":"Abstraction","score":0.47709566354751587},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/software-engineering","display_name":"Software engineering","score":0.45625266432762146},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/coding","display_name":"Coding (social sciences)","score":0.4368458688259125},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/computer-architecture","display_name":"Computer architecture","score":0.4321715235710144},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/python","display_name":"Python (programming language)","score":0.4318067133426666},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/architecture","display_name":"Architecture","score":0.4266115427017212},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/field-programmable-gate-array","display_name":"Field-programmable gate array","score":0.38130462169647217},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/embedded-system","display_name":"Embedded system","score":0.19157791137695312}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C36941000","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q209455","display_name":"VHDL","level":3,"score":0.8473754525184631},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.7675050497055054},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C168065819","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q845566","display_name":"Debugging","level":2,"score":0.7610859870910645},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C199360897","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9143","display_name":"Programming language","level":1,"score":0.5867466926574707},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C42143788","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q173341","display_name":"Hardware description language","level":3,"score":0.5417701601982117},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C124304363","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q673661","display_name":"Abstraction","level":2,"score":0.47709566354751587},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C115903868","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q80993","display_name":"Software engineering","level":1,"score":0.45625266432762146},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C179518139","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5140297","display_name":"Coding (social sciences)","level":2,"score":0.4368458688259125},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C118524514","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q173212","display_name":"Computer architecture","level":1,"score":0.4321715235710144},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C519991488","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q28865","display_name":"Python (programming language)","level":2,"score":0.4318067133426666},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C123657996","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12271","display_name":"Architecture","level":2,"score":0.4266115427017212},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C42935608","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q190411","display_name":"Field-programmable gate array","level":2,"score":0.38130462169647217},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C149635348","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q193040","display_name":"Embedded system","level":1,"score":0.19157791137695312},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C111472728","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9471","display_name":"Epistemology","level":1,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C33923547","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q395","display_name":"Mathematics","level":0,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C142362112","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q735","display_name":"Art","level":0,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C105795698","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12483","display_name":"Statistics","level":1,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C153349607","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q36649","display_name":"Visual arts","level":1,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C138885662","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5891","display_name":"Philosophy","level":0,"score":0.0}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1109/fie58773.2023.10342910","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/fie58773.2023.10342910","pdf_url":null,"source":null,"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"2023 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE)","raw_type":"proceedings-article"}],"best_oa_location":null,"sustainable_development_goals":[{"id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/4","score":0.8500000238418579,"display_name":"Quality Education"}],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":17,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W347636100","https://openalex.org/W1996699485","https://openalex.org/W2006326029","https://openalex.org/W2018770593","https://openalex.org/W2022539401","https://openalex.org/W2070596900","https://openalex.org/W2603119212","https://openalex.org/W2922346445","https://openalex.org/W3030488445","https://openalex.org/W3047986044","https://openalex.org/W3134210303","https://openalex.org/W3160310982","https://openalex.org/W3166608317","https://openalex.org/W4224924610","https://openalex.org/W4284885168","https://openalex.org/W4316467593","https://openalex.org/W6670327551"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W2110818533","https://openalex.org/W1917852300","https://openalex.org/W2384838054","https://openalex.org/W2139058049","https://openalex.org/W2548456620","https://openalex.org/W2075214143","https://openalex.org/W2376018793","https://openalex.org/W2911649771","https://openalex.org/W2148697719","https://openalex.org/W168509588"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"In":[0,82,147],"this":[1,77,206,280],"Innovative":[2],"Practice":[3],"Full":[4],"Paper":[5],"we":[6,24,208,363],"analyze":[7],"the":[8,27,65,116,135,173,212,232,242,256,289,292,305,348],"impact":[9,213],"of":[10,29,162,175,214,221,234,244,259],"using":[11,52],"modern":[12,120],"Hardware":[13],"Description":[14],"Languages":[15],"(HDL)":[16],"on":[17,218,304,360],"introductory":[18,372],"computer":[19,223,261,273,286,373],"architecture":[20,224,374],"courses.":[21],"More":[22],"specifically,":[23],"study":[25],"whether":[26],"choice":[28],"HDL":[30,41,56,216,236,370,383],"influences":[31],"students'":[32,79],"ability":[33],"to":[34,96,114,132,154,186,203,381,401],"i)":[35],"draw":[36],"a":[37,46,159,167,222,245,260,271,356,378],"diagram":[38,50],"from":[39,345,355],"an":[40,53,228,369],"code;":[42],"and":[43,86,98,109,121,177,190,193,239,288,298,322,336,351],"ii)":[44],"describe":[45],"circuit":[47],"shown":[48],"in":[49,57,64,101,134,140,247,255,270,333,342,371],"form":[51],"HDL.":[54],"Using":[55],"digital":[58,334],"logic":[59],"courses":[60,290,301,375],"has":[61,142],"been":[62,145],"explored":[63],"past":[66],"by":[67],"many":[68],"other":[69],"authors.":[70],"However,":[71],"few":[72],"studies":[73],"have":[74,127],"examined":[75],"how":[76],"affects":[78],"learning":[80],"experiences.":[81],"both":[83,278],"our":[84,361],"experience":[85,284],"previous":[87],"literature,":[88],"traditional":[89,382],"HDLs":[90],"such":[91,124],"as":[92,125,129,368],"VHDL":[93,133,197,267,321],"are":[94,302,399,404],"difficult":[95],"test":[97,230],"debug,":[99],"resulting":[100],"students":[102,110,185,318,403],"writing":[103],"solutions":[104],"that":[105,171,199,365,398],"do":[106],"not":[107,143,386],"work":[108],"(and":[111],"faculty)":[112],"struggling":[113],"identify":[115],"problem.":[117,358],"Although":[118],"more":[119],"easier-to-use":[122,396],"HDLs,":[123],"MyHDL,":[126],"emerged":[128],"proven":[130],"alternatives":[131],"last":[136],"decade,":[137],"their":[138,282],"use":[139,187,233],"education":[141],"yet":[144],"explored.":[146],"particular,":[148],"MyHDL":[149,238,252,367,385],"provides":[150,158,395],"several":[151],"advantages":[152],"compared":[153],"VHDL:":[155],"(i)":[156],"it":[157,165,181,195],"higher":[160],"level":[161],"abstraction;":[163],"(ii)":[164],"includes":[166],"built-in":[168],"simulation":[169],"feature":[170],"simplifies":[172],"process":[174],"debugging":[176],"verifying":[178],"hardware;":[179],"(iii)":[180],"uses":[182],"Python,":[183],"allowing":[184],"familiar":[188],"editors":[189],"coding":[191],"environments;":[192],"(iv)":[194],"generates":[196],"code":[198],"can":[200],"be":[201,377],"synthesized":[202],"FPGAs.":[204],"Through":[205],"study,":[207],"provide":[209],"insights":[210],"into":[211],"different":[215],"languages":[217],"some":[219],"aspects":[220],"course.":[225],"We":[226],"conducted":[227],"A/B":[229],"comparing":[231],"two":[235,248],"languages,":[237],"VHDL,":[240],"over":[241],"course":[243,263,275],"semester":[246,258],"similar":[249,337,389],"undergraduate":[250],"disciplines.":[251],"was":[253,268,281],"used":[254,269,320],"second":[257],"science":[262],"(N":[264],"=26),":[265],"while":[266],"third-semester":[272],"engineering":[274],"(N=34).":[276],"For":[277],"groups,":[279,328],"first":[283],"with":[285,329],"architecture,":[287],"shared":[291],"same":[293],"materials,":[294],"assignments,":[295],"group":[296],"work,":[297],"schedules.":[299],"Both":[300,327],"based":[303],"Nand":[306],"To":[307],"Tetris":[308],"book":[309],"[1].":[310],"Our":[311],"findings":[312],"reveal":[313],"no":[314],"significant":[315],"difference":[316],"between":[317],"who":[319,324],"those":[323],"utilized":[325],"MyHDL.":[326],"comparable":[330],"foundational":[331],"knowledge":[332],"systems":[335],"misconceptions,":[338],"demonstrated":[339],"equivalent":[340],"performance":[341,391],"describing":[343],"hardware":[344,354],"HDL,":[346],"analyzing":[347],"hardware's":[349],"functionality,":[350],"creating":[352],"simple":[353],"given":[357],"Based":[359],"results,":[362],"conclude":[364],"employing":[366],"could":[376],"viable":[379],"alternative":[380],"languages.":[384],"only":[387],"delivers":[388],"student":[390],"outcomes":[392],"but":[393],"also":[394],"tools":[397],"closer":[400],"what":[402],"accustomed":[405],"to.":[406]},"counts_by_year":[{"year":2025,"cited_by_count":1}],"updated_date":"2026-07-14T23:27:15.235271","created_date":"2025-10-10T00:00:00"}