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This study was designed to compare student achievement resulting from learning minimization of Boolean algebra by computer tutorial/simulation program versus traditional lecture/practice instruction (manipulating actual components). Two groups of undergraduate students participated in this study and were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group.
A tutorial/simulation program for Boolean function simplification was developed for the experimental group. The teaching program had two parts--tutorial and simulation. Five topics including basic logic concepts, Boolean algebra rules and laws, and simplified methods were presented in a computer tutorial program. Simulation software and simulation circuits were previously set up and defined for each instruction unit. Students could learn the program at their own pace.
Both groups were instructed on the same topics covered in this study. A pretest was given to both groups during the fifth week of spring semester, 1995. During the sixth and seventh week, four hours were used to teach the control group the concepts and theories of minimization of Boolean functions by lecture, and another four hours were used to conduct laboratory experiments using the actual electronic components. On the other hand, the experimental group utilized the computer tutorial and a simulation program for eight hours. During the eighth week, a post-test was administered to all subjects to measure knowledge of minimization of Boolean functions.
The findings of the study revealed that there were no significant differences between the computer tutorial/simulation program and lecture/practice methods, but the average time spent for the computer tutorial/simulation program in the experiment group was much less as compared to the control group. It may be concluded that the computer tutorial/simulation program is an efficient teaching method for minimization of Boolean algebra functions.
The study was limited by the size of the samples. The short period of time over which the experiments took place was also the factor that may have affected the results. From the standpoint of a digital electronics instructor, teaching minimization of Boolean algebra function with a simulation software appears efficient and effective.