Practical Learning in Microcontroller Courses Using Novel MISL-ASE Embedded System Development Boards

In recent years, the growing demand for mechatronic systems and smart products has fueled a substantial expansion in the global embedded systems market, leading to an influx of high-paying design positions across various industries. Embedded systems education often relies on hands-on learning experiences provided by embedded systems development boards. To swiftly integrate the latest microcontroller techniques into existing microcontroller courses, we have developed, constructed, and tested a novel Modular Integrated Stackable Layer - Analog System Environment (MISL - ASE) board. This board, featuring the MSP430F5438A microcontroller intelligence layer in conjunction with a range of fundamental and advanced analog & digital circuits and modules, serves as major experimental equipment in our embedded systems design education. Through two pivotal microcontroller courses at Northern Kentucky University (NKU), students engage in hands-on exploration of microcontroller architecture, covering registers, memory addressing, subroutines, stacks, peripheral Inputs/Outputs, clock systems, interrupts, timers, as well as advanced microcontroller techniques and real-time operating systems. The proposed practical experiments and course projects, conducted on the MISL-ASE boards, empower students with invaluable insights and skills. Survey results from anonymous student feedback indicate heightened interest in microcontroller courses and improvements in hands-on knowledge and skills relevant to embedded systems design. This paper provides an overview of the introduction of the MISL-ASE board, details of lab assignments and final projects and examines the impacts on students' learning outcomes.