Teaching Microprocessors through Troubleshooting Problem-Solving at Technical High Schools

The aim of this paper is to present an innovative teaching approach using a troubleshooting methodology in teaching and learning microprocessors by trainees at technical high schools. Moreover, this paper presents the evaluation of this methodology by electronics teachers who teach at technical high schools. In the beginning, the basic theoretical background about the troubleshooting problem-solving and a literature review about teaching microprocessors are described. Here is a detailed description of the troubleshooting methodology for teaching microprocessors to a real-world problem through a simulator. The methodology was presented in a seminar of teacher professional development for improving the quality of teaching electronic technology at technical high schools, and in the end up, a questionnaire for the evaluation of this methodology was given to the participants in order to express their opinion. The participants consider that the proposed methodology for the teaching microprocessors is appropriate for their students, and that the learner-centered approaches, in general, attract students' interest and they have better learning outcomes.