Download Virtualisation and Visualisation – Improving Teaching and Learning

Virtualisation and Visualisation –
Improving Teaching and Learning in
Computer Science
Seán Duignan
School of Science
GMIT
Tony Hall
Education Department
NUIG
Background

The application of virtualisation technologies to
enhance teaching and learning:
–
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particularly in the subject areas of Operating
Systems and E-Commerce Infrastructures.
Significant scope for application to other areas of the
computer science curriculum also.
EdTech 2007 – May 25th 2007.
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What is Virtualisation?
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It’s not new!
Quite simply – virtualisation is the abstraction of
computer resources.

Processor virtualisation (through time sharing) since 1959.

Shared printers in office environments?

The Java Virtual Machine (JVM) – development &
execution environment - abstracts all of the underlying
hardware.
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What is Virtualisation?

Virtualisation creates an external interface that hides an
underlying implementation.

Very useful for focusing on specifics.
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Abstraction is not always useful!!

Sometimes it is better to be able to interact with the
actual rather than the abstract:
e.g: To see or visualise the component(s) for oneself.

In a teaching environment though, this can be
difficult to accommodate.
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e.g: Providing someone with a machine to configure
(format a hard-drive, install an OS etc….)
Destructive and expensive!
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Machine / Device Virtualisation

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…. through the use of virtualisation software products
that provide for multiple virtual devices within a single
physical device.
At GMIT we used VMWareTM as a teaching and learning
aid on a number of computer science programmes.
Provides for multiple “virtual machines” to run in
isoloation side-by-side on the same physical machine.
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Virtual Machines / Virtual Devices
• Each virtual machine has its own set of (virtual)
hardware:
CPU, RAM, Disk, DVD-ROM, Network Interface etc.
….. upon which an operating system (various) and
applications can be loaded.
• Within each virtual machine, the operating system sees a
consistent collection of hardware, independent of the
actual physical hardware components.
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Some screen shots…..

So you can visualise for yourself…….

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Loading a virtual device
Device boot / start-up
Device execution
Device shutdown
Virtualised networks
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Appollo
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Appollo
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Appollo
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Appollo
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Loading another virtual machine

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Virtual machines are described in a configuration
file.
The actual virtual hard-disk is also stored as a “file”
on the host machine.

The two, together, make the virtual machine fully
portable.

Lets load another virtual machine - a Windows
machine this time……
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Thor
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Thor
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<CTRL> + <ALT> + <Enter>
maximises the screen!
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Virtual Networking…..

…….with just one physical machine.

Virtual machine can see, communicate with,
log-in to, share etc… with the physical machine
…… and vice versa.

Very useful for teaching and learning n-tier
architectures and distributed systems.
Visualisation facilitated through virtualisation!
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Physical
Virtual
Although there is only one
physical machine - this network
contains two machines
Both machines have full network access
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Thor
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Multiple virtual devices…..

No problem running multiple virtual devices.
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even with different Guest OS’s at the same
time…..
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Appollo
Thor
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Legacy Devices….

We built some legacy devices too…..
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Do you remember DOS 6 + Windows 3.1???
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Sean Duignan - GMIT
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Our Study….
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We used VMWareTM as a core component on two
undergraduate modules (year 3 and year 4).
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35 Students in total.

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Motivated by a “learning by doing” philosophy of
education.
Students assigned challenging group projects to
encourage socially cooperative and reflective
learning.
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Student Experiences….
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Feedback elicited through post-module surveys.
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Largely very positive:
“We both found this assignment to be a worthwhile
and interesting one, it gave us a real insight…….. We
would recommend that this exercise be kept as part of
the course for future 3rd year classes.
“I found I learned a lot about the workings of a
computer and how different operating systems could
affect the performance of a machine”
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Student Experiences….cntd…
“Overall I found this to be one of the more interesting
things I’ve done at college. I liked the practical
aspect of it and I found it easier to put more time in to
it because it did interest me.”
“We encountered some problems and errors, which
gave us a better understanding of the operating
system and how to solve such problems.”
“The assignment was very good, doing hands on
work rather than just reading about it.”
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Lecturers experience….

Lots of interactivity and discussion.

Students very engaged with the material.

“Hands-on” skills greatly improved.

Students appear to like the “secure sandbox”
provided.
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Some real creativity too.

Learning objectives / outcomes achieved???
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Conclusion

Significant scope for virtualisation technologies
within the computer science curriculum and beyond.

Our experience has been positive, and in our opinion
the exercises thus far have been very worthwhile.

We plan to continue with this research theme going
forward as well as investigating the potential for
virtualisation technologies as an ePortfolio platform
for computer science students.
EdTech 2007 – May 25th 2007.
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Q&A and Contact Details
Go raibh maith agat!
Thank you for your time and attention.
Questions?
Contact Details:
[email protected]
Tel: (091) 742143
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