ABSTRACT
Visualization and interactivity are valuable active learning techniques that can improve mastery of difficult concepts. In this paper we describe jFAST, an easy-to-use graphical software tool for teachers and students, with an emphasis on introductory level finite state machine topics. The jFAST software enables visual design, exploration and simulation of a variety of finite state machines, with a primary goal of enhancing teaching effectiveness in this subject, particularly for less advanced computer science students. The architecture and functionality of jFAST are explained, and results of preliminary evaluation are provided.
- O. L. Astrachan, R. C. Duvall, J. Forbes, and S. H. Rodger. Active learning in small to large courses. In Proceedings of the 32nd ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, Boston, MA USA, November 2002.Google ScholarCross Ref
- H. Bergström. Applications, Minimisation, and Visualisation of Finite State Machines. Master's Thesis. Stockholm University, 1998. Related website at: http://www.dsv.su.se/~henrikbe/petc/.Google Scholar
- W. E. Campbell and K. A. Smith. New Paradigms for College Teaching. Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco, 1995.Google Scholar
- J. Bovet. Visual Automata Simulator, a tool for simulating automata and Turing machines. University of San Francisco. Available for download at: http://www.cs.usfca.edu/~jbovet/vas.html. 2004.Google Scholar
- R. Cavalcante, T. Finley and S. Rodger. A visual and interactive automata theory course with JFLAP 4.0. In Thirty-fifth SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, pages 99-99, ACM Press, 2004. Google ScholarDigital Library
- N. Christin. DFApplet, a deterministic finite automata simulator. Available for download at: http://www.sims.berkeley.edu/~christin/dfa/. 1998.Google Scholar
- E. Head. ASSIST: A Simple Simulator for State Transitions. Master's Thesis. State University of New York at Binghamton. 1998. Related website at: http://www.cs.binghamton.edu/~software/.Google Scholar
- M. Mohri, F. C. N. Pereria and M. D. Riley. AT&T FSM Library. Software tools. 2003. Available at: http://www.research.att.com/sw/tools/fsm/.Google Scholar
- S. H. Rodger. Visual and Interactive Tools. Web site of automata theory tools at Duke University, Feb. 2005. Available online at: http://www.cs.duke.edu/~rodger/tools/.Google Scholar
Index Terms
- jFAST: a java finite automata simulator
Recommendations
Automata simulator
CompSysTech '10: Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Computer Systems and Technologies and Workshop for PhD Students in Computing on International Conference on Computer Systems and TechnologiesSoftware simulation tools supporting a teaching process are highly accepted by both teachers and students. We discuss the possibility of using automata simulators in theoretical computer science courses. The main purpose of this article is to propose ...
jFAST: a java finite automata simulator
Visualization and interactivity are valuable active learning techniques that can improve mastery of difficult concepts. In this paper we describe jFAST, an easy-to-use graphical software tool for teachers and students, with an emphasis on introductory ...
Descriptional complexity of limited automata
A k-limited automaton is a linear bounded automaton that may rewrite each tape cell only in the first k visits, where k0 is a fixed constant. It is known that these automata accept context-free languages only. We investigate the descriptional complexity ...
Comments