A Laboratory Based Course on GPU Programming: Methods, Practices, and Lessons

Technological advancements have necessitated the need for effectively teaching GPU computing. This need has been inspired by the increasing pattern of utilizing parallel computing and by the growing utilization of GPUs for computationally intensive tasks. This paper is motivated to address the above mentioned need. The paper describes a semester-long course on CUDA programming. The course has significant emphasis on developing practical hands-on skills, building skills for parallel algorithm design and implementation, and utilizing GPUs for solving computationally expensive problems. The paper explains the goals of the course and elaborates on course contents and students' assessments. Student feedback reveals effective learning and improved utilization of GPUs by students. This paper is useful for the community members who would like to teach GPU programming as an elective course in parallel computing. The course can either be offered at the senior undergraduate level or at the graduate level.