Recognized as the crown jewel of system software, Operating System (OS) is notoriously challenging to teach and learn, given its abstract concepts, broad scope, and the imperative for hands-on experience. How to cater to the keen interest in OS among students across all universities while providing a rich system software engineering experience? Engaging the OS community on campus plays a pivotal role in enhancing undergraduate education. Our institution has implemented a novel approach over the past nine years through the miniOS pilot class initiative. This program allows students enrolled in the OS course to opt into an additional, practical component where they engage in developing the OS kernel using miniOS, our teaching platform. Participants dedicate their spare time to a series of labs aimed at incrementally introducing them to miniOS, collaborate on a project to add a new functional module to miniOS, and ultimately present their work in a formal defense. This hands-on experience supplements the theoretical coursework, with the notable advantage that pilot class participants are exempt from the traditional final exam. Instead, their grade is determined by their contributions to the pilot class, with distinguished projects being integrated into the evolving miniOS kernel—a witness to the collective effort of each class. Since its inception in 2015, the miniOS pilot class has nurtured 182 undergraduates and 22 graduate students, contributing significantly to the OS community engagement on campus. Through this initiative, we have gleaned six key insights and six lessons, which we are eager to share with the broader educational community.

中文翻译：

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通过 miniOS 试点班提高校园操作系统社区参与度：九年历程


操作系统 (OS) 被认为是系统软件皇冠上的明珠，因其抽象的概念、广泛的范围以及对实践经验的必要性，其教学和学习极具挑战性。如何满足各高校学生对操作系统的浓厚兴趣，同时提供丰富的系统软件工程经验？校园操作系统社区的参与在加强本科教育方面发挥着关键作用。我们的机构在过去九年中通过 miniOS 试点班计划实施了一种新颖的方法。该计划允许参加操作系统课程的学生选择一个额外的实用组件，他们可以使用我们的教学平台 miniOS 来开发操作系统内核。参与者将业余时间投入到一系列旨在逐步向 miniOS 介绍的实验室中，合作开展一个项目，向 miniOS 添加新的功能模块，并最终在正式答辩中展示他们的工作。这种实践经验是对理论课程的补充，其显着优势是飞行员课程的参与者可以免除传统的期末考试。相反，他们的等级是根据他们对试点班的贡献来决定的，杰出的项目被集成到不断发展的 miniOS 内核中——这是每个班级集体努力的见证。自2015年开办以来，miniOS试点班已培养了182名本科生和22名研究生，为校园操作系统社区的参与做出了重大贡献。通过这一举措，我们收集了六项关键见解和六项经验教训，我们渴望与更广泛的教育界分享。