SINCPOINT A PROPOSAL FOR A DIDACTIC TOOL TO TEACH CLOCK SYNCHRONIZATION IN DISTRIBUTED SYSTEMS USING THE BERKELEY ALGORITHM

In Computer Science courses, the study of distributed systems is fundamental, with clock synchronization being one of its key topics. However, due to its abstract nature, many students find it challenging to grasp how clock synchronization operates in practice. This article introduces SincPoint, an innovative teaching tool designed to address this challenge by simplifying the concept of logical clocks. SincPoint is a web application built with JavaScript that provides an interactive and visual simulation of the Berkeley Algorithm, a widely-used method for clock synchronization in distributed systems. Through a series of tests, it was found that SincPoint significantly enhances students' understanding of clock synchronization, offering a more intuitive and accessible way to learn this complex topic.