We present some results of an ongoing research project where university engineering students were asked to construct videogames involving the use of physical systems models. The objective is to help them identify and understand the elements and concepts involved in the modelling process. That is, we use game design as a constructionist approach for promoting a modelling activity and the learning of the elements involved. In this paper, we focus on the case studies of two students, in their last year of studies, who built a videogame where they had to model liquid water behaviour while working within the restrictions of the game engine. By analysing students' written work and group discussions, we observed that students, through this videogame-building task, were able to deepen and refine how they conceive the process of mathematical modelling, in a fun and engaging way in which they were receptive and open to experimentation, and learned from other students, as well as from making mistakes.
The paper elaborates on experiences and lessons learned from the course on object-oriented analyses and design at the Faculty of Sciences, Novi Sad. The course on OOAD is taught to students of computer science and to the students of mathematical programme. Conclusions made in this paper are based on results of students' assignments as well as results of conducted survey. In the paper we identify a set of issues concerning teaching modelling and UML. It is noticed that difficulties in mastering OOAD arise primarily from the absence of appropriate real case studies from the field of designing information systems. In order to overcome this problem, students worked on their own homework projects which include all phases of software development. Concerning the results of survey it is noticed that OOAD course should be taught in different manners regarding previous knowledge of students. Suggestions how to teach OOAD to students of computer science and to students of other programmes are given in this paper.
The paper describes some possible ways how to improve Olympiads in Informatics. Tasks in Olympiads are small models of programming tasks in software industry and in the limited amount of competition time contestants need to complete several software production phases - coding, testing and debugging. Currently, only coding effort is adequately graded, but grading of other activities may be improved. Ways to involve contestants in overall testing process are investigated and ways to improve solution debugging process are described. Possible scoring schemas are discussed. In International Olympiads tasks with real numbers are quite rare. Possible reasons are investigated and a way how to return such tasks back to competition arena is suggested.
Multiple choice questions are a convenient and popular means of testing beginning students in programming courses. However, they are qualitatively different from exam questions. This paper reports on a study into which types of multiple choice programming questions discriminate well on a final exam, and how well they predict exam scores.
This paper presents model-based assessment and forecasting of the Lithuanian education system in the period of 2001-2010. In order to obtain satisfactory forecasting results, constructing of models used for these aims should be grounded on some interactive data mining. Data mining of data stored in the system of the Lithuanian teacher's database and of data from other sources representing the state of education system and the demographic changes in Lithuania was used. The models cover the estimation of data quality in the databases, the analysis of flow of teachers and pupils, the clustering of schools, the model of dynamics of pedagogical staff and pupils, and the quality analysis of teachers. The main results of forecasting and integrated analysis of the Lithuanian teachers' database with other data reflecting the state of the education system and demographic changes in Lithuania are presented.