Computer Laboratory Practicing at the Faculty of Natural Science and Mathematics Vesna Veličković Marko Milošević Workshop on Lab Practicing in Computer Science Education Faculty of Electronic Engineering, Niš, 18 June 2003

Faculty Organization Department of Mathematics Physics Chemistry Biology Geography Curricula of each department contain at least one course with computer practicing.

Computer Laboratories Old CL (1998.) for teaching at the departments of chemistry, biology and geography New CL (2001/2002) for teaching at the departments of mathematics and physics Multimedia laboratory for individual projects and seminars Tempus laboratory (under construction) Very fast local network (1 Gbit/s) and internet connection (1 Mbit/s)

Old Computer Laboratory 15 computers –celeron 166MHz, –1.3Gb, –32Mb RAM, –14’’ Monitors Scanner Used mostly for education on user level for departments of chemistry, biology and geography

New Computer Laboratory 10 computers –Athlon 1.2GHz, –20Gb HD, –256Mb RAM, –3D video card, –19’’ monitors Donation of German Ministry of Education and Science through Humboldt University, Berlin Used mostly by students of mathematics and physics In function of the project Software Engineering Education and Reverse Engineering (DAAD project – Stability Pact for Southeastern Europe)

Multimedia Laboratory 6 computers –1.6 GHz, –40Gb HD, –256 Mb RAM, –Web cameras, –19’’ Monitors Scanner Video Beam Donation of Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs trough World University Service Austria

Tempus Laboratory 3 computers –Fujitsu-Siemens Pentium 4, –2GHz, –256Mb RAM, –40Gb HD, –17’’ monitors Printer HPLJ 1200 Under construction

Local Area Network Local connection 1Gb Internet connection 1 Mb Donation of German Ministry of Education and Science through Max Plank Institute für Physik, München Pilot phase of bigger projects SINYu (Scientific Information Network Yugoslavia) and SINSEE (Scientific Information Network South Eastern Europe)

Nonmathematical Departments Informatics at user level –Operating system –Word processor –Across tables –Internet Specialized program packages and data bases for appropriate subject (Example: Chemistry – program or drawing structural formulas) Statistical data processing

Department of Mathematics Teaching majors Theoretical Mathematics and Applications Informatics (Computer Science) Educational Mathematics and Informatics Mathematical Economics

Theoretical Mathematics and Applications Theoretical fundaments in the major mathematical disciplines and a detailed training in broad applications of mathematical methods in practice and other branches of science 2 courses in area of informatics, giving knowledge in programming fundaments Possible 1 elective course, giving knowledge in advanced programming or information technologies

Theoretical Mathematics and Applications Number of courses which have, or plan to introduce part of education in computer laboratory –Descriptive Geometry –Numerical Analysis II (Numerical Solution of Differential Equations) –Statistical Data Processing –Probability Theory –Differential Geometry –Stochastical modeling, etc.

Informatics (Computer Science) Provides theoretical and practical knowledge needed to design and operate mathematical software, computer systems, system software, database systems courses in narrower area of Informatics, giving knowledge in –Programming fundamentals, programming languages –Algorithm design and analysis, computability

Informatics (Computer Science) –Architecture and organization, operating systems –Data Structure, Database Systems –Computer Graphics and Visualization –Computing methodologies (modeling and simulation, numerical, symbolic and algebraic computing, parallel computing, optimization etc.) Seminar works Design and simulation of mathematical processes as part of education in mathematical courses

Educational Mathematics and Informatics Focused on pedagogical, psychological and methodical training needed for a career in teaching of mathematics and informatics 7 courses in area of Informatics, covering –Programming fundamentals, programming languages –Data Structure, Database Systems –Application software, especially software packages included in primary and secondary school curricula –Information technologies and their application in education –Didactics of Informatics, etc.

Mathematical Economics Provides broad instruction in mathematics and information technologies directly applicable in economical science. 8 course in area of Informatics, covering –Programming fundamentals, programming languages –Data Structure, Database Systems –Business software, e-commerce –Other software packages –Security systems and cryptography, etc.

Problems Lack of classrooms, faculty building is still under reconstruction (New CL was in other building) Lack of teaching staff, both teachers and teaching assistants Better organization of exams (big number of students) Software

Plans Continuation of reconstructing the faculty building Constructing the Tempus laboratory Software To continue reconstruction of the curricula of number of courses

Trend Very positive trend is willing of the teaching stuff of pure mathematics to reconsider their teaching methods