METHODS OF TEACHING COURSES ON THEORY OF ALGORITHMS USING IRUNNER EDUCATIONAL PLATFORM

S. Sobol, V. Kotov, E. Sobolevskaja

FULL TEXT: PDF (Rus)

Abstract

Insight Runner (iRunner) educational platform is currently being used in the teaching process at the Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science (FAMCS). Practical classes in the courses of “Theory of Algorithms”, “Algorithms and Data Structures”, “Programming”, etc. are based on iRunner. The main purpose of the platform is to automatically evaluate solutions to the problems which require writing programs; iRunner has been running since 2004.
The article describes the methodology of teaching the disciplines related to the theory of algorithms using iRunner: how to make up a course, how to assign problems to students and set deadlines, how to enable students to work with the platform remotely and in class, how to test the students’ knowledge and to check solutions for plagiarism. The computer system does not replace a teacher, but helps him: the routine work of testing solutions is automated, thereby giving a teacher the opportunity to pay more attention to the questions of algorithmization and to conduct the classes in the form of heuristic dialogues. The defense of a student’s algorithm for solving an individual problem is carried out in a question-answer form: the student is offered suggestive, clarifying questions that derive one from the other and finally lead the student to develop an effective algorithm.
The students are able to work with iRunner educational platform independently at any time. This helps them to achieve high results at competitions in algorithms and competitive programming and to improve the position of BSU in world rankings. After the introduction of iRunner into the educational process, both the students and the teachers have become more interested in practical classes.

Key words

iRUNNER, educational platform, online judge, methods of teaching, algorithms, problems, test cases, quizzes, competitive programming.

Received: 01/27/2020; accepted for publication: 04/15/2020.

For citation:

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Sobol S., Kotov V., Sobolevskaja E. Methods of teaching courses on theory of algorithms using iRUNNER educational platform. Electronic scientific and methodological journal “Pedagogy of computer science”. 2020;2. Http://pcs.bsu.by/2020_2/6ru.pdf

Content is available under license Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

About the authors:
S.Sobol
Belarusian State University
The Republic of Belarus
Sobol Sergei –Senior Lecturer Discrete Mathematics and Algorithmics Department
Nezavisimosti Avenue,4; 220030, Minsk, Republic of Belarus

V. Kotov
Belarusian State University
The Republic of Belarus
Kotov Vladimir –Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Head of the Department of Discrete Mathematics and Algorithmics
Nezavisimosti Avenue,4; 220030, Minsk, Republic of Belarus

E.Sobolevskaja
Belarusian State University
The Republic of Belarus
Sobolevskaja Elena –PhD, associate professor Discrete Mathematics and Algorithmics Department
Nezavisimosti Avenue,4; 220030, Minsk, Republic of Belarus

References

1. Sobol S.A. iRunner: an educational platform of Belarusian State University [Electronic resource]. International Collegiate Programming Contest Competitive Learning Institute Symposium (ICPC CLIS 2019), Porto, Portugal, 2ndApril 2019. Porto, 2019. Mode of access: https://ciiwiki.ecs.baylor.edu/. (date of access: 2019.05.31).

2. Kotov V.М., Sobolevskaja E.P. The use of modern computer technologies in the teaching process exemplified by Insight Runner automated testing system. Modern information computer technologies (mcIT-2008): abstracts of the International scientific conference, Grondo, Belarus, 21st–24th April 2008. Grodno: 2008;173–175. (In Russian)

3. Kotov V.M., Moshchenskii V.A., Sobolevskaja E.P. Teaching discrete mathematics, algorithm design and analysis at the Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science of Belarusian State University. Technologies of informatization and management (TIM-2011): abstracts of the International scientific conference, Relesase 2, Grodno, Belarus, 26th–28th April 2011. Grodno: 2011;166–170. (In Russian)

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