Kherson State University

In 1985 the USSR government took decision about computerization and introduction of new information technologies in educational process, then the State Education Committee of USSR sent the new curricula to pedagogical institutes, in which school teachers of Mathematics and Physics had to get the additional qualification - teacher of Informatics and Computing Technology and the directive paper about the introduction of 120-hour subject "Computer Science and Computer Technologies" for graduates of the institute. But the appearance of this discipline at the final stage of the students learning was not the best solution of computerization problems at schools, especially at institutes of higher education. Therefore, the dean of faculty Lysenko V. I. after consultation with the heads of departments introduced the transitional plans for the III and IV courses, which eliminated the academic difference between the new curricula and those that had been used till 1985. After the introduction of transitional and basic plans in 1985 the era of computerization began at the Institute, the result of which was the creation the third department of the Faculty – the Department of Informatics and Computer Technologies (the Department of ICT).

1985—1986 educational year. The section of Informatics was opened at the Department of Mathematics. The transitional plans, which had disciplines of informational cycle, were introduced. The Institute bought DVK computer classroom (8 displays for students and 1 display for instructor). There was a lack of methodical support and software.

1986—1987 educational year.The second display classroom based on computers Pravetz and UKNC was obtained. The laboratory of Computer Technology was organized. The retraining courses in Informatics for instructors were organized. The first teachers with the right to teach Informatics were graduated. The first cycle of the laboratory works was developed. The specific training programs in educational process were introduced. The first qualification projects in methods of mathematics teaching using computers were written.

1987—1988 educational year. The Department of ICT was organized. It was created as an independent department, including 8 employees. The first head of the department was Lvov M. S., the candidate of Physics and Mathematics Sciences. Due to the efforts of A. V. Spivakovsky the Institute got a class of Japanese personal computers Yamaha. It helped to improve the quality of teaching Informatics.

1988—1989 educational year.  The second classroom KUVT MSX-2 YAMANA was obtained. The usage of display classrooms on the basis of the ES Computer and obsolescent classrooms DVK-1 KUVT-86 (the transfer of this technology in the school of region) in the educational process was rejected. The scientific work of students and lecturers of the department in the field "Development of educational programs and their using in the educational process," (scientific adviser A. V. Spivakovsky) was intensified.

The scientific contacts with many leading scientific organizations of the USSR and Ukraine were established by the department.

1989—1990 educational year. The classroom KORVET (10+1) was obtained. The Council of the Institute of New Information Technologies was established. Some qualification projects in Mathematics, Physics and Methods of teaching with a wide application of Computer Technologies were implemented. At the end of 80-s the Department of ICT legally and actually became one of the best Department of the Faculty and the Institute, which largely determined the speed and efficiency of implementation of new information technologies in the educational process. It was a very moot decision, accepted by the staff of the department to demand from students of the graduate courses creation of their own software and teaching tools for a particular lessons of the school curriculum in Informatics during the learning the discipline “School course of Informatics and its Methods of Teaching”. The lack of display places, the absence of the distinct program of state examinations, required textbooks, workbooks, conditions of low basic students’ training in Informatics in recent years of study, conditions of search and formation of lectures in Methods of Teaching of Informatics and the Usage Computer Technologies in the educational process caused grumbling of students and the dean of faculty, because it forced students to work in the display classroom all free time and even on Sundays and holidays. But time proved that "chess move" of leading lecturer in Methods of Teaching of Informatics, assistant professor Spivakovsky A. V. and the head of the department Lvov M. S. with a focus on training students at the highest, but achievable level of difficulty for that time was right. The qualitative leap of graduate students in computer training, noted in reports of 1988-1990 years, was made. The main thing is that the specified course changed the psychology of students, convinced them in their abilities and included students actively in the process of the execution of creative tasks.

• Improvement of curricula
• Activation of students' individual work
• Increase of the number of qualification projects, including the extensive usage of the computer technologies
• Strengthening of vocational work, especially with rural students
• Computerization of the educational process

In order to provide opportunities for rural youth to compete with graduates of city schools on entrance exams in 1990-1991 there were organized two specialized Physics and Mathematics forms at school № 2, in which the teaching of the computer sciences were conducted by associate professor Gudyreva E. M., lecturer Chernenko I. Ye. Many lessons in special disciplines were organized in the faculty laboratories. Rural children, who studied in these forms, were different from their coevals of "normal" rural schools by their inclination and ability to work independently, that was really necessary due to their future activities. The efficient activity of the department in the 90-th turned out to be a significant increase in the number of qualification projects, which were performed with a wide usage of personal computers, in the results of the Republican contests (for example, in 1991 the team of KSPI students Chyzh M. and Gladchenko I. won the second place on the Republican contest), in the exposure of instructors’ and students’ educational software at the Exhibitions of Achievements of National Economy in Moscow and Kiev. The Laboratory of Computer Technologies headed by Buchinsky I. V. was created at the department. The great authority of the department in the country allowed to open the South-Ukrainian regional computer center within the international project "Pilot Schools" in 1990 and implement the introduction of the new information technologies in 33 new schools of 5 regions of Ukraine every year. The head of the center was associate professor Spivakovsky A. V, and it included the graduates of the Faculty of Physics, Mathematics and Informatics (Mamontov O. V., Zaitsev O.V., Levashov V. S., Chernish K. V., Kovtushenko I. P, Nepomnyaschya T. V.). About 30 school teachers of Informatics, principal heads, lecturers of the Institute underwent training in the center every month. New Candidates of Sciences - Gudyreva E. M., Kravtsova L. V. and postgraduate students Veselovskaya G. V., Smirnova E. M., Zaitseva T. V. began to work at the department. The best graduates of the faculty, who previously worked at schools and got the Master Degree, began to work at the Department of Informatics: Osipova (Kolesnikova) N. V., Chernish K. V., Schedrolosyeva N. V.

For a short time of existence not only teaching and laboratory stuff was changed at the department, but its name was changed several times:

1987-1997 - the Department of Information and Computer Techologies;

1997-2002 - the Department of Information Technologies;

2002-2005 - the Department of Applied Mathematics and Information Technologies;

2005 - the Department of Informatics.

During its existence the position of the Head of the Department was occupied by assistant professors Lvov M. S., Zhuk P. F., Gudyreva E. M. From 1997 to the present time the Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, professor Spivakovsky A. V. is the Head of the Department.

Educational process at the department was carried out by the curricula that experienced significant changes; they had been brought into compliance with new regulations of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the Bologna process requirements. Under reducing the number of classroom hours the accent was focused on implementation of innovative technologies and strengthening of students' individual work. Today at the department the experience and opportunities of interactive methods of teaching are discussed and distance learning is used in the educational process. Lecturers of the department combine successfully the efficient educational work with the active research and scientific work. This activity is in the increasing number of scientific publications and presentations at scientific conferences of different levels (university, national, international conferences). It was made by organizing and holding conferences and seminars by the department. Thus, since 2002 the International Scientific Conference "Informatization of Education in Ukraine: State, Problems and Prospects", Annual International Conference in Mathematical Modeling and others are held.

At the first time in 2001-2002 the department got on the competitive basis the order of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine on implementation of projects of developing modern software.

In 2004, the Scientific-Research Institute of Information Technologies (Director - Associate Professor M. S. Lvov) was opened at the Department of Informatics of the Faculty of Physics, Mathematics and Informatics at Kherson State University by the order of Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. The research workers of three laboratories were working on new software (more than 60 titles), the module "Electronic Library", the distance learning course "WebAlmir", the virtual biological laboratory and others.

In 2004, the distance learning system "Kherson Virtual University" was developed by employees of Multimedia and Distance Learning Technologies Research Institute IT. Students and graduates of Chair of Informatics took part in development of product: Dmitry Kravtsov, Anton Grabovsky, Anna Khoruzhenko.

The intensification of scientific research of teaching staff in some way marked the activities of students of the Faculty; there were winners of All-Ukrainian and International competitions of scientific works (Tolstopyat K., Peschanenko V., Grabovsky A. – winner in Informatics and Programmimg), prize winners of All-Ukrainian student competitions (Goroshenko D., Nagirnyak D., Laktionov D., Schedrolosyev S., Duminsky S. - in Informatics and Programming).

Considerable attention is given to scientific-research work of students as one of the most important forms of educational process in higher education. Students of our university participated in the International Students Seminar School in Moscow in 2002- 2004. The results of their work were reflected in the volume of scientific papers "New Information Technologies" Thesis of reports of International Student Seminar School in 2 volumes – M.: 2003.

The expansion of international relations is one of the prospective directions of the department activities. The Department of Informatics has close relations with leading universities of Ukraine and abroad (V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, National Pedagogical Dragomanov University, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis (France), University of Granada (Spain),etc.).

The teaching staff takes part in International and National conferences:

1. National Scientific Practical Conference "Actual Problems of Preschool and Primary Education in Modern Conditions" October 21-22, 2004.

2. National Scientific Practical Conference "New Technologies in Higher Technical Education: Experience, Problems and Prospects" October 19-20, 2004.

3. IV International Conference "Internet - Education - Science - 2004", Vinnytsia National Technical University, October 5-9, 2004.

4. Annual International Conference on Mathematical Modeling, September 9-14, 2004.

5. Information Technologies in Higher Education of Ukraine, August 26-27, 2004.

6. National Scientific Practical Conference "Informatics and Computer Support of Learning Courses at secondary and high schools," Kyiv-Berdyansk, June 23-26, 2004.

7. National Scientific-Practical Conference "Training of Teacher to Work Using Computer-oriented Learning Systems", Melitopol State Pedagogical University, May 14, 2004.

8. National Scientific-Practical Conference "Implementation of the Principle of Practical Orientation in Natural Sciences and Mathematics Teaching ", Kherson, October 2003.

9. The Second International Scientific Conference "Informatization of Education in Ukraine: State, Problems and Prospects", KSU, September 3-5, 2003.

10. The International Symposium "Methods of Discrete Features in Tasks of Mathematical Physics", KSU, June 11-18, 2003.

Students annually participate and occupy prizes at All-Ukrainian students’ competitions in programming and All-Ukrainian competitions of students’ research works. Thus, in March 2004, the team of students S. Schedrolosyev, D. Laktionov, S.Duminsky won the third place in the second round of Ukrainian Olympiad in Programming in Zaporozhye. In August 2004, students Laktionov D., S. Duminskyy, A. Oleksenko and K. Brylov successfully participated in the competition for the Cup of Ukraine in Programming, which took place in Odessa. In September 2004 the team of students Laktionov D., S. Duminsky and K. Brylova worthily presented Kherson State University in the third round of the All-Ukrainian Olympiad in Programming in Vinnitsa.

2009. Our students participated in International training programs at the universities of Nice-Sophia Antypolis (France), Glasgow Caledonia (Scotland) and Scientific Research Institute of symbolic computation (Austria).

2010.

The problem of the new teaching staff at the department always was solved by inviting experts and training the talented graduates. 50 per cent of the teaching staff of the Department of Informatics are KSU graduates. A third part of teaching staff of the departments combines teaching and practical work in the university offices.

The teaching staff includes three Doctors of Science, 12 Candidates of Science, programmer-instructors of the companies SoftWare Quality Production, DataArt and the university offices.

In recent years, the scientific activity of lecturers and students was intensified at the Department. Thus, in the period from 2001 Spivakovsky A. V. defended his doctoral thesis, Zaitseva T. V., Shishko L. S., Valko N. V., Peschanenko V. S., Kruglik V. S., Sinko Y. I. defended the candidate theses. Postgraduates students Smetanuk L. V., Gnedkova O. O., Kozlovsky Ye.. O., Blinov I. O., Klenov D. M., Alferov Ye,. A. and Azadova E. V. are successfully working on dissertations.

Disciplines of the Department of Informatics are taught at all faculties. The Department of Informatics provides the tuition of about 80 disciplines. The department teaching staff provides the full-day, extra-mural, external, gradate studies. The scientific research complexes based on the department main disciplines were created and located on the distant learning systems: Kherson Virtual University and KSU-online, providing its efficient usage by students of the full-day, extra-mural, external modes of study. The distant learning system "Kherson Virtual University" (DLS KVU) is a modern integrated system of educational materials development and conducting of group studies of all disciplines with using of distant learning technologies. DLS KVU is aimed to the usage both in local network of the institute or organization of higher education and on the Internet. DLS KVU provides the authorization of users, creation of private educational materials: lectures, laboratory works, tests, trainers etc, groups of distant learning and testing, conducting of distant learning, communication online, saving and statistical processing of training results, reliable security system. The system has a large e-library, which is open for all users, containing more than 5000 electronic informational studying resources.

The specialists of the department publish guidelines for practical and laboratory works, containing a list of scientific and technical literature, abstracts and questions for current and final knowledge control.

In 2010 the necessary arrangements for teaching staff, educational methodical and logistical support of educational service in accordance with the requirements of licensing for the opening of the new specialty "Software Engineering" at the Department of Informatics were carried out.

The Department of Informatics provides professional education of students and takes into consideration the development of new information technologies and their usage in education, the expansion of information and educational fields. This work is conducted in the following forms:

• participation of students and members of the department in social and professional, educational, industrial and propaedeutical, production practices;
• participation of undergraduates in complex scientific pedagogical practices;
• attraction of talented students to work in the departments of the university.

An important focus of the department for establishing international relations is participation of the teaching staff and students in International conferences and competitions.

Due to licensing in 2008 and accredited by the new specialty " Software Engineering ", was renamed the Department of Informatics at the department of computer science and software engineering in 2013.

In the 2013-2014 academic year in the department are 3 doctors and 11 candidates of sciences, programmers, teachers from companies SoftWare Quality Production, DataArt, Logicify and IT departments of the university.

In recent years, the department is actively carried out research work of teachers. Thus, in the period from 2011 to 2013 doctorate Lvov MS, Ph.D. dissertation Fedorchenko KA, Schedrolosyev DE, N. Kushnir , Kruglyk VS, Osipov NV . , Y. Olejnik

Working with companies

Leading companies DataArt, Logicify, PostIndustria, Avtoplaneta , Privat , Raiffeisen Bank Aval , the largest employers for our graduates.

International relations

Alpen -Adria University , Austria ( Klagenfurt )

University of Nice -Sophia Antipolis ( France)

Pomeranian Academy (Poland, Slupsk )

In the period from 16 September to 9 November 2012 Professor A. Spivakovsky held internships in the Eastern Washington University (USA) University Administration Support Program , organized by the International Research and Exchanges Board .

Renewed the tradition of Saturday schools during the school year : the staff conducts classes for students in grades 10-11 in Kherson and Kherson region 2 and 4 each Saturday of the month in accordance with the approved schedule schoveresnya Department .

More active participation of students in the Department of competitions Programming : All programming contest ( Simpheropil ) Winter School programming (Kharkiv) based on the sector of sports programming department.

Prospects

In connection with the opening of new specialty "Economic Cybernetics" from 01.09.2014 y is planned renaming of the department of computer science and software engineering in the department of computer science, software engineering and economic cybernetics and opening IT - campus in Tsjurupinsk .

Defense of theses

Many years of research in the field of creation, implementation and use of educational information systems have brought their results:

- O.V. Spivakovsky defended his doctoral dissertation in pedagogical sciences, received the academic title of professor, was elected a corresponding member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, supervises graduate students.

- M.S. Lviv defended his doctoral dissertation in physical and mathematical sciences, received the academic title of professor, supervises graduate students.

- V.S. Peschanenko defended a candidate's and then a doctoral thesis in physical and mathematical sciences, received the academic title of professor, supervises graduate students.

- V.M. Kobets defended his candidate's and then doctor's thesis in economic sciences, received the academic title of professor, supervises graduate students.

- N.V. Valko defended her candidate's thesis in physical and mathematical sciences, and then the thesis for obtaining the scientific degree of Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, received the academic title of professor

- V.S. Kruglyk defended a candidate's and then a doctoral thesis in pedagogical sciences, received the academic title of professor

- T.V. Zaitseva defended her candidate's thesis in pedagogical sciences, received the academic title of associate professor.

- N.O. Kushnir defended her candidate's thesis in pedagogical sciences, received the academic title of associate professor.

- M.O. Vinnyk defended his candidate's thesis in pedagogical sciences, received the academic title of associate professor.

- O.O. Hniedkova defended her candidate's thesis in pedagogical sciences, received the academic title of associate professor.

- Y.G. Tarasich defended her Ph.D. thesis in the field of knowledge 012 Information technologies in the specialty 121 Software engineering

- M. Y. Poltoratsky defended his PhD thesis in the field of knowledge 012 Information technologies with a specialty 121 Software engineering

The scientific potential

Associate Peschanenko VS Winter 2014 is planned PhD thesis in physics and mathematics .

Associate Kravtsov GM summer 2014 planned defense of the doctoral thesis of Pedagogical Sciences.

In Kherson State University plans to open a doctorate in the field:

13.00.02 - Theory and Methods of Teaching (Mathematics ), which will increase their profession professors of physics, mathematics and computer science.

The scientific collection "Information Technologies in Education" is published at the university, the editor-in-chief is O.V. Spivakovsky, deputy editor-in-chief M.O. Vinnik The collection was included in the list of specialized publications of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences in pedagogical sciences, indexed in scientometric databases, and received well-deserved recognition in the scientific community.

Useful links: http://ite.kspu.edu/webfm_send/996