This article describes a class project of cyber-driver, i.e. an android robot controlling a mobile platform. This project can be used both to teach high-school students in programming, hardware design and foundations of robotic science by solving some important and scientifically interesting tasks. Despite the great number of modern android robotics systems, their software controlling systems often have serious issues. Such actions as rough terrain movement or stairs climbing can be performed simply and accurately by both humans and animals but not by biosimilar robots. The traditional systems in these cases demand many complex and precise settings to perform such movements and nevertheless they remain very vulnerable to random factors. In robotic perception models the situation is similar: casual human tasks as image recognition or scene analysis need complex algorithms and huge computer resources if performed by robots. Biologically-inspired models can improve matters in robotic science. Human movement copying is often used for solving this problem in practice but it does not allow copying considerable aspects of movement controlling in nervous system. Both controlling quality and testing quality for the aforementioned tasks can be essentially improved if the robot uses techniques similar to central motor programs of human. This project helps students to study this important domain. Besides, robotic perception can imitate biological systems more closely. Such biologically-inspired perception models give structure to computer vision systems and allow developing these systems quicker. The cyber-driver project is an example of biologically-inspired educational system. The system proposed consists of android robot that can manipulate levers, wheels and buttons, and mobile robotic platform. Educational robotic platform YARP-3 allows easy modification of constructing arms and grippers encouraging students’ creativity. The software of the robot can automatically perform some of the driver’s tasks (indicators recognition, obstacle avoiding and movement without collisions). The project uses some key features of robotic science, which are interdisciplinarity and competitive spirit, to improve students’ experience. The project’s architecture allows modifications in both mathematical and practical aspects of the result system’s description. Besides that, some extra suggestions about project-based inquiry in robotics are made.

 

Nowadays the creation and the use of computer testing systems is one of perspective directions in the field of control of knowledge. Computer testing makes it possible to: • minimize time expenses at poll and processing of results and their transfer to a mark; • automatically form databases about the progress, to carry out mathematical processing of results; • estimate the level of knowledge of students, reducing subjectivity of exposure of marks; • avoid «copying off» of answers by the casual choice of tasks from the database. Computer systems of testing have become convenient tools for the teacher, providing quite a high quality of examination by reducing time expenditure on examination of students, in comparison with traditional control methods, and providing him with analytical information that allows him to organize learning process more rationally. The important place in development of such systems is taken by a problem of optimum test formation which consists of searching for set of questions (tasks) allowing to check all elements of knowledge of the considered discipline and is the best from the point of view of certain criteria. Selection of the mentioned tasks usually is carried out empirically based on knowledge and experience of the teacher. At the same time, mathematical models and methods of optimization can be used for the solution of this task. The approach to creating systems of computer testing of students’ knowledge based on the use of tasks and methods of discrete optimization is offered in Omsk branch of Sobolev Institute of Mathematics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The testing EMM-TEST system which is used at Economics Department of Omsk State University for discipline «Economic-Mathematical Methods» is created. The author developed the testing system (a software system) for Economics and Law Departments on disciplines «Economic Informatics» and «Legal Informatics» respectively. The article is devoted to the questions of using the computer control system of students’ knowledge at the beginning of studying of the «Informatics» course. The models of integer linear programming and algorithms of discrete optimization for solving problems of forming optimum tests, offered earlier by the author are used in the system. The results of approbation of system, which have shown efficiency of its use in educational process, are given including those on the stage of entrance control. Further development of the received mathematical models, their application to other sections of the specified course and continuation of a computing experiment is supposed. The introduction of the developed software at the humanitarian departments stated above is planned.

The objective of the article is to analyze the integrated learning environment facilities in order to organize interdisciplinary cooperation within the learning process at the technical university. The problem of interdisciplinary cooperation is the key one for university teachers when putting the competence approach into practice, for according to the state educational standards, cultural and professional competences are integrative and must be developed in the process of studying of various subjects. The one more goal to be achieved only by means of realizing interdisciplinary cooperation is the development of professionally important personal qualities among the future engineers. The integrated learning environment that is the object of the research work has already been formed at the Vologda State University and used in the learning process of the bachelors and masters in several fields of studying connected with IT. The foundation of this learning environment is laid by the system of distance learning MOODLE, supplemented by program components of own authoring. Such components are integrated with MOODLE by means of common database gathering the whole information about the learning process. Among software of own authoring we can point out the interdisciplinary distance training system, embracing such disciplines as programming, database technologies and other related sciences, and including automatic checking of students’ solutions and trainer for individual progress in English language. During the researching process we devised the structure-functional model of interdisciplinary cooperation with the use of the integrated learning environment, presenting available forms of cooperation of the learning process individuals at the interdisciplinary level and the means of realizing this cooperation. By now all the structural and functional components of the model have been embedded in the learning process and proved to be viable. The article presents the authors’ experiments on the organization of various forms of interdisciplinary cooperation in compliance with this model by the example of the development of foreign communicative competence among the future engineers closely connected with their core disciplines. The results of these experiments showed the students’ progress in language proficiency when the interdisciplinary forms of studying are used. In the whole the results of the research show that modern IT capabilities enable us to overcome narrow disciplinary approach to the learning process at the technical university and rise the level of interdisciplinary cooperation. Of course, interdisciplinary cooperation is only one aspect of the perspective use of the integrated information learning environment, its capabilities are much greater, some of them are already used in practice, and many have yet to explore and implement. The environment itself is in permanent development, in this regard, new opportunities appear, allowing to raise quality of education of students in a technical university.

The article on the example of Yaroslavl branch of Plekhanov Russian University of Economics demonstrates the potential of the generated educational environment for the realization of the competence approach in training bachelors at enhancing the research activities of students. The aim of the study is to develop a cyclic model of promoting scientific research activities of students in specialized, interdisciplinary, university and interuniversity, regional and international projects. The aim of the study identified the following tasks: 1) to consider the peculiarities of the scientific-educational environment created in Yaroslavl branch and to allocate its structural elements which influence the formation and the development of students' professional competencies; 2) to analyze the technological aspects of the students' research activity organization at the university; to follow the process of the required competencies formation at the empirical level using the tools of scientific research; 3) to justify the various options implicitly contained in each method of organizing the students' research activity. The object of the study is the specific student group in the educational environment of the University. The study used different sociological methods such as including observation, unstructured interviewing, analysis of the students' reports about their research works. The article presents the results of the authors' applied research on the given problem and nearly 20 years of their practical experience in Yaroslavl branch of Plekhanov Russian University of Economics (former MESI). In the first part of the article the characteristic of the educational environment of the University from the point of view of its potential for forming and development of students' professional competences are considered, the place and the role of students' research work in the educational environment creation process are presented. The key problems that should be saluted to realize the full potential of the university educational environment are identified. The second part of the article focuses on the technological aspects of organizing students' scientific-research work at the university. The ways to enhance students' science activity in practical application are suggested. It is empirically proven that the involvement of students in scientific research provides their increasing interest to acquire professional competencies because they can see the good results of their efforts and feel the need in new achievements. The proposed materials contribute to the development of the theoretical foundations and the practical model of the students' research activity organizing as a necessary part of the university educational environment formation of which helps to achieve the university performance indicators, to carry on the mission of the university, to create conditions for implementing the academic values in general. The obtained results can be used by other institutions of higher education.

The article proposes the concept of the master’s program of training of IT-consultants based on the extension of the relevant sections of the higher professional education of the third generation in the direction of “Applied Informatics”. Under the proposed concept features, a professional IT-consultant formulated the basic competencies that graduates of the relevant specialization should possess, the interaction scheme, the composition and structure of the academic disciplines of the program are presented. The general section of the program covers the basics of systems’ theory, as well as models and methods for modeling business processes and system design. A special section is devoted to the disciplines actually make the required competence. The approbation of the proposed concept for the departments “System Analysis and IT Management” and “Strategic Management of Information Systems” at Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and Higher School of Economics, engaged in the preparation of IT consultants, is described; respectively, statistical data are given for master’s theses of graduates. The conclusion states the general results of the testing of the proposed concepts and conclusions on its applicability for teaching students both engineering and economic direction, and with different levels of previous training.

Purpose of the article: improving of scientific and methodical base of the theory of the е-learning of variability. Methods used: conceptual and logical modeling of the е-learning of variability process with electronic educational resource of new generation and system analysis of the interconnection of the studied subject area, methods, didactics approaches and information and communication technologies means. Results: the formalization complex model of the е-learning of variability with electronic educational resource of new generation is developed, conditionally decomposed into three basic components: the formalization model of the course in the form of the thesaurusclassifier (“Author of e-resource”), the model of learning as management (“Coordination. Consultation. Control”), the learning model with the thesaurus-classifier (“Student”). Model “Author of e-resource” allows the student to achieve completeness, high degree of didactic elaboration and structuring of the studied material in triples of variants: modules of education information, practical task and control tasks; the result of the student’s (author’s of e-resource) activity is the thesaurus-classifier. Model of learning as management is based on the principle of personal orientation of learning in computer environment and determines the logic of interaction between the lecturer and the student when determining the triple of variants individually for each student; organization of a dialogue between the lecturer and the student for consulting purposes; personal control of the student’s success (report generation) and iterative search for the concept of the class assignment in the thesaurus-classifier before acquiring the required level of training. Model “Student” makes it possible to concretize the learning tasks in relation to the personality of the student and to the training level achieved; the assumption of the lecturer about the level of training of a particular student is formed using the reporting data of model as management. Theoretical provisions of variation e-learning, including its base tasks (teaching, learning, management), and also order, formallogical and program means of development and most important requirements for an effective electronic educational resource are grounded; it is shown that the formalization of educational resources is possible on the basis of the structural-mathematical approach using the set-theoretical representations, that allow defining the features of the educational process and the role of participants in the language of sets and mapping between them, and also to receive “pedagogical diagnostics” of the course and learning outcomes, using the intellectual potential of each trainee both personally and in the classroom. An example of practical implementation of model of variation elearning with electronic educational resource of new generation is given. Conclusion: The developed theoretical provisions and basis components for the model of variation e-learning with electronic educational resource of new generation allow the student to realize functional mastering of knowledge, abilities and skills of trainees on the base of variation approach, and also to choose a personal student-centered way of “finding concept (meaning)” of the given tasks in the process of motivated learning based on formalized information thesaurus-classifier of electronic educational resource.

As the aim of the research, the author set the task of searching for new ways of conducting educational activity when teaching Project Management at the university taking into account the dominating mosaic thinking of modern students. There is a need to teach students of the given field logical thinking, the ability to work in the financial and humanitarian spheres of current business. In order to get a result, the analysis of the existing scientific views and approaches to teaching students with dominating mosaic thinking was conducted. The existing views by both Russian and foreign authors of mosaic thinking were considered, its different educational, psychological and philosophical aspects. As a result of the synthesis of the given approaches, taking into account the author’s inventions, proposals were developed on solving the problems of mosaic thinking in teaching students. Taking a constructive approach as a basis, the mosaic thinking is suggested to be considered as a phenomenon having both advantages and disadvantages. Changing the content of the educational process is done through updating standard methods and patterns of education, wide use of innovation approaches, intensifying cooperation and online collaboration of the teacher and the student in the process of study. The basis is formed by the emotional impact on the student in the course of studies, which will allow using logic and form the intention to learn the presented fact. Teaching Project Management to students is proposed taking into account their mosaic thinking, in four stages. During the lecture students receive a chain of images structured by the lecturer in the sequence embracing basic issues of the theme under consideration and presented in such a way as to inspire them to study the given questions independently. At the second stage, the students search for the solution of the assigned tasks in the course of independent work with the opportunities available for their level of perception. During the seminar classes (practical studies) at the third stage, the lecturer evaluates the quantity and quality of the solutions of practical tasks (case problems) found by the students. In the course of discussion, the students share their variants of solving practical problems, grounding the relevance of the proposed variants. At the fourth stage (midterm assessment – examination) the students develop a project as a whole or one of its stages, solving a set of interrelated practical problems. Since mosaic thinking is the reality of a new information society now, a conclusion was made of the necessity not to fight mosaic thinking, but to reorganize the educational process taking into account, on the one hand, the peculiarities of students having mosaic thinking, on the other hand, needs of business which requires project managers capable of both processing great amounts of information and arranging logical chains and determining cause and effect relationships. The given modification of education is proposed to be implemented in regards to changing the content of lectures and seminar classes, adding figurativeness and emotionalism into them, which will make it possible to set the cognitive activity of the students having mosaic thinking, and changing the direction and content of students’ independent work, setting the independent search for solving problems and case tasks as its goal.

 

The article considers the project of educational and research software and hardware kit designed for use in case-based educational project activities based on the theme of energetically autonomous robots. An important feature of the complex is its interdisciplinarity since robotics combines many fields of science and technology — mechanical design, electronics, programming, elements of artificial intelligence, energy science and others. Students can receive basic knowledge in these areas as well as gain practical skills in solving real problems that require a convergent approach. The kit serves as an experimental basis that allows to study intricacies of robot control and its hardware and software design while making structural changes, including using different power units: solar, fuel, thermoelectric and others. Power units (converters and the various sources of renewable energy) may be considered both from the theoretical point of view, i.e. from the principles of their functioning and from the practical aspect — studying their practical application in real systems. Another important aspect of the system is the development of software architecture for a robot and for a team of robots as well as studying the interactions between them. In addition to performing the target task, ancillary tasks such as maintaining the battery level, communication with other team members in a multi-agent system, should be considered in the control algorithm of the robot, which allows to study the distribution of priorities between these objectives, as shown in the example of multicriteria optimization. The prototype of the kit and its usage according to the described approach have been partially validated by conducting computational experiments with algorithms based on different search methods (random search, closest source and multi-criteria optimization methods), multi-agent paradigm and adaptive control which show a variety of possible approaches and illustrate the process of students' work. The hardware base has been validated by testing various energy modules and assembling robot using the modules of the proposed kit. The results showed the possibility and potential of studying a variety of interdisciplinary themes using the developed hardware and software complex.

The aim of the study is intelligent modules of organizational-technical systems (OTS) for solving the task of purposeful behavior taking into account features to operate the object in a rapidly changing external environment. A widely used computing paradigm contains inherent symbolic submissions of information and their processing with algorithms focused on the logic and combinatorics of procedures. This computer approach in solving some intellectual tasks is inferior to the man. One of the approaches to study complex tasks can be the use of a simpler model task. For such models, the article investigates the possibility of using the cognitive approach that can be used in the intelligent modules of OTS for solving tasks of purposeful behavior. In order to solve the task of purposeful behavior taking into account features to operate the object in a rapidly changing external environment a cognitive approach to cybernetic systems as intelligent modules of OTS can be used. The author considered the cybernetic approach to the evolution and use of simple model systems with purposeful behavior. A cognitive approach includes plenty of problems. The solution of these problems is connected with the methods, taking into account cognitive aspects referring to processes of perception, thinking, knowledge, explanations and understanding. In a system with a simple model the issues of categorization, the role and place of the Gestalt, the formation of the characteristic values as an important element of cognitive semantics are considered. In further studies it is necessary to pay due attention to the knowledge of cybernetic systems, their submissions, storage, processing, interpretation and production of new knowledge. As a result of the research, the structure of a cybernetic system with a simple model of behavior is proposed. This system is able to solve relatively simple tasks of purposeful behavior. When adding modules, providing recognition of primitive images (geometrical shapes, objects), speech recognition and the formation of voice messages, the cybernetic system is capable to form new signs about the outside world. Using such signs and new controlling actions, the robot can build a more complex interaction with reality. A new system (the robot KSUKHA) allows considering separate categories (the beginnings of the categories) for the further use. Separate categories can become the prototype categories for the future and distant descendants of this cybernetic system (robot) in this evolutionary tree. Application of the considered approach will allow us to come to the solution of tasks of forming categories, and in future to form basic categories to use cognitive mechanisms of human thinking. These mechanisms can be applied in cybernetic systems for solving the tasks of purposeful behavior.

 

Research purpose: to develop the technology of operational-technical management of scientific and educational services. Methods: methods of patent research and analysis of critical technologies of information and control systems; methods of system approach to organize and manage IT services to meet business needs. Topicality. The state policy in the sphere of national security and socio-economic development of the Russian Federation, carried out in the face of new threats requires correcting structural imbalances in the economy. National interests should be implemented by means of strategic priorities in the various sectors of the economy, in the financial sphere - the timely implementation of government programs. In the Message of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin to the Federal Assembly on December 1, 2016 one of the priorities defined the creation of a national research infrastructure, representing the information and technology platform for the integration of the intellectual resources in the field of science, education and production with the aim of creating the conditions for qualitative changes in the field of science and technology. In this connection, scientific-methodical and systematic technical issues to systematize services of scientific and educational institutions of the country and creation of the united informational and analytical system of the management of such services seem to be topical. Within the framework of the whole complex of problems to design such a system, the development issues of technologies for the effective operational-technical management of scientific and educational services are of great interest. Results. The technology of operational-technical management of scientific and educational services was developed, which is a complex of technical solutions to provide information support for the activities of organizational systems – consumers and suppliers of scientific and educational services. This article presents the main provisions of technology for operational-technical management of scientific and educational services, based on innovative technical solutions and taking into account the perspective of digital trends to ensure business services. The business service in the article means IT service that directly supports a business process – the process of providing for scientific or educational service, based on the unified information and managed environment. The proposed technology is the contribution of the scientific community in the realization of the strategic national priorities of the Russian Federation. Conclusion. The advantage for the provided technology, in comparison with analogues, is to increase the efficiency of the management of organizational systems – consumers and suppliers of scientific and educational services, due to the automatic assessment of their business services and automatic management of activities with the assessment. The method, used in this technology, to provide consumers with scientific and educational services in the form of business services in accordance with the concept of IT service management ensures universality of approach to create the knowledge base and algorithms to use the knowledge for managing IT infrastructure support of business services, and to manage business services. This approach allows to optimize the composition of the applications in the management of scientific and educational services, as well as to ensure the conditions at the design stage for analysis and decision-making by the choice of IT infrastructure for the provision of scientific and educational services to consumers.