Eva Milková

E-learning as a powerful support of education at universities

A virtual study environment is a significant contribution to education and its role in the education industry is growing constantly. Many universities and institutions in the Czech Republic are extending their study programs and applying e-learning within gradual and lifelong learning. The Faculty of Informatics and Management, University of Hradec Kralove has been developing this area for many years. The professional virtual study environment WebCT is used there. In the article we introduce our experience in using e-learning and explain the main reasons why we use it as an indivisible part of the part-time study program and as a support of the full-time study program at present

Algorithms: The Base of Programming Skills

The area of software development has passed a rapid expansion and this trend continues so far. Each developer has to learn constantly and master new technology. But crucial role is played by the basis which developer gains at the beginning of his-her career. The essential part of studies at the faculties preparing students in the area of computer science is development of students ability to think algorithmically. Students must be able to create various algorithms solving given problems starting with easy ones and consecutively increase their algorithmic knowledge and shifts during studies till the level where they deeply understand much more complex algorithms. In the paper we introduce our way in which we develop algorithmic thinking of students at the beginning of their studies in the subject algorithms and data structure. The described approach is framed within various digital objects dedicated to visualize the subject matter and intensify self-preparation of students. Some of them was introduced at the conference.

THE MINIMUM SPANNING TREE PROBLEM: Jarník's solution in historical and present context

Abstract This article discusses mutual relationships between solutions to some known problems. Firstly, the history of the well-known Minimum Spanning Tree Problem, including Jarniks approach to it, is briefly revisited. Secondly, the basic differences between the three classical solutions to the MST problem are discussed. Finally, algorithms solving several other graph problems, based of Jarniks approach to the solution of the MST problem, are discussed in conjunction with the properties of the Breadth-First-Search Tree and Depth-First-Search Tree.

Multimedia program Graphs and its benefit

The main purpose of the program graphs that is a visual representation of basic graph-concepts and graph-algorithms using a colouring process on graphs created within the program. The program was created in the Delphi environment by our student for his thesis, and enables the teacher to complete his/her lectures so that topics can be more comprehensible as well as saving the teacherpsilas time when he/she prepares text materials and presentations. Students using this program can revise subject-matter and understand it more deeply. They can easily prepare their assignments with the aid of program as well. This paper explores just a few ideas that have proved successful in enhancing education and optimization of studentspsila study habits.

Computer graphics as a way of improvement programing skills

The level of programming experience demanded from the graduates of ICT studies increases continuously and therefore new subjects have been added to the curricula of ICT studies at the Faculty of Informatics and Management, University of Hradec Kralove. Computer graphics is one of the most important subjects added. The article describes how the computer graphics subjects could be taught to help students spread and deepen their programming knowledge and skills

Advantages of Intelligent Multimedia Application

The aim of subjects dealing with graph theory and combinatorial optimization is above all to develop and deepen students’ capacity for logical and algorithmic thinking. It should also support the ability to form images in mind. Students should be able to describe various situations with the aid of graphs, solve the given problem expressed by the graph, and translate the solution back into the initial situation. As a lot of our students are visual learners it is useful to complete teaching and learning using various multimedia applications. One of the programs enabling visual representation of basic graph-concepts and graph-algorithms is introduced in the paper, as well as relevant educational principles, which have been applied in the course of many years. The paper can serve to the teachers and instructors as an inspirational material when dealing with graph theory and combinatorial optimization.

Multimedia applications: Graph algorithms visualization

Multimedia applications are nowadays often used to support and improve didactic processes across the wide range of education. There are specific subjects where the explanation and learning of the complex subject matter becomes a difficult task. This paper focuses on two important tools, program GrAlg and program A-DIMA developed at our university to enhance the Applied Informatics education, namely the area dealing with graph algorithms. These multimedia programs dealing with explanation of graph concepts and demonstration of graph algorithms serve as important means to support students logical thinking development as well as broadening their knowledge and connection to practice. Both tools are described in more detail in the paper.

MyEnglishLab Component Used in the Distant Part of Blended Learning

Demands on the quality of teaching/learning materials in the sense of targeting studentsʼ individualized learning styles and needs make educators know, carefully consider, and then choose from many different digital tools in order to make their teaching more effective, appealing and engaging for students in the learning process. An online component to different paper-printed English learning materials – MyEnglishLab provides a smart solution to fulfill both teachersʼ and studentsʼ needs. The research being carried out at the Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, tests and verifies the effectiveness of blended learning using the online component MyEnglishLab in the distant form, and the tools of smartboard used in the present form of the blended learning model. In the paper we present MyEnglishLab component itself, its contribution to blended learning, then we introduce our pedagogical experiment having been going on within the Faculty of Science and students studying different scientific areas. We also present the first results coming out from testing two groups of students – one using MyEnglishLab component and the other using only paper-based materials, while both groups of students are exposed to the use of smartboard in face-to-face form.

Assessment for Learning as a Teaching Approach Enabling Personalization of Learning on Tertiary Level

Assessment is an essential component of educational environment. Assessment for Learning is a teaching approach which enables personalization of learning, sets targets for individual learners and thus helps our bachelor students progress to desired outcomes. Introducing technology as a mediational tool in the process of assessment was an essential step that we have taken in an effort to improve the on-line course of Professional English Language in the university Blackboard LMS. Computer-based formative self-assessment of English language was taken by bachelor students of Tourism Management to periodically test the development of language competencies, to know what skills have been learned and how far have the students progressed in achieving their targets in mastering English as a second language. In evaluating our students’ responses regarding the course quality we found out that targeting test questions at ability level in the on-line course is very motivating for the students. Moreover, for teachers is computer-adaptive testing really useful tool for getting precise, individual information about students’ ability level, whilst providing the added benefits of keeping them engaged and motivated by assessment activity.

Avoiding the Curse of Dimensionality in Local Binary Patterns

Local Binary Patterns is a popular grayscale texture operator used in computer vision for classifying textures. The output of the operator is a bit string of a defined length, usually 8, 16 or 24 bits, describing local texture features. We focus on the problem of succinctly representing the patterns using alternative means and compressing them to reduce the number of dimensions. These reductions lead to simpler connections of Local Binary Patterns with machine learning algorithms such as neural networks or support vector machines, improve computation speed and simplify information retrieval from images. We study the distribution of Local Binary Patterns in 100000 natural images and show the advantages of our reduction technique by comparing it to existing algorithms developed by Ojala et al. We have also confirmed Ojala’s findings about the uniform LBP proportions.