Improving Education Planning Computer Science and Mathematics Gihan Wikramanayake and Sri Parameswaran

Presentation Problems and Constraints Strategies and Remedies Discussion

Problems and Constraints

Strategies and Remedies

Discussion

All academics and computing support staff Only University of Moratuwa One for every 3 to 4 CS Students and 1 to 10 Students One for every 10 for all other students 1 to 100 Students The Universities are lacking Physical Resources US$ 16,336,320

All academics and computing support staff

Only University of Moratuwa

One for every 3 to 4 CS Students and

1 to 10 Students

One for every 10 for all other students

1 to 100 Students

US$ 16,336,320

Lack Quality Teaching Personnel Few Staff Members with PhD Colombo 6 and most 1 or 2 Teach many CS subjects . Colombo 27 and Rajarata 7 Reliant on Visiting Lecturers Scholarships for PhDs and short term visits 4,950,000 Lecture theatres with Internet connectivity, and Audio Visual systems including data projectors 3,326,400

Few Staff Members with PhD

Colombo 6 and most 1 or 2

Teach many CS subjects .

Colombo 27 and Rajarata 7

Reliant on Visiting Lecturers

Scholarships for PhDs and short term visits

4,950,000

Lecture theatres with Internet connectivity, and Audio Visual systems including data projectors

3,326,400

Quality Teaching Personnel ... Create processes to measure quality of teaching, research and service Increase the weight given to teaching in the criteria for promotion and emphasise modern teaching methods. Use the “guidelines for content” developed by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA)

Create processes to measure quality of teaching, research and service

Increase the weight given to teaching in the criteria for promotion and emphasise modern teaching methods.

Use the “guidelines for content” developed by the

Mathematical Association of America (MAA)

Lack Quality Technical Staff No trained technicians Network Administrators Academic Staff maintaining the networks and computers

No trained technicians

Network Administrators

Academic Staff maintaining the networks and computers

Poor Library Facilities Few computing journals and almost no conference proceedings Most found at NIBM Impossible to find out existence of such books Lack of computerisation of library catalogues Few academics knew about SLISTINET Not used in the last three years Order more journals with emphasis for journals from IEEE and ACM 330,000

Few computing journals and almost no conference proceedings Most found at NIBM

Impossible to find out existence of such books

Lack of computerisation of library catalogues

Few academics knew about SLISTINET

Not used in the last three years

Order more journals with

emphasis for journals

from IEEE and ACM

330,000

Internet Connectivity The slow growth of the Internet Direct connection to all Universities and connect every building in every university UGC should allocate funds Specify minimum service guarantees for the LEARN network COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

The slow growth of the Internet

Direct connection to all Universities and

connect every building in every university

UGC should allocate funds

Specify minimum

service guarantees

for the LEARN network

Limited Laboratory Facilities Structured Laboratories Scheduled, Supervised, Closed Almost no unscheduled labs Few specialised laboratories Systems Development, Data Communication No remote access for students

Structured Laboratories

Scheduled, Supervised, Closed

Almost no unscheduled labs

Few specialised laboratories

Systems Development, Data Communication

No remote access for students

Lack of choice of Subjects Older Universities 3 science subjects Cannot take non-science subjects 3 units or papers per subject No choices Almost no interaction between faculties Except for visiting lectures

Older Universities

3 science subjects

Cannot take non-science subjects

3 units or papers per subject

No choices

Almost no interaction between faculties

Except for visiting lectures

Lack of Course Unit System Lack in the older universities Limited choice in the new universities All Universities moving towards course units to give students greater flexibility in their choices Backlog of students causing disruptions to major changes and activities

Lack in the older universities

Limited choice in the new universities

All Universities moving towards course units to give students greater flexibility in their choices

Backlog of students causing

disruptions to major changes

and activities

Curriculum Review is lacking Fast changing field of study than other disciplines Improve the computer science curriculum to bring it up to ACM/IEEE-CS standards Make it policy Create a single curriculum for the computer science courses in the country A committee of all universities with CS programs

Review is lacking

Fast changing field of study than other disciplines

Improve the computer science curriculum to bring it up to ACM/IEEE-CS standards

Make it policy

Create a single curriculum for the computer science courses in the country

A committee of all universities with CS programs

Curriculum The need for object oriented programming languages to be introduced to the curriculum Industry used for software development Most graduates finds it difficult to adjust Make JAVA the Introductory Programming Language Change the curriculum

The need for object oriented programming languages to be introduced to the curriculum

Industry used for software development

Most graduates finds it difficult to adjust

Make JAVA the Introductory Programming Language Change the curriculum

Curriculum Create a smaller curriculum in Information Technology for all students Increase the content of some of the more modern areas in Mathematics Create a subject for Personal and Interpersonal Skills in all the CS and Mathematics Curriculum Change the curriculum

Create a smaller curriculum in Information Technology for all students

Increase the content of some of the more modern areas in Mathematics

Create a subject for Personal and Interpersonal Skills in all the CS and Mathematics Curriculum

Change the curriculum

Teaching and Assessment Virtually no modern techniques are used in teaching and assessment of subjects in the universities Examinations and Continuous assessment pieces to be used not only for assessment but also to provide feedback Feedback and Exam results are delayed Paper moderation and second marking done locally and internationally

Virtually no modern techniques are used in teaching and assessment of subjects in the universities

Examinations and Continuous assessment pieces to be used not only for assessment but also to provide feedback

Feedback and Exam results are delayed

Paper moderation and second marking done

locally and internationally

Teaching and Assessment Low number of students graduating with first class honours Keeping with international standards Review criteria for conferring Honours degrees

Low number of students graduating with

first class honours

Keeping with international standards

Review criteria for conferring Honours degrees

Meet the Demand Create an External Degree in Computer Science Colombo/Open Universities 442,000 Create a strong accreditation body with international membership

Create an External Degree

in Computer Science Colombo/Open Universities

442,000

Create a strong accreditation body with international membership

Bureaucratic System Universities face a bureaucratic system in which purchasing and disposing of equipment is difficult Improve processes for purchasing and disposing of equipment

Universities face a bureaucratic system

in which purchasing and disposing

of equipment is difficult

Improve processes for

purchasing and disposing

of equipment

Market Loading In order to retain academic staff in computing related areas, they should be paid a “market loading”

In order to retain academic staff in computing related areas, they should be paid a “market loading”