Methodological recommendations - when choosing diploma course topics

He was several times in the State Examination Commission (SEC) in several IT universities. Every time the picture was different, I tried to see better in the works of students, to support at least with advice and motivation. Some of the attendees found it valuable, some - so-so. Some did not see themselves further in IT at all.

Each time I had the impression that it was already too late - too late to advise on the topic of the work, when the work was already done, formalized, passed several stages of control.

This year everything should happen differently 🙂

Andriy Vasylovich Pukas, head of the FCIT department, called (thank you, good man:)! ), Ternopil and offered to become the head of the DEC in 2016.

Last year, I was also the head of the DEC, but I just agreed, thinking that I would help change something. For my part, I behaved conscientiously, I did not take bribes, I did not see anyone taking or even trying - everything is as it should be.

The condition of my participation is to change the topics of student works to REAL ones that can be PRACTICALLY used, that will be useful to someone, starting with the student himself, including, perhaps, his friends, colleagues, just people around. Students seem to learn, teachers seem to teach, but it is so abstract that after 5 years of studying at a university, it simply has nothing to do with the real tasks that these same people then begin to do or the most basic professional requirements for them. A request to other "potential heads of the DEC" to join the demand!

So to the point - an appeal to teachers.

The requirement/recommendation/desire (choose the appropriate one) is the opportunity to practically see the results of his work (the work of his system) within 1 month in the city of Ternopil (the city of the student's studies).

It is better if the student's work is with one of the following:

• implementation of some urban information system

• website of a non-profit organization

• support of an all-Ukrainian initiative/project within the city (iGov, )

• help with a REAL information system that someone is using

• teaching users something new (methods/approaches, etc.)

• collecting content/filling some non-profit initiative (public organizations, charitable foundations, stations of young technicians, associations, etc.)

• adding information to public/non-profit sites like Wikipedia (this is for the weakest)

Let them really face customers, the formation of requirements, specifications, changes in requirements on the go, the complexity of interaction with other non-technical people, etc. Otherwise, it is an abstraction, not a preparation for an independent professional path. It is very important that everyone wins as a result of their work, starting with himself and ending with society.

In this case, the work of the teacher will be:

• find/recommend a "customer"

• to understand whether it is really necessary

• to understand or not, by chance, it is a waste of time

• and then - to help the student bring it to completion

The essence of this approach is to let them really do something that will improve their life + the life of the customer + the life of other people (win-win-win concept), and you - help them help 🙂

And I see my role as helping you to help them so that they help all of us 🙂

I am convinced that specialized or just associations will also help you - TAHITI, the Robotics Association or the Ternopil Business Council