An Integer Goal Programming Model to Allocate Offices to Staff in an Academic Institution

This paper investigates the problem of allocating office space to members of staff in an academic institution. We identify several conflicting objectives and formulate an integer pre-emptive goal programming model to address them. Using data from a pilot site of the University of Westminster, UK, we then experiment with alternative rankings of the objectives. Finally, given the plans to consolidate the activities of this university into fewer sites and the resulting need to relocate some staff members, we discuss how this model can be used to ensure that this process is carried out with the least possible inconvenience.     

Implementation of goal programmingin long-range resource planning in university management

This paper presents a resource allocation model via Goal Programming (GP) in a long-range planning horizon in university management. In the proposed model, the introduction of new courses in the academic units and the allocation of available budget within the academic units as well as the forecast of the budget which is actually needed for better academic performance are taken into consideration. An illustrative example is presented to expound the model     

基于简化的区间数据主成分分析的高校教师绩效分析

绩效分析是高校教师绩效管理中的重要组成部分.基于简化的区间数据主成分分析方法,以2008 2009年A大学经济管理学院的教师绩效评估数据为例,考察了两年内各岗位级别教师的整体绩效和变化情况,以及教师个人绩效在所处岗位级别上的动态变化情况.基于绩效分析的结果,对绩效管理决策提出了相关建议.     

Education for Operational Research. A Practitioner's Viewpoint

University education for operational research in Britain is making great and welcome strides forward, but there has been little open discussion of its aims in relation to the advance of the profession. Progress in operational research, and in its application to the really worth-while problems of industry in particular, depends primarily on strengthening the industrial operational research group in its “front line” role. We need a research study of the teaching and practice of industrial operational research, in relation to effectiveness. We need “collaborative” programmes of operational research education in which the university and the industrial operational research group each contribute, in a man's training over a period of years, in the ways in which each is most competent. We need emphasis on “breadth” as well as “depth” in operational research education, and greater attention to the mutual contributions of operational research, teaching and practice, and the teaching and development of management. An impressionist sketch of a programme which might meet these needs is put forward for discussion of principles and feasibility.     

基于BSC&AHP的高校院系本科教学工作绩效评估模型的构建与应用

高等学校各院系办学绩效水平直接关系到高校人才培养的质量,本文针对目前高等院校对下属各院系本科教学考核评估指标权重确定方法中存在的问题,将平衡记分卡(BSC)和层次分析法(AHP)引入到本科教学工作绩效评估中,设计了一种用来确定高校对本科教学目标管理量化考核评估指标权重的决策方法既是一种理论创新,也是一种方法创新。解决了以往凭经验确定指标权重导致评估失衡的问题。     

The Training of Teachers of Management Subjects

There is some agreement between government sponsored committees and teachers in further and higher education that some improvement is required in teaching in educational institutions. Other reports have focused on a similar need in the area of management education. This article describes some research carried out by the Centre for the Development of Management Teachers and Trainers at the University of Lancaster which sheds some light on the nature of these needs as seen by serving management teachers and heads of management departments in Universities, Polytechnics and Further Education Colleges. The final part of the article describes some of the programmes which have been designed and run by this Centre to meet these needs, and reveals the principles underlying these designs. One expectation is that these programmes will encourage teachers to initiate and manage their own self development in the long term.     

Academics’ perceptions of the use and relevance of software in quantitative and financial disciplines

Software may be used in university teaching both to enhance student learning of discipline-content knowledge and skills, and to equip students with capabilities that will be useful in their future careers. Although research has indicated that software may be used as an effective way of engaging students and enhancing learning in certain scenarios, relatively little is known about academic practices with regard to the use of software more generally or about the extent to which this software is subsequently used by graduates in the workplace. This article reports on the results of a survey of academics in quantitative and financial disciplines, which is part of a broader study also encompassing recent graduates and employers. Results indicate that a variety of software packages are in widespread use in university programmes in quantitative and financial disciplines. Most surveyed academics believe that the use of software enhances learning and enables students to solve otherwise intractable problems. A majority also rate spreadsheet skills in particular as very important for the employability of graduates. A better understanding of the use of software in university teaching points the way to how curricula can be revised to enhance learning and prepare graduates for professional work.     

Does the chalkboard still hold its own against modern technology in teaching mathematics? A case study

The purpose of this case study is to explore the integration of technology into teaching at a mathematics department at a large South African University. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from staff teaching undergraduate mathematics. The study shows that many staff members feel that chalkboards are still more suitable than technology for teaching mathematics. This finding supports the idea of a strong subject culture. Age does not emerge as a determinant for preference of either technology or the chalkboard, although gender and academic qualifications do. Subject culture is strongly rooted under the male members of staff, while female staff members feel more positive towards the use of technology in teaching. Use of chalkboards has decreased significantly over the past 10 years, while the use of modern technologies has increased accordingly. Teaching of large groups has necessitated the use of technology in the classroom. Despite the strong subject culture, a shift in attitude towards technology use in teaching is noticed and there is a definite trend of moving towards using new technologies.     

A Management Support System for Directing and Monitoring the Activities of University Academic Staff

For many years Loughborough University Business School has been operating a system for the allocation of responsibilities carried out by academic staff under the broad headings of supervision, teaching, administration and research. The aim is to have a balanced total load for each staff member, allowing for the strengths and weaknesses of individuals. The system has a large measure of credibility with staff. Four models are derived and discussed, illustrating various options available in dealing with the allocation of one of these components—lecture loads.     

Cost estimation algorithm and decision-making model for curriculum modification in educational organization

The decision about curriculum modification usually takes place at the knowledge level, mainly with consideration of individual academic staff competences and qualifications. However, traditional approaches to cost estimation of curriculum modification are focused on material resources only. In this paper we present a cost estimation method and decision model for curriculum modification in educational organizations. The proposed method works at the knowledge level and employs competence sets as knowledge representation models in educational organizations. Authors used the theory of hierarchical, multilevel systems in order to define the model of the decision-making process of curriculum modification and its dimension. Basing on this and also using a fuzzy competence model the cost estimation algorithm in the form of a group competences expansion algorithm is proposed. The algorithm focuses on the cost of staff competence expansion caused by the knowledge development process.     

传统粉笔字教学与多媒体教学的影响分析

多媒体技术进入大学课堂推动了教学的改革,也引发了人们的进一步思考:传统粉笔字教学和多媒体教学从哪些方面影响着教学过程和教学质量?本文通过抽样调查,获取有关数据资料,运用因子分析方法对调查数据进行分析,寻找影响教学的因子,然后利用方差分析检验各因素的显著性,最后利用Logistic回归分析方法建立教学方式选择模型,进一步分析影响教学的各因素,为教学方式的选择提供了理论依据。     

Academic maturity of students in an extended programme in mathematics

ABSTRACT

This paper focuses on the students who are registered in the University of Pretoria’s academic development programme, named the Four-year Programme (FYP). The programme was introduced as a gateway for students who are underprepared but have the potential to succeed and then continue their studies into the mainstream science programmes. Our research focuses on measuring the change in the academic maturity of these students. In the theoretical framework that we developed, academic maturity is subdivided into two components namely non-subject based maturity and subject based maturity (mathematical maturity). This paper focuses on measuring non-subject based academic maturity. The survey used for this purpose is called the Student Academic Readiness Survey (STARS), taken at the beginning of the year and after the first semester respectively. The results of the surveys are compared to measure the change in students’ views. Results show that in all constructs there is a surprising decline in students’ perceptions regarding their own abilities over the first semester at university. We use the Dunning–Kruger effect to explain this unexpected decline, in that students seem to develop a more realistic view of their own maturity, which in itself can be seen as a growth in academic maturity.     

Mathematics teacher training at the State Technical University in Chile

During the fifties and sixties in Chile many mathematics graduates of Pedagogical Institutes became university instructors rather than high school teachers as intended. In the late sixties Masters level programmes began giving more advanced training for university mathematics instructors. A ‘modern’ mathematics curriculum including computer science was introduced in the high schools. The first significant attempt to adapt the training of Chilean high school mathematics teachers to the new academic and social realities was begun in 1976 at the State Technical University with the cooperation of Teachers College, Columbia University, and the support of the Organization of American States.

The four‐year programme leads to Licenciatura (Bachelors) in Mathematics and Computer Education. All courses are taught by faculty members of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. The three basic areas of instruction are mathematics, computer science, and mathematics education. Funds provided by the O.A.S. have helped to make possible the development of curricular materials in Spanish, and the acquisition of computing and video tape equipment.     

Towards improving the utilization of university teaching space

There is a perception that teaching space in universities is a rather scarce resource. However, some studies have revealed that in many institutions it is actually chronically under-used. Often, rooms are occupied only half the time, and even when in use they are often only half full. This is usually measured by the ‘utilization’ which is defined as the percentage of available ‘seat-hours’ that are employed. Within real institutions, studies have shown that this utilization can often take values as low as 20–40%. One consequence of such a low level of utilization is that space managers are under pressure to make more efficient use of the available teaching space. However, better management is hampered because there does not appear to be a good understanding within space management (near-term planning) of why this happens. This is accompanied, within space planning (long-term planning) by a lack of experise on how best to accommodate the expected low utilizations. This motivates our two main goals: (i) To understand the factors that drive down utilizations, (ii) To set up methods to provide better space planning. Here, we provide quantitative evidence that constraints arising from timetabling and location requirements easily have the potential to explain the low utilizations seen in reality. Furthermore, on considering the decision question ‘Can this given set of courses all be allocated in the available teaching space?’ we find that the answer depends on the associated utilization in a way that exhibits threshold behaviour: There is a sharp division between regions in which the answer is ‘almost always yes’ and those of ‘almost always no’. Through analysis and understanding of the space of potential solutions, our work suggests that better use of space within universities will come about through an understanding of the effects of timetabling constraints and when it is statistically likely that it will be possible for a set of courses to be allocated to a particular space. The results presented here provide a firm foundation for university managers to take decisions on how space should be managed and planned for more effectively. Our multi-criteria approach and new methodology together provide new insight into the interaction between the course timetabling problem and the crucial issue of space planning.     

基于知识资本的大学学术竞争力自组织机理研究

学术性是大学的本质所在,大学的核心竞争力本质上是基于知识资本的学术竞争力。大学学术竞争力是大学人力、科教、文化、组织与社会等五种(知识)资本学术竞争力的整体协同涌现,其自组织演进,既受到大学内部因素的协同作用,又离不开外部环境作用的影响。     

Efficient assignment of financial resources within a university system. Study of the University of Malaga

The aim of this study is to demonstrate how a Goal Programming model can be a very useful instrument in the decision-making process in a university system, above all in the case of carrying out efficient resource allocation between the units of which the system is composed. Specifically, this study is centered on the 142 knowledge areas of the University of Malaga (UMA). These areas are the most suitable functional units for this study because the teaching aims and coordination of research carried out normally coincide within them.     

西藏大学开展高等数学分级教学的研究

随着西藏大学教育规模和办学层次的不断提高,现有的教育理念和教育模式已不能完全适合当前高校的发展.如何提高西藏大学高等数学教学质量,已成亟待解决的问题.本文从西藏大学的教学实际出发,分析了高等数学课分级教学的必要性和可行性,指出了高等数学分级教学的一些缺陷,并结合西藏大学的实际提出了对分级教学的几点建议.     

A Strategic Model for University Planning

With limited resources and operating in a rapidly changing environment, universities need to formulate strategies for making the most effective use of these resources. This paper shows how modern portfolio planning concepts can be used for this task. A strategic model is developed for a British university and its use in evaluating existing courses, planning new ones and allocating resources is illustrated.     

Mathematics university teachers' perception of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK)

Teaching mathematics in university levels is one of the most important fields of research in the area of mathematics education. Nevertheless, there is little information about teaching knowledge of mathematics university teachers. Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) provides a suitable framework to study knowledge of teachers. The purpose of this paper is to make explicit the perception of mathematics university teachers about PCK. For this purpose, a phenomenological study was done. Data resources included semi-structured interviews with 10 mathematics university teachers who were in different places of the mathematics university teaching experience spectrum. Data analysis indicated a model consisting of four cognitive themes which are mathematics syntactic knowledge, knowledge about mathematics curriculum planning, knowledge about students' mathematics learning and knowledge about creating an influential mathematics teaching–learning environment. Besides, it was found out that three contextual themes influenced on PCK for teaching mathematics in university levels which were the nature of mathematics subjects, university teachers' features and terms of learning environment.     

以《常微分方程》课程为例浅谈教学也是一种学术

为社会发展培养高素质的人才是高校教师的主要职责,这需要学校、乃至教师在教学理念、教学手段和教学形式、培养模式和教学研究等方面进行全方位思考,还应加强教学学术发展的制度保障,促进教学与科研的协调发展．本文以常微分方程课程为例,阐明教学与科研一样也是学术这一观点。