About teaching a number of IT and mathematical disciplines in English for undergraduate students

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About teaching a number of IT and mathematical disciplines in English for undergraduate students

D.V. Berzin

Аннотация

На Международном финансовом факультете Финансового университета при Правительстве Российской Федерации все преподавание осуществляется на английском языке. Данная работа базируется на семилетнем преподавании дисциплин на этом факультете.

Ключевые слова: прикладная информатика, математика, английский язык, студенты-экономисты

At the IFF of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation all subjects are taught in English. The paper is based on seven-years teaching some subjects at the Faculty.

Keywords: applied informatics, math, English, students-economists

In 2008, the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation opened a new faculty - International Finance (hereinafter: IFF). Its main feature is giving all subjects in English. At the IFF I taught the courses “Linear Algebra,” “Discrete Math”, “Economic Informatics”, “Professional computer programs” as well as some elective courses for undergraduate students [1-2].

Teaching subjects at IFF in English has evident advantages:

1) Students support their English language skills acquired at high school.

2) Students improve their English, reading textbooks, doing written works, listening to teachers and classmates, speaking during classes at the blackboard, preparing reports and presentations.

3) We use in education at IFF efficient Western textbooks written by recognized experts in their fields.

4) IFF placed the focus of professional training programs on international accounting standards, corporate and investment management. Therefore, to study such disciplines (especially financial ones) is more appropriate and effective in English.

5) Students master the special vocabulary, not only economic and financial but also mathematical and IT. This gives them the opportunity not only to read confidently articles and tutorials in English, but also prepare students for further education, e.g. for the “double degree”, the joint master's degree programs (for example, with the partner University of Glasgow), as well as for trips abroad and training in the English language.

6) Students can more efficiently prepare for the exams and tests such as IELTS, TOEIC and TOEFL, GMAT, GRE. These tests are usually mandatory for further study or work abroad.

7) Students are able to use freely English-language periodicals and literature of financial and economic profile that are published much more in English than in Russian.

8) Students are able prepare better for exams for international certificates such as ACCA and CFA.

Note that teaching in English has also certain disadvantages. It is more difficult for students to perceive the material in a language that is not native. The pace of studies in the English may be somewhat lower than at “Russian-speaking” faculties. For example, a professor must duplicate some of the terms and concepts in the Russian language that takes some additional time and efforts.

All students of IFF are connected to the distant learning environment «VALUE» [3], derived from the software product «Moodle». An access to the system can be easily accomplished from the site of the Faculty, with login and password. All communications between a professor and students are done in English. IT tests are also given in English. We use English version of MS Office for teaching students IT subjects.

The English math (and partly information technology) is quite different from “Russian” subjects. The problem is related to the fundamental difference in mentality is manifested in the fact that science in English-speaking countries much more focused on practical applications. The main purpose of the Western mathematical education is «know how», and Russian - «know why». As a result, many of our students, who can transform cumbersome expressions with complex numbers and solve complicated systems of equations, are powerless in the simplest combinatorial, statistical or financial calculations, are confused about the graphs and cannot formalize and solve a problem described in terms of specific everyday situations. But all these things are taught at Western elementary schools.

It became clear that successful studies depend weakly on English language skills of students, but they depend a lot on the efforts of the students and their good mathematical skills got in high school. Lectures and seminars are not usually require the usage of complex grammatical constructions in English. On the other hand, a professor should not “simplify” the language, it must be sufficiently rich and alive. Classes in English should be dynamic, a professor should maintain a constant interest of the audience, and it is much more difficult than during the similar studies in Russian. For most students English is not native, and they find harder to focus on the subject. Therefore, the maintenance of discipline in the classroom is especially important. However, excellent and reliable textbooks give undeniable advantages, which, in my opinion, outweigh the above-mentioned drawbacks. english language mathematics teaching

Литература

1. Берзин Д.В. Преподавание ИТ-дисциплин на английском языке в Финансовом университете. // Информационные технологии в образовании - ИТО-2013, Москва, МГУ им. Ломоносова, 6-7 ноября 2013 г.

2. Берзин Д.В. Преподавание информационных дисциплин на английском языке. - Материалы международной научной конференции “Информационные технологии в финансово-экономической сфере: прошлое, настоящее, будущее” // Москва, 17 декабря 2013 г., ФГОБУ ВПО “Финансовый университет при Правительстве Российской Федерации”, с.205

3. Берзин Д.В. Об использовании электронного образовательного ресурса VALUE на Международном финансовом факультете Финансового университета // Международный научно-исследовательский журнал, №11 (30), ноябрь 2014 г., с.13

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