Information models and methods of the structural crises consequences overcoming in the educational space

Abstract

Information models are developed and methods for eliminating the consequences of global structural crises in the educational space are proposed. The content of the article is a continuation of the previous work of the same authors on information technologies for the search for anti-crisis solutions in the management of complex dynamic systems. The aim of this work is to increase the efficiency (speed, minimize costs) of anti-crisis solutions to eliminate the consequences of structural crises in complex educational systems. Depending on the type of complex object, its initial structure, depth and severity of damage, temporary, financial and other resources available to the manager of the process of restoring a complex object, there are three main principles of construction (optimization) of this process: first principle – one-time design and further replacement (transformation) of the “damaged” part of the structure of the object, pre-selection of the replacement option for a fee (target function) at the design stage; mathematical method developed for this approach – methods of convergence and divergence; second principle – step-by-step design and discrete replacement (transformation) of the “damaged” part of the site structure of the object with discrete calculation of the reward (target function) and adjustment of the recovery plan after each site; the mathematical method developed for this approach is the method of percolation of functionality; third principle – step-by-step design and discrete replacement (transformation) of the “damaged” part of the site structure of the object with continuous calculation of the reward (target function) on fuzzy initial data and constant adjustment of the recovery plan; the mathematical method developed for this approach is the Markov decision-making process. On the example of a higher educational institution, a structural anti-crisis model of the educational process is proposed. Using an example of a separate discipline, an anti-crisis model of the restored element of the educational process was created and a method for the quick restoration of such an element with minimal losses for the process as a whole was developed. A lecture is chosen as a typical element of the educational structure at a university. Using the example of a systemic external crisis that arose during a pandemic, an information technology was developed to overcome such a crisis with the optimization of an anti-crisis solution using model convergence. The final parameters are proposed that fulfill the role of target functions when choosing optimal solutions to crises. Practical tests of information technology for the search for anti-crisis solutions in managing complex dynamic systems in higher education were carried out, in particular, in the preparation and implementation of anti-crisis measures during the teaching of the planned discipline “Higher Mathematics”. The technology was used in anti-crisis restructuring of the educational process during quarantine of the coronavirus. As a result, the following results were obtained: the participants in the educational process interacted through communication tools built into the Learning Management System (LMS), email, instant messengers (Viber, Telegram), conferences (MS Teams, ZOOM, Google Meet, Skype, etc. mode according to the curriculum delivered lectures and practical exercises in full.