School Subject Informatics (Computer Science) in Russia

Abstract

This article deals with some aspects of studying Informatics in Russian schools. Those aspects are part of the ‘third dimension’ of the Darmstadt model (they are also projected on the other two dimensions of this model) and include evolution of the subject, regulatory norms conforming to the Federal Educational Standards, the learning objectives, the required learning outcomes, and the Unified National Examination in Informatics, which is required for admission to a number of university programs. It is interesting to note that correspondence between requirements for the outcomes of learning Informatics in Russian school and the requirements of K-12 Computer Science Standards (USA) is quite satisfactory. It is noteworthy that the relatively high level of school education in Informatics in Russia is determined by the well-established methodological system with a 30-year history, the subject’s being on the list of core disciplines at school, as well as the existence of a state-sponsored system of education teachers of Informatics.