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Algorithms are hard to understand for novice computer science students because they dynamically modify values of elements of abstract data structures. Animations can help to understand algorithms, since they connect abstract concepts to real life objects and situations. In the past 30-35 years, there have been conducted many experiments in the field of usage of animations and visualizations in education, but they showed mixed results. In this paper, we review past research within the field and summarize recommendations regarding the graphic design and interactivity of the animations. In the second part of the paper, we present our interactive card sorting animations with conceptual views. The goal of these animations is to help students understand the main ideas and differences between basic sorting algorithms. In a pedagogical experiment related to these animations, 92 first-year computer science students of J. Selye University in Komarno (Slovakia) were asked to fill in a pre-test, experiment with the interactive animations, and fill in a post-test. The results showed that animations helped students to understand essential aspects of sorting algorithms. However, the participants were not able to understand the sorting algorithms in detail, so other types of animations are needed to teach algorithms in-depth.

Slovakia has many world-class mathematicians who can be an inspiration for the younger generation. The aim of this paper is to present the results of the project, which captures important Slovak mathematicians and maps important mathematical workplaces in Slovakia. The paper will focus on one of the last processed personalities of mathematics at prof. Ján Čižmar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Financial literacy is nowadays an increasingly discussed topic, and the general endeavour is to improve knowledge and skills in this area. Presented paper deals with the issue of financial education and financial literacy in Slovakia in the context of international comparison within the framework of PISA testing in this area and realized questionnaire survey. The primary aim of the paper is to analyze and point out the current state and level of financial education and financial literacy in Slovakia. The future of financial literacy teaching in schools and its position in comparison with other subjects considered compulsory as mathematics and Slovak language is questionable. These subjects are in the form of subjects whose teaching will provide pupils with basic literacy, i.e., to be able to read, write and count. In the future, the position of financial literacy teaching should become equal and as important as the above-mentioned subjects of mathematics and Slovak language. This is the future employment of a graduate school in work but also in personal life, which will be limited by the obtained financial literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the application of concept mapping in teaching mathematics at the primary level of education (ISCED 1), as well as the experimental verification of its qualitative contribution to the process of education. The authors present results obtained in a sample survey aimed at monitoring possibilities of influencing pupils' relationship to teaching and mastery of mathematics using digital concept maps within the process of pedagogical intervention. The authors tested the degree to which digital concept maps influence changes in the pupils' opinions and attitudes to mathematics (subject popularity, interest in the subject, easiness of understanding, fear and apprehension of mathematics) while explaining and fixating the curriculum of selected mathematics topics in the third grade of a primary school. The results of the experiment did not confirm that teaching supported by concept maps contributes to reducing pupils' negative attitudes towards subjects, particularly in mathematics at the primary level (ISCED 1). Due to the pedagogical intervention of concept mapping, no statistically significant changes occurred in the pupils' attitudes to the observed factors of mathematics. However, the authors have come up with research findings that may be notable in the field of branch didactics of mathematics and digital technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we collected best practices and tools for the development of spatial imagination. We divided tools into 3 groups: planar aids, spatial aids, and board games. In the case of planar aids, we present the Tangram puzzle, the Geoboard, the Indian mosaic and the Poliomino. As for spatial aids, we analysed the Polydron, the Geomag, Pop-up projects, the Zometoll, the 4D Frame, and the Jomili as suitable development tools. It is difficult to find a suitable development game among board games, because they are explored insufficiently. We recommend four games, the Ubongo, the Q- bitz, the Rumis and the Blokus. In this study we would like to eliminate the shortcomings in the teaching of mathematics, because these best practices, which develop spatial imagination, are not sufficiently known in Slovakia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presented paper is devoted to an innovative way of teaching mathematics, specifically the subject combinatorics in high schools. This is because combinatorics is closely connected with the beginnings of informatics and several other scientific disciplines such as graph theory and complexity theory. It is important in solving many practical tasks that require the compilation of an object with certain properties, proves the existence or non-existence of some properties, or specifies the number of objects of certain properties. This paper examines the basic combinatorial structures and presents their use and learning using relations through the Placemat method in teaching process. The effectiveness of the presented innovative way of teaching combinatorics was also verified experimentally at a selected high school in the Slovak Republic. Our experiment has confirmed that teaching combinatorics through relationships among talented children in mathematics is more effective than teaching by a standard algorithmic approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]