Abstract:

A data model is the core of any good information system, and the process of creating a data model is called data modeling. In theory, data modeling consists of predefined steps, but in practice, mostly depending on the developer’s experience, certain steps may be omitted or performed simultaneously. Data modeling can be defined as a process of defining and analysing requirements needed to support the observed process within the scope of corresponding information systems in organizations. Speaking exclusively about the data model abstraction level, there is a conceptual, logical and physical level, necessarily listed in the shown order. The condition for creating a high-quality abstraction model is knowing and mastering the basic concepts and theoretical knowledge related to data models and relational algebra, which provides the theoretical basis for relational databases, nowadays the most commonly used data model.

The paper shows students learning methodology at North University how to create a quality model as the core of a good information system through the course „Database and SQL“. The paper will define teaching methods, more precisely the concept of the course itself, and briefly explain the learning outcomes as the final methods of evaluating the acquired knowledge. The course is divided into three parts – real-time lectures by the professor and invited eminent experts in the field, thematically related papers written and presented by the students, and practical exercises in which students use the acquired knowledge for the purpose of solving problem tasks. In the paper, special emphasis will be placed on the teaching methods and the specific knowledge and skills that students acquire, as well as the problems that students and teachers encounter during the course itself. A brief overview will also be given to the problems that arose during the corona virus pandemic, which made the process of imparting knowledge even more difficult and consequently resulted in worse results.

Keywords:

Data model, learning methodology, practical exercise.