ADAPTIVE TRAINING IN WORKING WITH OPERATING SYSTEMS

Abstract

Modern mainstream commercial operating systems, such as Windows and macOS, support a wide range of applications; however, they have become increasingly burdened with non-essential commercial services. As a result, they tend to require progressively more expensive hardware. For this reason, much industrial microprocessor-based equipment relies on alternative minimalist, customized operating systems. As an alternative to proprietary, closed-source systems, the most widely chosen option among computer science and programming specialists today is non-commercial, open-source operating systems based on the Linux kernel. Such free Linux-based systems can be installed on virtually any hardware, are user-configurable, and often provide noticeably better performance due to the absence of bundled commercial services and resident antivirus software. In conditions of strict resource constraints in the country, these systems are highly relevant not only to IT and programming professionals, but also to employees in industry and education, and even to gamers. At the same time, installing a minimized, customized operating system is a meticulous process that is prone to errors. Consequently, even experienced users often try to avoid it. The difficulty is compounded in group instruction: a traditional linear approach to teaching OS installation on personal computers does not justify the time and effort invested by participants, because it typically requires continuous individual support while each installation command is executed. Nevertheless, the use of contemporary pedagogical techniques can substantially simplify learners’ understanding of this complex process. The literature widely recommends adapting complex instructional material to address such tasks; yet, practical descriptions of how this approach is implemented in concrete cases remain scarce. This paper presents one option for enhancing the effectiveness of adaptive instruction through a set of supplementary methods, demonstrated through the teaching of Linux installation, along with the required applications. As a result, three individualized learning trajectories for working with the system were developed. Each trajectory is divided into several discrete modules, within which the learner can verify the correctness of task completion and independently remedy deficiencies. This approach significantly enhances learner engagement by making the learning process more individualized, transparent, and accessible for learners with varying levels of prior preparation.