Online Assessment of Mathematics Dr Paul Bolton School of Mathematics July 2008
Mathematical Assessment Software • • • Mathletics Maple T. A. My. Math. Lab STACK We. BWor. K
Mathletics • • • Developed by Martin Greenhow at Brunel Randomized elements of questions Multiple Choice or Numerical Input Only But highly developed feedback Sample questions available freely Source code also available but requires Question Mark Perception
Maple T. A. • Uses the computer algebra system ‘Maple’ • Commercial package from Maplesoft • Examined versions 2. 5 and 3. 0. Version 4. 0 just released. • Can be run from central server or installed locally • Questions can be authored with Question Bank Editor • Alternatively use online La. Te. X converter
My. Math. Lab • Mathematical engine Math. XL • Commercial; runs with Course. Compass from Pearson • Students have to buy textbook or access code • Wide range of teaching and assessment materials tied to this textbook http: //www. mymathlab. com/
We. BWor. K • • University of Rochester Open source Can be installed and run on a local Web server Assessments written in Perl; mathematics can be written in La. Te. X or html. • http: //webwork. rochester. edu/
We. BWor. K Problem Libraries • • We. BWor. K problem libraries include: Calculus Graph Theory Linear Algebra Physics Statistics http: //webwork. maa. org/wiki/Problem_Libr aries
Rochester Problem Library
STACK • • Uses open source CAS ‘Maxima’ Created by Chris Sangwin at Birmingham Free to HE maths community Authoring system part menu based, part html, La. TEX and Maxima; translates to XML. • Can set up decision tree which analyses students’ response to identify and point out common misconceptions (malrules) • http: //stack. bham. ac. uk/
Evaluation and Comparison of STACK and We. BWor. K • Installed both programs on local Web server • Devised standard set of questions • Recruited group of Foundation Year students to try out software on a PC cluster • Gathered opinions from focus group and questionnaire
Students’ Opinions • Students positive about both software programs; in particular one commented preferred them to Web. CT. • Seemed able to enter mathematical syntax without too much trouble. (The students already had some experience with Mathematica. )
Students’ Opinions • STACK somewhat slow even for single user; nevertheless server coped running both programs for multiple users • Students found We. BWor. K more visually appealing; STACK had some problems representing mathematical notation, especially with Firefox browser • But realised STACK had considerable underlying mathematical sophistication • “We. BWor. K has looks but STACK has brains. ”
Diagnostic Tests • First Year students in engineering and science sit (paper) diagnostic test in Freshers’ Week to clarify mathematical preparation • Academic year 2007/2008 could choose to use Maple T. A. , STACK or We. BWor. K for practice (formative assessment) • Followup summative assessments were still in Web. CT
Diagnostic Tests 2008/2009 • STACK to be integrated with Blackboard Vista • STACK used in place of Web. CT for both formative and summative assessment • More details in Paul Bolton, Computer assisted assessment of mathematics, MSOR Connections Vol. 8 No. 3 August – October 2008
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