Exponential Growth inMaple T.A. Usage on Campus

Christopher Calzonetti,

Carrie Howells, and

Sean Scott of

Overview

• What is Maple T.A.?• Exponential Growth• Lessons Learned• System Stuff

2010 | The Sky’s the Limit

What is Maple T.A.?

• a mathematically intelligent assessment system

• supports multiple question types• algorithmic templates for questions• grade management

2010 | The Sky’s the Limit

What makes it intelligent?

• many systems can't tell that ½ = 0.5• Maple T.A. accepts numbers, expressions,

formulas, functions, matrices, etc.• can use all the power of Maple to create

and grade questions (e.g., statistical distributions, MathML rendering)

• provides algorithmic variables

2010 | The Sky’s the Limit

What are algorithmic variables?• variables can be assigned random values

– set a range such as x from [-1,1] in 0.01 increments– select a function from a list– create a matrix with a certain rank– a set of plots

• impose conditions– x > y or (x+y) > 0– rank ≠ 0

2010 | The Sky’s the Limit

Algorithmic variables cont'd

• variables can be used anywhere in the question and the feedback

• diagram labels can also be algorithmic values

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Exponential GrowthFall Term 2007 2008 2009 2010

# of users 1600 4818 7946 11,132

2010 | The Sky’s the Limit

• MATH courses added this year:− 135, 136, 137, 138, 235, 237− Algebra, Linear Algebra 1 & 2, Calculus 1, 2 & 3− ~1300 questions developed this year− weekly online assignments are now an integral part of these

courses

• Math Readiness Test− pilot this fall of ~300 students writing online

Content Management• Content is developed, tested, and

deployed by ISG staff with the help of Grad TAs and Co-op students.

• Questions are stored in central repositories, one per subject.– eliminates duplication

• Courses inherit the relevant repository content.

2010 | The Sky’s the Limit

Lessons Learned• Within a repository, questions are

organized by topic.• Information fields include Author, Origin,

Course, question Type, Difficulty, and Keywords.

• A tag on each question allows us to tell exactly where it came from when used in an assignment.

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Lessons Learned cont'd• Preparing students in how to enter their

answers is crucial.– Maple T.A. Ready? quiz

• Guidance and training needed for Instructors.– assignment policy consequences– remarking assignments

• Easy to access help.– online FAQ– email contact– division of responsibilities

2010 | The Sky’s the Limit