Proposal Title

Open Math: Waterloo's Experience

Session Type

Presentation

Room

P&A Rm 148

Start Date

July 2015

Keywords

mathematics, open, online, digital

Primary Threads

Education Technologies and Innovative Resources

Abstract

Different learning styles. Individualized support in large classes. The need for better student preparation before university and remedial support while at university. The desire for enrichment material. Study opportunities while on co-op terms. Outreach.

All of these were prominent factors in 2010 when the Faculty of Mathematics at the University of Waterloo began a large, informal experiment in online education in mathematics. The result of some of that work is now available at http://courseware.cemc.uwaterloo.ca. This marks the beginning of the release of free and publicly available courseware which embeds narrated exposition, self-assessment with immediate and automated evaluation, experiments with STEM objects, exercises and enrichment opportunities. Over the next year, courseware in linear algebra, probability and statistics, computer science, optimization and possibly quantum information will be available.

The self-assessment tools randomly generate questions and can receive functions, tuples, and the results of manipulating objects as answers as well as the usual multiple choice answers. Future expository elements will be shareable and localizable.

The presentation will briefly describe the successes and the lessons learned. More importantly, it will preview the Möbius Project, a new technology developed in collaboration with Maplesoft. The Möbius Project supports a new STEM authoring tool for digital assets that is now undergoing beta testing in mathematics, chemistry and physics at Waterloo.Though access to the authoring tool will need a license, the resulting courseware can be freely deployed and shared as you wish.

The question for the audience is: If you were directing the creation of software to build online assets that would support your course, what would be the three most important features you would include?

Elements of Engagement

Collectively identify, critique and vote on the features to add to a new STEM authoring tool.

The prize: If the winning feature(s) can be added for a reasonable cost, Waterloo will make every attempt to add them for the next release.

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Jul 8th, 2:00 PM

Open Math: Waterloo's Experience

P&A Rm 148

Different learning styles. Individualized support in large classes. The need for better student preparation before university and remedial support while at university. The desire for enrichment material. Study opportunities while on co-op terms. Outreach.

All of these were prominent factors in 2010 when the Faculty of Mathematics at the University of Waterloo began a large, informal experiment in online education in mathematics. The result of some of that work is now available at http://courseware.cemc.uwaterloo.ca. This marks the beginning of the release of free and publicly available courseware which embeds narrated exposition, self-assessment with immediate and automated evaluation, experiments with STEM objects, exercises and enrichment opportunities. Over the next year, courseware in linear algebra, probability and statistics, computer science, optimization and possibly quantum information will be available.

The self-assessment tools randomly generate questions and can receive functions, tuples, and the results of manipulating objects as answers as well as the usual multiple choice answers. Future expository elements will be shareable and localizable.

The presentation will briefly describe the successes and the lessons learned. More importantly, it will preview the Möbius Project, a new technology developed in collaboration with Maplesoft. The Möbius Project supports a new STEM authoring tool for digital assets that is now undergoing beta testing in mathematics, chemistry and physics at Waterloo.Though access to the authoring tool will need a license, the resulting courseware can be freely deployed and shared as you wish.

The question for the audience is: If you were directing the creation of software to build online assets that would support your course, what would be the three most important features you would include?