Instructor Perspective: Using WebAssign in Mathematics Modeling Math 1101

1. Instructor Perspective: Using WebAssign in Mathematics Modeling Math 1101 Inessa Levi 11/05/2012

2. What is Enhanced WebAssign (EWA)? • Friendly, flexible and responsive course management system • Specifically geared towards mathematics and sciences • Tutorial software • Connected to our textbook • COMMUNICATION catalyst and tool • Great pedagogical tool • Great and fast support from EWA

3. Students’ Feedback: Spring 2012 • 85% of students in class participated in an optional survey on WebAssign and Excel (93 responses) • Of those participating in the survey: • 90% said that they learned more or about the same vs math classes that do not use tutorial software (63% said “more”) • 74%said that they studied more or about the same (51% said “more”) • 89% used Excel to do their work; and 90% of all respondents believed Excel to be useful ( not necessarily the same students) • 98% who used Excel found it useful • Previous Seminar on Students’ Perspectives

4. As an instructor I can be more of a coach, less of a judge • Help students to be pro-active learners through use of graded in-class assignments for new material • Be more responsive instructor: check on the status of HW just before the beginning of the class to see what needs to be addressed • Spend more time communicating with students: • students send me Q about particular problem at any time while they are working on it: • remind the students that an assignment is due in the future and they have not submitted it yet (or their score is < xx%) • congratulate students on work done well or early

5. Give students incentives and encouragement to work consistently throughout the semester • Instantaneous feedback from EWA and fast response from the instructor • projected final grade update throughout the semester • ability to practice problems in assignments (83% of students liked that about EWA) • Incentives and kudos for submitting HW early (in MML have to do it by student, by assignment) • Flexibility with time extensions for HW (with or without penalty)

6. Overall Performance No credit for incorrect responses multi-stage, free response problems • Fall 2011 • Different class formats • 38 graded assignments, including 5 Quizzes and 4 Exams • Some in-class work in one section Spring 2012 All face-to-face classes are in a lab 52 graded assignments, including 6 Quizzes 17 in-class assign 4 Exams Have to be in class for these

7. Empower students to succeed This goes far beyond a general education course • “…thank you for the most enjoyable math class I've ever been in. All my life I have had a hard time with math but you made learning math fun. …I will say I learned a lot this semester. I had to take math 0195 twice just to enter into Math Modeling, this class really showed me I can do anything if I put my mind to it. “ • “...  I just got hired as a 3rd grade teacher … This school does blocks so I had the option to choose being a teacher in the subject math or reading.  I can happily say, I chose to teach math.  You were such an inspiration to me and because of you I no longer say I hate math.  I now say, I like math-I just have to work at it.  I am thrilled and can't wait to start decorating my classroom!”