Model Courses

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What is a Model Course?

One of our goals is to create Model Courses. By this, we mean a set of WeBWorK problem sets with problems that will match the course syllabus for one or more textbooks.

Model Course View from Web Conference 12/14/2011

• We could have a set of (polished) model courses in the SVN, say .../courses in the SVN tree, that would unpack in the courses directory of an installation (this would require that the courses directory be in a predicatable location). This would then show up in the "copy templates from" drop down when creating a course.
• The set definitions in the model courses should be in several groups:
  • Topic definitions (to allow easy browsing of problems by topic in the course)
  • Syllabus definitions (to allow easy creation of sets that match a given syllabus)
  • Textbook definitions (to allow easy creation of sets that match a given text)

Timeline

• Try to get the topic set definitions on the wiki as we move into next semester
• Try to get the polished versions of those up as the year moves on
• Try to get the SVN repository up later in the year

An alternate view of a Model Course

• What is a Model Course

Contents

What should be in a Model Course:

• Information about the text(s) to which it is matched
• Information about the syllabus that it assumes
• The set definition files (or sets of set definition files) that provide the problem sets for the course
• Any problems that are developed to fill in gaps in the NPL

Issues

• Naming conventions: how should we name sets and problems so that they are consistent (within the course) and useful?
• Completeness: how much should the model courses be a complete set of problem sets and problems for a course?
• Can/should we have model units that combine to make a model course?
• How would these model units fit into the organizational structure?
• How can we include documentation that discusses how these materials are used?
  • Can this be addressed with naming convention?
  • Should it be addressed by organizational structure within the model?

Instructions for Importing and Exporting Model Sets

• Instructions for importing problem sets
• Instructions for exporting problem sets

Organization

How should all of these data be organized? A possible model:

CourseName/
    Textbook_Readme
    Syllabus_Readme
    Set_Definitions/
        sethomework0.def
        sethomework1.def
        etc.
    Set_Headers/
        setheader0.pg
        setheader1.pg
        etc.
    Problem_Files/
        prob01.pg
        prob02.pg
        etc.
    Hardcopies/
        homework0.pdf
        homework1.pdf
        etc.