Video conferences

Video Conferences on WeBWorK topics

Instructions for joining video conference

Video conference instructions

Upcoming Video Conference Topics

Planned schedule: alternate Wednesdays: 5PM EST, 4PM CST, 3PM MST, 2PM PST unless otherwise noted

• Wednesday January 14, 2009 at 5pm EST -- Vicki Roth, University of Rochester
  • Assessment of WeBWork
  • For more information see, http://webwork.maa.org/moodle/course/view.php?id=13

Past Video Conference Topics

• Wednesday 12/17/2008 at 5pm EST-- Robin Cruz, College of Idaho
  • Presentation of PreCalculus Problems
  • Writing has presented a different set of challenges to that of writing Calculus problems.
• Wednesday 12/3/2008 at 5pm EST, Darwyn Cook, Alfred University
  • Discussion of proposed GraphObjects interface (see Graph_Object_Wishlist)
• Wednesday 11/19/2008 at 5pm EST, Jason Aubrey and Mike Gage
  • Geogebra applet examples -- Jason
  • Discussion of AppletObject API specification -- led by Mike
• Friday, 11/14/2008, Mike Gage
  • Collection of physics problems: http://hosted.webwork.rochester.edu/webwork2/physics_library/
    • Use guest login to see problems
  • Model calculus course -- under construction: https://devel.webwork.rochester.edu/moodle/course/view.php?id=2
    • This is the first semester calculus course taught at the U. of Rochester (from Stewart's calculus book).
    • You will need to fill out the information for a "New Account" -- it's a quick process.
    • The code for the WeBWorK questions is being converted to conform to current best practices using MathObjects. Set 1 has been converted -- you can look at question by question comparisons between the old and the new code.
  • Open discussion on topics and schedule for video conferences
• Friday, 10/24/2008, Davide Cervone
  • Overview of PGML (PG markup language) -- simplified entry for PG questions
  • Experimental PGML markup lab at: PGLabs
  • Web Conference Recording (Video)

Suggested Web Conference Topics

potential video conference topics

(x indicates that it has been discussed at least once so far -- later we'll try to replace this with dates and links)

• Assessment
  • What has been done so far
  • Assessment issues
  • Assessment tools and protocols. What is available, what is needed?

• Authoring issues:
  • MathObjects - x
  • AppletObjects API - x
  • GraphObjects API - x
  • how to draw pictures using GD
  • tableObject
  • Interface for Sequential Problems (MultiPart) Robin Cruz, Ken Apell,
  • Merge the original Matrix definitions into the MathObjects matrices
    • The main effect would allow more operations with matrix valued objects.
    • Do matrices take complex MathObjects at the moment?
  • Simplified entry
    • PGML--hardcopy is working now
    • Daniel Graham xml version
    • Molzon U. of Kentucky

• Organization
  • time for WeBWorK conferences - x
  • topics to discuss -- ongoing
  • other organization principles
  • recruit community organizers using conferences?

• Course and site management
  • Handling large volumes of email -- gmail approach --Paul Pearson
  • Creating Gateway tests -- Gavin LaRose

• Bridges -- interoperate with other software
  • Administering WeBWorK at large schools -- writing scripts, other issues
  • Moodle integration -- bridge 1 M. Leventi & M. Gage
    • I could demo the Linear algebra course --Mike
    • Also discusses workshop and webwork integration --Mike and Vicki Roth
  • Moodle integration -- bridge 2 M. Leventi
  • Blackboard integration M. Gage

• Using webwork in computer science --- Christelle Scharff

• National Problem Library --- management issues
  • Designing a procedure for submitting questions to the library
  • Tagging problems
  • Cleaning, creating and organizing tag names.
  • Discussion of how best to upload problems to the National Problem Library
    • Reference link to NPL: http://webwork.maa.org/wiki/National_Problem_Library*Contributing_to_the_NPL
    • Issues -- replace vs. add new problems
    • How to insure that new problems are a clear upgrade from old

• Creating collections of questions
  • Project -- getting UCSB stewart problems tagged
  • QA of model Calculus problems -- on hosted2
    • a model calculus course
  • Physics problems on hosted.
    • Entry Project: Edit the "set0" for each set to describe the subject matter of the problems in the set.

• WeBWorK software fundamental overhaul/maintenance
  • ease of use topics -- Arnie Pizer
  • Basic PG code overhaul
  • Basic User interface overhaul
  • Basic Database overhaul
  • Redesign database -- (make it look more like moodle) (M Leventi and S. Hathaway)

• Documentation
  • Rework the standard CSS so that it is more regular and a better model
    • Make more examples of CSS variants
    • Create HowTo customize the CSS -- perhaps this is a screen cast -- not a video conference
  • Making screencasts -- list of desired topics
    • prospective
      • using the "instructor tools" link
      • Creating gateway quiz sets
    • completed
      • Creating and configuring a webwork course
      • Adding many students to your course
      • Adding Homework Sets