The latest version of WeBWorK, a system for online homework, is being installed on the lennes.math.umt.edu webserver and will be available for use with U MT math courses this spring.  WebworK has a very large collection of calculus problems, a large set of precalculus problems, moderate-size collections for linear algebra and ordinary differential equations, small sets for several other undergraduate courses.

I plan to offer a two-hour workshop on WeBWorK next week (18-21 Jan): either Tuesday morning, Tuesday afternoon, or Wednesday afternoon.  Activities will include
 a) quick overview: benefits of immediate feedback to students & opportunity to fix errors
 b) student view of problems, entry of answers, preview of complicated expressions,
       submit answers, feedback about correct/wrong, fix errors and resubmit,
       print own version of an assignment
 c) instructor view of problems & answers (& hints & solutions),
       info about class or individual performance,
       tool to browse/search the problem library, select problems for an assignment,
       preview an assignment before making visible to class, scoring & downloading scores
 d) editing an existing problem
 e) [probably for a subsequent workshop or individual consulting]
       writing new problems and testing them
 f) discussion of questions about using online homework
    1) if I use Webwork, do I need to also assign (& grade) written homework?
    2) frequency and timing of online assignments
    3) student use of email links (in each problem) to ask instructor or TA

If you are interested in this workshop, then please send an email to me (Dick.Lane@umontana.edu) indicating your preference for day and time.  If you are interested in using WeBWorK but can't attend the workshop, please send me an email or phone me (office: 5207, home: 728-0799).

dick

Dick Lane          Dick.Lane@umontana.edu      406-243-5207
Mathematical Sciences, Univ. of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812-0864