E-Learning Newsletter

Dr. Daniel Garbin, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science

When you wish to ameliorate your guitar playing or get better at a foreign language, whether you like to learn or improve your coding skills or want to get better at math, the adage repetitio est mater studiorum may be your mantra. In the case of learning mathematics there are many avenues of studying or practice, including many that make use of digital technology.  In this note I will focus on one of such digital technologies called Webwork.

What is a Webwork you may ask? In brief, Webwork is an online homework system which can be used with a variety of STEM courses. Webwork has a vast library of exercises, which at the moment of the writing of this article amounts to over 35,000[1]. Particularly in mathematics, Webwork can accommodate courses from college algebra to multi-variable calculus or linear algebra. That Webwork is an open source software, allows college professors with knowledge of coding (a mix of Tex, Perl, and PGML) to improve on already existing problems as well as further enrich the database of exercises. However, a math professor does not need to know how to code in order to create specific assignments for their courses. All one needs to do is to access the library and select questions based on a particular topic (e.g., Calculus > Single Variable > Differentiation > Chain rule).

There are many benefits of using Webwork. Here are some features from the professor's perspective. Aside from the ability to create individualized homework sets, a professor may assign the number of attempts in solving a question and allow for partial credit. They can also set a due date as well as a date (passed the due date) for which the correct answers are revealed to students. Grading is done automatically and each question has a certain degree of randomization that prevents students from copying each other’s answers. 

Another important feature is the Quiz Assignment. It can be used to administer tests and final exams. With the pandemic and subsequent online teaching, this feature has turned out to be extremely helpful. Without arguing pro or against this feature, it has provided a compromise between teaching online and administering an in-person test or final exam.

Another useful feature that has been implemented in the past few years is Blackboard integration. Professors can simply create assignments on Blackboard using a link to a specific Webwork homework set. Thereafter, students launch the Webwork assignment from Blackboard. As students work on a given set and submit solutions to assigned exercises, their current grade for the set is automatically sent to Blackboard.

Webwork has also created the space for interaction among professors within and outside CUNY, regarding for instance problem authoring or system implementation at their college. This may be very helpful especially in the case of problem authoring as the documentation for Webwork coding may be at times challenging.

Aside from faculty, Webwork provides many benefits to students. Among the primary benefits is the fact that working on homework assignments is done online. In this regard Webwork is easily accessible on your computer, tablet, or smart phone. Unlike commercial online homework systems, Webwork comes at no additional cost to students. Accessing homework sets is done through Blackboard, so students do not have to store yet another username and password. The interface is very intuitive.

When solving questions, students may have unlimited tries (provided the professor has allowed it). In general, it is a good practice to allow for unlimited trials when doing homework. Furthermore, each question offers the ability to email the instructor directly. This in turn provides the professor a direct link to the student version of the exercise. The instructor can see the student's previous answer as well as the solution. Another good practice is to allow for partial credit. Additionally, when working on an assignment, students can skip problems they don't understand, and may return to them later.

The administration of the Webwork server is done locally at our college. It involves a few members of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and staff in the IT department. The system went through a few upgrades and has run smoothly, being able to handle heavy traffic without downtimes.

Happy Webworking!   

[1] The Webwork Project: https://openwebwork.org/

Tony Monahan (HPED) and Humberto Morales (Business)

During the spring, 2022 semester, English Department Professor Susan Lago presented in the workshop: “The New Normal: eLearning and Transitioning to Hybrid and Hyflex Pedagogy.” In this session, she discussed eLearning tools and strategies that can be adopted to facilitate QCC’s transition from remote learning to in-person classes.

Professor Christina Manzo, an Accounting Professor in the Business Department, will be presenting on the topic of Hyflex at the Teachers of Accounting a Two-Year Colleges (TACTYC) conference, in May 18-20, 2023, in Portland, Oregon.

The HyFlex design offers maximum flexibility for student attendance. Students have the option of attending in-person, synchronous remote, and asynchronous remote. Teachers teach through three modalities. They attend the class to instruct the in-person students and the students attending through synchronous remote while the class is recorded for the asynchronous students to view.

During this fall, 2022 semester, both Professor Lago and Professor Manzo are teaching a HyFlex class. When asked about their Hyflex courses, here is their responses.

Suzan’s Response:

How do you know who will show up in the class?

Susan’s Response:

My students have the option to attend each way. I send out a Google form to the students each week where they decide how they will attend. Before I get to class, I know who will be there in-person and who will be remote.

Christina’s Responses:

I don't.  The students are given the option to either attend the class in-person or via Zoom.  However, there are some students who always attend in-person, some only attend on Zoom and others do a mix.

How does the class look?

Susan’s Response:

I teach two HyFlex writing classes in the Library basement. The class size is capped at 24. On average, only six show up in person. The rest of the class is split between synchronous and asynchronous attendance. I show up each week to class. There is a podium and we use Zoom for those online.

Christina’s Responses:

My HyFlex course only offers two modes - in-person or synchronous on-line (Zoom).  On average about 40% of the students attend remotely.  In the beginning of the semester approximately 30% attended remotely.

What materials do you use for this class?

Susan’s Response:

This is a writing class, so the students spend much of the time on writing assignments and classwork. We use Google Slide Presentations and Pear Deck Presentations. We also use Blackboard Test, Discussion Board, Turnitin, Assignment Function, and attendance.

Christina’s Responses:

The remote students join via Zoom.  The lesson is presented on a PowerPoint that both groups of students can see.  Using the Zoom annotation tools I put additional notes and demonstrate problems on the PowerPoint slide and sometimes I use the Zoom whiteboard.   Several micro-lectures, that I have created, are available in Blackboard for the student to review the topics.

How do you reach the asynchronous students?

Susan’s Response:

All classes are recorded on Zoom and all materials are posted on Blackboard as an assignment or peer-reviewed instruction. The asynchronous students have one week to submit their assignments. A submitted assignment is counted in attendance.

Christina’s Responses:

I only do two modes - in-person and synchronous online.  

How do you like teaching the HyFlex modality?

Susan’s Response:

We’ll see. I am scheduled to teach it again in the spring

Christina’s Responses:

​I like the fact that the students have the flexibility to attend the class in-person or remotely.  Students have been sick or the other commitments that make the Hyflex mode convenient.  

My biggest complaint about HyFlex teaching is the limited board space that I have.  The whiteboards and PowerPoints make it difficult, sometimes to go back and forth to reinforce topics in the classroom.  Sometimes I feel tied to podium.  My other concern is the fact that we cannot require the remote students to turn on their cameras.  I miss the feedback/body language to determine if the students are following along with the lesson.  I have attempted to incorporate some polls, games, etc. into the course to keep all the students engaged.