Getting Started Guide

© Maplesoft, a division of Waterloo Maple Inc. 2007

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© Maplesoft, a division of Waterloo Maple Inc. 2007

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ISBN 1-894511-61-1
 Preface ..................................................................................... vii
Audience ........................................................................................... vii
Goals ................................................................................................. vii
Conventions ...................................................................................... vii
1 Introduction to Maple T.A. ......................................................... 1
1.1 Product Overview............................................................................... 1
1.2 Logging On ......................................................................................... 2
1.3 The Class Homepage.......................................................................... 2
1.4 Creating a Class ................................................................................. 3
1.5 Navigating .......................................................................................... 5
1.6 Accessing the Help System................................................................ 5
1.7 Avoiding System Time-Outs.............................................................. 5
2 Question Banks.......................................................................... 7
2.1 Overview............................................................................................. 7
2.2 Question Bank Editor ........................................................................ 8
2.3 Creating a Question Bank ................................................................. 8
Start a New Question Bank ........................................................................ 9
Add a Topic ................................................................................................... 9
Adding a Question ....................................................................................... 9
Saving a Question Bank ............................................................................ 11
2.4 Example Questions .......................................................................... 12
The Question Designer .............................................................................. 12
Multiple Choice Question using the Question Designer .......................... 14
Multiple Choice Question with Randomly-Determined Parameters ...... 16
Multiple Choice Question Incorporating 2-D Math ................................. 19
Maple-Graded Question ............................................................................ 20
Plotting the Student’s Response .......................................................... 22
Inserting a Maple Plot in the Question Feedback .............................. 22
Apply Partial Grading to Maple-graded Questions ............................ 23
List Question using the Question Designer ............................................. 23
Numeric Question using the Question Designer ...................................... 25
Equation Editor ......................................................................................... 26
2.5 Editing an Installed Question Bank ............................................... 26
2.6 Downloading a Question Bank ........................................................ 27
Backing up a Question Bank to Your Hard Drive ................................... 27
Opening a Question Bank Downloaded to Your Hard Drive ................... 27
3 Assignments............................................................................. 29
3.1 Overview........................................................................................... 29
Assignment Editor Main Menu ................................................................. 30
Warnings and Locking Mechanism ........................................................... 31
3.2 Creating Assignments...................................................................... 31
3.3 Naming Assignments....................................................................... 32
3.4 Selecting Questions.......................................................................... 32
Individual Versus Grouped Questions ...................................................... 33
Individual Questions ............................................................................ 33
Question Groups ................................................................................... 33

iii
iv • Contents

3.5 Setting Policies ................................................................................. 33

Assignment Types ...................................................................................... 34
Assessment Type Assignments ........................................................... 34
Study Session and Mastery ................................................................. 36
Setting the Assignment Type .................................................................... 37
Assignment Feedback ................................................................................ 37
Assignment Properties .............................................................................. 38
Setting a Passing Score ....................................................................... 38
Setting a Time Limit ............................................................................ 38
Setting the Number of Questions per Page ........................................ 38
Setting the Maximum Number of Attempts ....................................... 39
Scheduling Assignments ........................................................................... 39
Assignment Visibility ................................................................................ 39
3.6 Reviewing and Saving Assignments ............................................... 40
Finishing an Assignment .......................................................................... 40
Assignment Status ..................................................................................... 40
3.7 Special Cases .................................................................................... 41
Deleting Assignments ................................................................................ 41
Shared Assignments: Saving Your Changes ............................................ 41
4 Gradebook ................................................................................ 43
4.1 Overview........................................................................................... 43
4.2 Gradebook Views.............................................................................. 43
Generating Reports .................................................................................... 44
4.3 Student Statistics............................................................................. 45
Assignment Weighting .............................................................................. 46
4.4 Assignment Statistics ...................................................................... 48
4.5 Item Statistics .................................................................................. 49
4.6 Add External Assignment ............................................................... 49
5 Class Management................................................................... 51
5.1 Overview........................................................................................... 51
5.2 Class Roster...................................................................................... 51
Uploading a Class Roster .......................................................................... 52
Student Registration ................................................................................. 52
5.3 Uploading Files ................................................................................ 53
5.4 Shared Classes ................................................................................. 53
Creating a Shared Class ............................................................................ 54
Shared Class Content Updates ................................................................. 55
5.5 Course Modules ................................................................................ 56
Creating a Course Module ......................................................................... 57
Exporting a Course Module ....................................................................... 57
Importing and Installing a Course Module .............................................. 58
Additional Notes ........................................................................................ 59
Inheritance of Question Banks and Assignments .................................... 60
6 Additional Resources .............................................................. 61
6.1 Maple Application Center................................................................ 61

Index ................................................................................................... 63
Preface

Audience
The information in this guide is intended for instructors using the Maple T.A.
system for the first time.

Goals
This guide serves as an introduction to the Maple T.A. system. The first five
chapters provide information related to each component of the system. The
sixth chapter provides additional resource information.

Initially, the chapters should be read in sequence. This provides a linear

introduction to the process of using the components in the Maple T.A. system.
However, this guide can be used as a quick reference or as a launching point
for the Help system. For your convenience, this guide also includes an index.

Conventions
This guide uses the following typographical conventions.

• Arial bold font - dialog, menu, or text field

• Arial bold Important - information that must be read and followed
• Arial bold Note - additional information relevant to the section or
procedure
• Century Schoolbook bold - new term
• FRXULHUIRQW - Maple command or package
• italics - section or Help system cross-reference

vii
viii •
1 Introduction to Maple T.A.

1.1 Product Overview

Maple T.A. uses question banks as the basis for constructing assignments.
Question banks are collections of questions from class homework, test items,
or other class problem material.

Four types of users interact with Maple T.A.

• Instructors create questions and assignments.

• Students complete assignments created by instructors.
• Proctors validate student identity and grant assignment access.
• System administrators manage classes and users.

As the Instructor, you control the rules and policies for assignments, which
can range from self-study and homework sessions to proctored exams. When
you are satisfied with the questions and rules in your assignment, you publish
it for use by students. You control availability and due dates, and set grading
parameters. Grades are automatically recorded in the system gradebook
and, if necessary, you can change these grades.

Once you log in to the Maple T.A. system, you can access your Maple T.A.
class or classes. This is where all system interactions occur for you, your
students, and the proctors in your class. Your class contains question banks,
assignments, resource files, and the class gradebook.

Students logged into the system are allowed to register in your class, take
assignments as you make them available, and review the results of
assignments they have completed.

Note: As an instructor, you can lock access to student registration and upload a
class roster instead. For details, see Student Registration on page 52.

1
2 •

Proctors can log in to validate a student’s identity prior to administering a

proctored exam.

1.2 Logging On
Log in to the system using the username and password your system
administrator has provided. The main system page is called the System
Homepage. The System Homepage provides access to the classes you are
teaching, and those in which you are a student or proctor.

If the system administrator has created a class for you, your class will be
listed under the Classes I Am Instructing section on your system homepage.

If your system administrator has not created a class for you, you can create a
class. See Section 1.4.

1.3 The Class Homepage

Instructors access the Class Homepage to:

• Create and edit question banks

• Create, publish, and manage assignments
• Access a gradebook that records student work and assignment results
Figure 1-A Class Homepage
 1.4 Creating a Class • 3

From the System Homepage, click the link to your class to open the Class
Homepage. The Class Homepage displays the class and instructor name, and
the list of assignments, quizzes, and tests that you have posted.

The assignment list displays the name and type of assignment, associated
points, availability (that is, scheduled dates and times), and specific policies in
the assignment, for example, time limit. Click the listed assignment name to
launch the assignment.

The following menu items are available from the Class Homepage.

• Actions -> Class Info, Add Child Class, User Manager, and Proctor Tools
• Content Manager -> Assignments, Question Banks, Course Modules,
and Website Editor
• Gradebook -> Open, Add External Assign.
• Help -> Instructor, Other Help -> Proctor, Other Help -> Student, Getting
Started, and About
• Logout
Figure 1-B Class Homepage with Content Manager Menu Expanded

1.4 Creating a Class

Both you and your administrator have sufficient privileges to create unique
(new empty) classes or one based on shared material.

To create a new class:

1. Start at the System Homepage.
2. From the Actions menu, select Add Class.
3. Complete the class registration form and click Submit.
4 •

Course ID
Select a unique string of letters and/or numbers as the Course ID.
Class Name
Select a unique name for your class. This name is displayed as the link to your
Class Homepage. The class name should be between 5 and 50 characters long. It
cannot contain the characters <, >, or &.
Instructor
Your name will be automatically entered in this field.
School
Enter the name of your school.
Description URL
Optional. If you have created a webpage with additional information for your class,
you can link to the page by providing the url.
Registration Locked
Open registration allows students in the system to enroll themselves in your class.
The default setting is locked, therefore students will not be able to enroll
themselves into your class.
Featured Class
Marking the class as a Featured Class allows the creation of child classes based
on this class. This allows you to share the assignments, quizzes, tests, etc. with
other classes by adding an entry to the Inherited Content From drop down
menu.
Inherit Content From
You can inherit content from a parent class. This gives you access to already
created assignments, quizzes, tests, etc.
4. The list of all your classes is displayed, including the link to your new
class. Click the link to open your Class Homepage and review the contents
of the class.

To create a copy of a shared class:

1. From the Class Homepage of the class you want to share, click the
Actions menu, and select Add Child Class.
2. By default you are listed as the instructor for the new class. Click the
Change Instructor link to select a different instructor.
3. Search for the instructor and click Instructor Info. The name of the
instructor should be displayed above.
4. Click Update Instructor.
5. Complete the Class Registration form and click Submit.
 1.5 Navigating • 5

1.5 Navigating
To navigate in the Maple T.A. system, use the menus to move forward and the
Crumb bar (located under the Maple T.A. logo) to move backward.

Figure 1-C Crumb Bar

It is recommended that you do not use the back and forward browser buttons.

1.6 Accessing the Help System

Use the Help menu to access the online help for instructors. The help content
is populated based on the role of the user logged in. As an instructor, you will
be able to access help for instructors, proctors, and students.

1.7 Avoiding System Time-Outs

While working on a question bank, the system client (your computer) holds
your changes to the working copy of the active question bank. While authoring
or editing a question, if you click Finish, the system places a copy of your
question in the class Web site cache.

Warning, if you do not interact with the Maple T.A. system for the time set
in the system properties file (the default setting is 30 minutes) the system logs
you out of your session and purges the question bank data, thereby flushing
the cache and deleting your work. Contact your administrator to adjust the
default time-out setting. If you open a second tab in the same web browser and
began interacting on other sites, this is not considered interacting with the
Maple T.A. system, therefore the time-out countdown will begin until you
return to interacting with Maple T.A. system.

If the system server is restarted, the cache is also purged. The system reverts
to the last installed version of your question bank. You can also upload a
version of the question bank from your hard drive to your client.
6 •

If you stop interacting with the system for more than a few minutes, it is
recommended that you either:

• Download your question bank to your hard drive

• Install your question bank in your class on the server
The question bank’s persistence time is controlled by the system
administrator. To change its value, contact your administrator.
2 Question Banks

2.1 Overview
Maple T.A. uses question banks as the basis to construct assignments.
Question banks form the basis of class homework, test items, or other class
problem material.

Question banks are organized into topics, which contain individual

questions. Topics help organize questions to match the structure of your
course. They can also indicate learning objectives and other organizational
schemes. Every question bank has at least one topic, and every topic must
have at least one question.

Figure 2-A Question Bank Structure

There are three methods for authoring question banks in the system.

• Question Bank Editor

• Maple T.A. TXplain-text script files
• LaTeX files that can produce math-intensive questions formatted to
Maple T.A. specifications
This document discusses using the Question Bank Editor.

7
8 •

2.2 Question Bank Editor

To navigate to the Question Bank Editor:
• From the System Homepage, access the class for which you want to
create a question bank.
• From the Content Manager menu, select Question Banks.
Figure 2-B Question Bank Editor

In the Question Bank Editor main window, you can:

• Create a New question bank.

• Import a question bank (.qu file) from your computer.
• Open a question bank from the list of class question bank titles.
• Resume editing the question bank project you edited most recently.
• Reorganize the displayed list of question banks by clicking the associated
drop-down button and selecting placement.
• Delete a question bank from the list.
• Synchronize to the most recent version from the parent class.
• Validate ensures that your questions are properly formed questions after a
question bank is uploaded to the system.

2.3 Creating a Question Bank

When creating a question bank, the overall process must be followed.

• Start a new question bank

• Add a topic(s) because all questions must be in a topic.
• Add questions
 2.3 Creating a Question Bank • 9

• Save your work by installing your new question bank to the server or by
saving a copy to your hard drive.

Start a New Question Bank

To start a new question bank, from the Question Bank Editor, click New.

Add a Topic

To add a topic to your question bank:

1. From the Actions menu, click Add Topic.
2. Enter the new topic name and click OK. The system displays the new topic
in the left pane.
Whenever you add a topic, the system collapses any expanded topic, adds the
new topic below any pre-existing topics, and expands the new topic. To expand
the previously expanded topic, click the topic name or the triangle to the left of
the topic name.

Adding a Question

To create a question:
1. In the left pane of the Question Bank Editor, expand the desired topic
where you want your question to reside. The topic folder opens and
displays the contained questions (by name) in the left panel.
Note: If you have just added the topic, the system expands the new topic
automatically.
10 •

2. Click Add a question to create a new question in the topic.

Begin by selecting a Question Type, providing a Question Description, and
clicking Next.
Figure 2-C Question Bank Editor>Add Question Screen

3. Enter the content of your question. Examples are provided in the Example
Questions on page 12.
Figure 2-D Entering a Question
 2.3 Creating a Question Bank • 11

4. Once you have completed the question, click Finish.

5. A preview of the question is displayed. Provide an answer and click Grade
to see how the question is graded. Click Ok to return to the Question
Preview.
6. Click Edit to continue refining the question as necessary.
Maple T.A. provides the following question types.

• Mathematical & Scientific Free Response Question Types (14 varieties

including formula, numeric, and questions that use the Maplesoft™
Maple™ mathematical software to grade and plot student responses)
• Multiple Choice (permuting and non-permuting)
• Multiple Selection (permuting and non-permuting)
• True-or-False
• Ungraded Essay
• Fill-in-the-blank including text region or drop down menu
• Question Designer
• Key Word or Phrase
• List
• Clickable Image
• Short Phrase
• Matching
• Multipart Questions (consisting of parts that are of any question type; can
be nested)
• Palette Questions (using a programmable palette of symbols for the entry
of student responses)
• Questions with applet interaction
• Questions using Web references / objects (including plots)
For examples, see Example Questions on page 12.

Saving a Question Bank

When working in the Question Bank Editor, the system does not save the
changes to the question bank until you save it. After you save a question bank
to the system, it is available for assignment creation. You can also export the
question bank to your hard drive, but this does not make the question bank
available for assignment creation.

Note: You need to add at least one question to the question bank before
attempting to save it.
12 •

To save a question bank that has been created or imported:

1. From the Actions menu, click Save Question Bank.
2. Enter a question bank name.
3. Click Ok. The system reports "Installation successfully completed."
Note: If you save the question bank with the same name, the system issues the
following warning that you are about to overwrite the question bank.
This will replace all the topics and questions in that question bank with your current topics and questions.
If you save your question bank under this title, any assignments that you have set up to use the question
bank that’s currently saved with this title will use the new question bank from now on. However records of
assignments that students have already taken, will continue to show the questions from the old question
bank. Click "OK" to continue and overwrite the existing question bank, or "Cancel" to pick a different title.

2.4 Example Questions

This document discusses three question types: Question Designer, Maple-
graded, and List. You are guided through the process of designing a simple
multiple choice question using the Question Designer, followed by editing the
previous question to incorporate randomly-determined parameters. You will
also learn how to insert 2-D math in your question. Creating a Maple-graded
question, inserting plots into the Maple-graded question, and a creating List
question will also be discussed.

The Question Designer

The Question Designer provides a flexible and extensible format for creating
free response questions that can include multiple response cells. These
questions are similar to multipart questions in that they provide a shell
structure in which to embed other questions.

The Question Designer is an authoring environment as familiar as your word

processor. Using the Question Designer, you enter question text and the
correct answers wherever they should appear. Many formatting options such
as bold, italics, and fonts are available through the text editor icons. You can
also insert images, tables, or links to other file resources. For information on
uploading files, see Uploading Files on page 53.

When you are satisfied with the appearance of the question, you define
answer regions or Response Areas, and then apply grading and other
 2.4 Example Questions • 13

behaviors. Like all questions in Maple T.A., you can insert algorithmic
variables and inline math expressions as required.

Figure 2-E Question Designer

From the Question Designer you can launch the Response Area window,
which allows you to define the question type, weighting, grading behaviors,
display behaviors, and correct answers. You can define additional behaviors
according to the individual question mode you select. Additionally, you can
add feedback, algorithms, hints, and solutions.

At the top of the Question Designer is the toolbar which includes the unique
Insert/Edit Response Area button that you use to activate the Response
Areas defined in your question.

Figure 2-F Insert/Edit Response Area

The Question Designer supports the following question types:

• Formula Question Types: Formula, Formula Mod C, Restricted Formula,

Equation, Vector of Formulas, and Chemical Equation
14 •

• Maple-graded Question Types: Formula and Maple Syntax

• Multiple Choice, Non-permuting Multiple Choice (displayed horizontally
or vertically)
• Numeric Question Types: With and without required unit dimensions
• List Questions, including text or menu input styles, exact or relaxed
graders, multiple correct or incorrect responses can be specified, partial
credit can be defined for each response
• Essay Question
The following provides instruction for creating a simple multiple choice
question using the Question Designer. In addition, navigating, previewing,
and enhancing the appearance of a question are discussed. The following
procedure assumes you have completed the instructions in Add a Topic.

Multiple Choice Question using the Question Designer

To use the Question Designer:

1. In the left column, select Add a question.

2. In the Question Bank Editor>Add Question window, select the Question
Designer question type from the Question Type drop-down list. See
“Question Bank Editor>Add Question Screen” on page 10.
3. Enter “Multiple Choice” in the Question Description field.
4. Click Next. The Question Bank Editor opens the Question Designer.
5. In the Text of the question field, enter the following.
Question: What is 17 + 9 ?
 2.4 Example Questions • 15

6. Click the Insert/Edit Response Area button to launch the Edit

Response Area window.

Figure 2-G Edit Response Area

7. Select Multiple Choice in the left pane.

8. Select Permuting in the Permute Choices row.
9. Highlight and delete choice 1 and enter 26.
10.Highlight and delete choice 2 and enter 27.
11.Press Enter to display a third multiple choice option.
12.Enter 23 and click OK.
13.Click the radio button beside the correct answer to mark this answer as
correct and click OK.
16 •

14.Click Finish. The Question Bank Editor>Preview Question window

opens, displaying the question as it appears to the student.
Figure 2-H Multiple Choice Question Preview Window

To test and review your question:

1. In the Question Bank Editor>Preview Question window, select the
correct answer (26) and click Grade. The Preview Grade window opens. A
Correct icon is displayed along with your answer matching the correct
answer. Click OK to close this window and return to the Preview Question
window.
2. Again in the Preview Question window, select an incorrect answer (23)
and click Grade. The Preview Grade window opens. An Incorrect icon is
displayed along with your answer and the correct answer. Click OK to
close this window and return to the Preview Question window.
In the next example, the Multiple Choice question created in the previous
example is extended by specifying algorithmic variables, hints, solutions, and
feedback.

Multiple Choice Question with Randomly-Determined

Parameters
Specifying algorithmic variables allows you to generate a question that varies
each time you view it. Because values in the question are randomly
 2.4 Example Questions • 17

determined for each instantiation, students answer variations of the same

question.

Figure 2-I Question Bank Editor with Algorithm Example

To specify algorithmic variables:

Continuing with the Multiple Choice question.

1. In the Preview Question window, click Edit. The Add Question window
opens.
Note: This procedure will overwrite the first question and not create a new one.
2. In the Question Description field, change the description to “Multiple
Choice Enhanced”.
3. Click Next. The Question Designer window displays.
4. Select the Algorithm tab and click Edit.
5. Enter the following code in the text box.
$a=range(10);
$b=range(10);
condition:ne($a, $b);
$sum = $a + $b;
$product = $a*$b;
18 •

• The UDQJHQ function generates a random integer in the range 1,..., n

(inclusive). There are n numbers in that range. Hence, it is a selection of
one number from a choice of n.
• The FRQGLWLRQQHfunction ensures the two variables are not equal.
•  is required to indicate a variable.
• The question variables are set to D and E. These will range from 1 to 10.
The answer is set to VXP, which is the integer value of $a+$b.
• As this question is multiple choice, you must generate wrong answers to
be displayed alongside the correct answer. For variation, the wrong
answer variable SURGXFWis set to the randomly generated variable
D E.
• All lines end with a semicolon.
6. Click Save. The Question Designer window is displayed.
7. Select the Feedback tab and click Edit. The Edit Feedback window opens.
8. Enter the following text in the feedback text field.
The sum of $a and $b is $sum.
• As the instructor, you can choose to have this information shown to
students when they view their graded assignments.
9. Click Save. The Question Designer window is displayed.
10.You must now edit the text of the question and the answer choices to use
the variables. In the Text of the question field, replace
What is 17+9?
with 
What is $a + $b?
11.Double-click Edit below the multiple choice options and replace the
previous answers with the variables $sum and $product.
12.Delete the third option by clicking the Back Space key.
13.Click OK.
14.Ensure that the $sum variable is selected to be the correct answer.
15.Click OK to return to the Question Designer window.
16.Click Finish. The Preview Question window opens. Test the question by
selecting an answer and clicking Grade.
Note: Using the Question Designer, you can add feedback, algorithms, hints,
solutions, and information fields in the same interface as the question text as
illustrated in this example. You can also add these fields in the Add Question
screen by selecting Edit beside each field. See “Question Bank Editor>Add
Question Screen” on page 10. For all other question types, the Add Question
window is the only place to add these fields.
 2.4 Example Questions • 19

The following example provides instruction for creating a multiple choice

question using the question designer to determine a square root.

Multiple Choice Question Incorporating 2-D Math

1. In the left column, select Add a question.
2. In the Question Bank Editor>Add a question window, select the Question
Designer question type from the Question Type drop down menu.
3. Enter “Multiple Choice with 2-D Math” as a description in the Question
Description field.
4. Click Next. The Question Designer window displays.
5. In the Text of the question field, enter the following.
What is

6. Click the Sigma button, , to insert 2-D math. The Equation Editor
opens.
7. Right-click in the Equation Editor field. From the displayed palettes,
select a square root symbol. The symbol is displayed in the Equation
Editor.
Figure 2-J Equation Editor

8. Replace the “a” in the square root with 144 and click Ok. The square root
of 144 is now displayed in the text region in the Question Designer.
9. Click the Insert/Edit Response Area icon.
10.Select Multiple Choice in the left pane.
11.Select Permuting in the Permute Choices row.
12.Enter 12, 14, 72, 13, and 15 as possible answers, one for each field.
13.Click OK.
20 •

14.Click the radio button beside the 12 to mark this as the correct answer
and click OK.
15.Click Finish. The Question Bank Editor>Preview Question window
opens, displaying the question as it appears to the student.
Figure 2-K Multiple Choice Question Incorporating 2-D Math Preview

Maple-Graded Question
The Maple-graded question type uses Maple to evaluate a student response
and to render a plot of the student’s response. The Maple-graded question
type gives you access to the computational power of Maple. It includes
facilities for algebra, calculus, differential equations, discrete mathematics,
graphics, numerical computation, and many other areas of mathematics.

You can also use Maple to create questions whose responses require sets,
differential equations, unevaluated integrals, and many other types of
mathematical data. You can find common errors and reward partial marks.

With the Maple-graded question type, you also have access to the plotting
capabilities of Maple. You can use Maple to plot a student response during the
test (or a function derived from a student response, for example, the definite
integral of the student response) for a Maple-graded question type or display a
plot for any question type.

You must adhere to these guidelines when using Maple code for Maple-graded
questions.

• A Maple-graded question must use valid Maple code to evaluate the

answer. Complete each line of code with a semicolon. For information on
Maple code, refer to your Maple system documentation.
• The grading code must evaluate to a Boolean value or a floating-point
number between 0 and 1.
• Use the long form name for all package commands, for example,
9HFWRU&DOFXOXV>$UF/HQJWK@.
 2.4 Example Questions • 21

• Maplet applications are not accessible in Maple T.A.

Figure 2-L Question Bank Editor, Maple-Graded Question

To create a Maple-graded question:

1. Click Add a question to create a new question in a topic.
The Question Bank Editor> Add Question window opens.
2. From the Question Type drop-down menu, select Maple-graded.
3. In the Question Description field, enter “Differentiation”.
4. Click Next.
5. Enter the text of the question field:
Differentiate sin(x) * x
6. Enter Maple code that evaluates to the correct answer:
diff(sin(x)*x, x);
22 •

7. The following Maple code to grade the student response is provided

automatically:

evalb(($RESPONSE)- ($ANSWER)=0);

$RESPONSE is a system variable that corresponds to the response the

student entered when completing the question and $ANSWER refers to the
correct answer you entered in step 6.
8. By default, the Maple-graded question type accepts Formula expressions.
In Maple-graded Formula question types, students can enter a math
formula, that is, an expression constructed of numbers, variable names,
and the standard arithmetic expressions and functions. The student must
not use Maple commands in the response. The instructor must write code
such that the student does not have to use a trailing semicolon in the
response. For details, refer to the Maple T.A. Help system
9. Scroll to the top of the page and click Finish.
10.Enter the correct answer, cos(x)*x+sin(x), and click Grade.

Plotting the Student’s Response Using the Maple-graded question type,

you can generate a plot of the student’s response. This allows students to
visually check their response before proceeding.

To plot the student’s response:

1. Click Edit, and then Next. The Question Bank Editor>Edit
Question>Maple Graded window opens.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the question. Using a standard plot command in
Maple, enter the student’s response as well as the derivative of the
question. If the student is correct, the plot region will display a plot with a
single curve. In the Plotting field, enter:
plot([$RESPONSE, diff(sin(x)*x, x)], x=-10..10);

$RESPONSE is a system variable that corresponds to the student’s response.

3. Scroll to the top of the screen and click Finish.
4. Test the question by entering a response and selecting the Plot link. The
plot is displayed in a separate window.

Inserting a Maple Plot in the Question Feedback You can also insert a
Maple generated plot in the question text, hints, or answer of any type of
question.
 2.4 Example Questions • 23

To insert a Maple plot as an algorithmic variable:

1. Click Edit to edit the current question.
2. Click the Add button in the Algorithm section.

3. Enter the following:

$plot1=plotmaple(“plot(sin(x)*x, x=-10..10)”);
4. Click Save. You can use the algorithmic variable $plot1 to display the
Maple plot in all question types anywhere algorithmic variables can be
used, i.e. in the question text, hints, and feedback.
5. Click the Add button in the Feedback section.
6. Enter the following:
A plot of the expression is $plot1.
7. Click Save.

Apply Partial Grading to Maple-graded Questions You can modify Maple-

graded questions to allow grading between 0.0 and 1.0 for part marks.

The following is a simple application of partial marks. In solving 3x+6=12 for

x, students may add 6 to 12 instead of subtracting it. If they made this error,
but divided by 3 properly, they would get a result of 6. In this case, the
instructor can give them half marks by using the grading code shown below.

Text for the question Solve for x in the following equation: 3x+6=12
Maple code that solve(3*x+6=12,x);
evaluates to the
correct answer
Maple code to grade if ($RESPONSE=6) then 0.5 else
the student response evalb($RESPONSE- ($ANSWER)=0) end if;

List Question using the Question Designer

To create a List question:

1. Click Add a question to create a new question in a topic.
The Question Bank Editor> Add Question window opens.
2. In the Question Bank Editor>Add Question screen, select the Question
Designer from the Question Type drop-down list.
3. Enter “List” as a description in the Question Description field.
24 •

4. Click Next. The Question Designer window opens.

5. In the Text in the question panel, enter the following question.
Who introduced the Arabic number system to Europe?
6. Click the Insert/Edit Response Area button to launch the Edit Response
Area.

Figure 2-M Insert/Edit Response Area button

7. In the Choose Question Type area, click List.

Figure 2-N List Question Type using the Question Designer

8. The default Matching Type is set to Exact text match which applies strict
grading, case-sensitive, literal string-matching as your grading more. To
invoke a less stringent grader that ignores case sensitivity and
punctuation, select Ignore case text match. The List mode also provides a
 2.4 Example Questions • 25

regular expression-matching grader, useful for customization of the

grading routine. These fields are applicable when the Display mode is set
to Text Field, which presents students with a blank response area. For
this example, select Drop-down Menu. Ensure the Permute list check box
is selected.
9. Enter answer choices in the Item fields. To add additional items, click the
Add Item button.
10.As you add possible answers, the system assigns them a credit value of
“0.0” in the right column. Additional answers are graded as fully correct
(“1”) or partially correct answers (with any value between 0 and 1
assigned). Edit the weight for Leonardo Fibonnaci and enter 1.0.
11.Click OK to exit the Edit Response Area window.
12.Click Finish to exit the Edit Response Area window.
13.Click the Finish button at the top of the Question Designer. The Question
Bank Editor displays the question as it is viewed by students.

Numeric Question using the Question Designer

1. In the Question Bank Editor>Add Question screen, select the Question
Designer from the Question Type drop-down list.
2. Enter “Question Designer Numeric” as a description in the Question
Description field.
3. Click Next. The Question Designer opens.
4. In the blank text area, enter the following question.
Round 2.76789m to three significant digits.
5. Click the Insert/Edit Response Area button (Check mark symbol) to
launch the Edit Response Area window.
6. In the Choose Question Type area, select Numeric.
7. Enter the correct answer “2.77” in the Numeric Part field.
8. Click the blank field next to the Units Part field and enter a required unit
dimension for the correct answer (in this case, m for meters.) If you do not
enter a required unit dimension, the system displays only a single
response cell that accepts only numbers for student answers. If you do
enter a required unit dimension, students are presented with two cells:
one for the number part and one for the unit dimension. The student must
enter correct values in both cells to receive full marks for the question.
9. To set the margin of error, click the Required with drop-down menu,
which is set to Absolute Accuracy by default.
You can specify absolute precision (student answers must match the
defined answer exactly), or a significant figure precision for an exact
answer match.
26 •

10.Modify the tolerance by choosing one or more of the numeric formatting

options. The available options are Absolute Accuracy, Set # figures,
Margin of error, Margin in n’th digit, and Percentage margin.
11.Click OK and then Finish to save and preview the question.

Equation Editor

You can enter symbolic math in any question type. In the Add Question Text
window, (this window usually displays after the Question Bank Editor> Add
Question window for each question type), click the Sigma symbol in the
toolbar. The Equation Editor dialog opens. Right-click (Control-click for
Macintosh) to access the palettes.

Figure 2-O Enter Symbolic Math

2.5 Editing an Installed Question Bank

As the need arises, you can edit your installed question banks to update your
assignments and change your questions.

To open an installed question bank:

1. From the Class Homepage, click Content Manager and select Question
Banks.
2. From the Question Bank list, click the name of the question bank to open
for editing.
3. Proceed with editing as required.
 2.6 Downloading a Question Bank • 27

4. When you have completed editing, save the question bank. From the
Actions menu click Save Question Bank.
When saving an updated version of a question bank, you can:

• Replace the previous version by using the same name. New assignments
that reference the previous version are automatically edited to use the
updated questions from the new version.
• Keep both versions by using a new name. Assignments that reference the
previous version continue to use the previous versions of the questions. To
use the new questions, create new assignments or edit old assignments to
reference the updated question bank.

2.6 Downloading a Question Bank

Backing up a Question Bank to Your Hard Drive
The process in this document outlined the creating, editing, and installing of a
question bank. While editing a question bank, it is recommended that you
install the question bank or back up your work by downloading to your hard
drive regularly.

To back up a question bank by downloading to your hard drive:

1. From the Question Bank List, select a Question Bank.
2. From the Actions menu, select Export Question Bank. The File Download
dialog opens.
3. The question bank is listed with the temporary name WHVWEDQNTX. Click
Save. In the Save As dialog, navigate to a suitable directory and enter a
question bank name. Click Save. The file is saved with the TX extension.
4. A message is displayed indicating the download is complete. Click Close.

Opening a Question Bank Downloaded to Your Hard Drive

You can import the saved question bank file (plain-text script file), and then
continue editing or install it in your class.

To open a question bank file that was downloaded to your hard drive:
1. From the Class Homepage, click Content Manager and select Question
Banks.
2. Click Import.
28 •

3. To locate your file, click Browse.

4. Navigate to the source file on your hard drive and click Open. The path
and filename are displayed in the Question bank field.
5. Click Import. The topics are displayed in the left panel of the Question
Bank Editor.
6. Save your imported question bank. From the Actions menu, select Save
Question Bank.
When you upload a question bank file into the system, it performs a set of
validation routines to ensure that the questions function. Occasionally, you
may encounter an error with a variable name or definition upon uploading.
The following is a summary of the system’s analysis of variables upon initial
loading of a question bank file.

• For variables displayed within HTML text, for example, in a question

statement or feedback, a problematic variable does not produce a data
value generated from its definition. Instead its variable name is displayed,
highlighted in red.
• For variables appearing in non-displayed field parameters, for example,
the answer to a question, the variables $ANSWER and $RESPONSE
default to 0. All others have the variable name passed.
3 Assignments

3.1 Overview
Assignments are created by selecting questions from question banks. The
assignments you create can be organized such that Maple T.A. reorders
questions, generates questions (based on a range of variables you define in the
question bank), or displays a subset of questions. Each student viewing your
assignment can potentially complete a unique set of questions.

Figure 3-A The Relationship between Question Banks and Assignments

The Assignment Editor allows you to create new assignments, edit the
content, properties, and appearance of existing assignments, delete
assignments, and change the order of existing assignments.

29
30 •

Assignment Editor Main Menu

From the Class Homepage, click Content Manager and select Assignments.
From the Assignment Editor main window, you can:

• Click New to create a new assignment.

• Reorganize the order of displayed assignments using the numbered list
beside each assignment.
• Open assignments for editing by clicking the assignment name link.
To activate other options, hover your mouse over the assignment name. Six
option buttons are displayed.

• Edit assignments by clicking edit.

• Copy assignments by clicking copy.
• Delete assignments by clicking delete.
• Hide/show assignments from student view in the Class Homepage by
clicking hide/show.
• Print assignments. Clicking the print link displays the print preview of
the assignment. You then have the option to print the assignment or click
Back to return to the Assignment Editor.
• View a summary of the assignment by clicking summary.
Figure 3-B Assignment Editor

The Assignment Editor main menu lists assignments created for your class.
These assignments may be populated with a series of assignments based on
testing materials, or other shared question banks. If not, you initially see a
blank list here. For more information on shared classes, see Shared Classes on
page 53.
 3.2 Creating Assignments • 31

Warnings and Locking Mechanism

When an assignment is opened for edit, the system checks and warns the
instructor whether the assignment has associated student records in the
Gradebook or is currently in use by a student.

Note: The number of students currently using the assignment is displayed in the
Active field of the Assignment Editor main menu.
• If the assignment is currently in use, the questions in the assignment are
locked so that an instructor cannot edit them. You can edit some of the
policies of the assignment like the time limit for example.
• If the assignment is not currently active, the assignment is locked for
editing so that new active tests cannot be started during the editing
process. Students who try to start the assignment while it is locked are
notified with a warning message.

3.2 Creating Assignments

The Assignment Editor organizes assignment creation into a four step
process.

• Naming your assignment

• Selecting questions
• Establishing rules and policies
• Reviewing, finishing, and publishing assignments to your class

To start a new assignment:

1. From the Assignment Editor screen, click New to begin a new
assignment. The Assignment Editor displays four tabs: Choose Name,
Select Questions, Set Policies, and Review & Finish.
2. Proceed to the instructions in Naming Assignments.
32 •

3.3 Naming Assignments

The assignment name is displayed to students on the Class Homepage.

To name your assignment:

1. In the Choose Name tab, enter a name for your assignment in the
Choose A Name For Your Assignment field.
2. Optional. Click the Advanced button. Add assignment-level page headers
and text for the results page in the appropriate fields.
3. Proceed to the instructions in Selecting Questions.

3.4 Selecting Questions

The Select Questions tab of the Assignment Editor allows you to select
questions (individually or as a group) from question banks, assign question
weighting, scramble the sequence of delivery, and merge individual questions
to form specific question groups.

To select questions from question banks:

1. In the Assignment Editor, click the Select Questions tab.
2. From the Question Bank list, select a source question bank.
3. If required, expand the topic lists and select the questions you want from
the list on the left using the check boxes. Click the Add button after
selecting a question or complete the selection process and click the Add As
Items button. In either case, individual questions are added to your
assignment.
4. Optional. To add a selection of items as a group, select questions using the
check boxes. Click Add As Group to include them as a pool of questions
within your assignment.
5. Optional.
• Change the default question weighting (one point per question) to match
your requirements.
• Select Scramble questions to randomly order the questions when
assignments are created.
• Reorder questions within your assignment by using the drop-down lists.
• Merge individual selected questions to form new question groups in your
assignment.
6. Proceed to the instructions in Setting Policies.
 3.5 Setting Policies • 33

Individual Versus Grouped Questions

Individual Questions If you add selected questions to your assignment as
individual questions, each one is included in every version of the assignment
served to a student, and you control question weighting individually.

Question Groups Adding questions in question groups provides you with

the added option of selecting a group of questions and having the system
select from the questions at random, according to criteria you specify (for
example, choosing three of seven questions from the group each time a new
assignment is created for a student). You set a single point value that is
applied to every question in the group.

3.5 Setting Policies

In the Set Policies tab of the Assignment Editor window, you can:

• Select the type of assignment

• Set feedback options for the assignment
• Decide when to make it available to your class
• Establish other grading policies
34 •

Figure 3-C Assignment Editor, Set Policies Tab

Assignment Types
Assessment Type Assignments You can create graded assessments
(Homework or Quiz and Proctored Exam), ungraded practice tests
(Anonymous Practice), or assignments with set criteria (Mastery and
Study Session). You can configure the number of questions on a page, create
test instruction sheets and headers, and set policies for restricted access,
repeated attempts, and other options.

Students answer questions one page at a time, and the system records their
responses between pages. Jumping from question to question within an
 3.5 Setting Policies • 35

assignment is allowed until students complete all questions (or choose to

ignore the warnings to do so) and submit their responses for automatic
grading.

Homework or Quiz assignments have the following format.

• Students are presented with an assignment consisting of any number of

instructor-selected questions.
• Questions are delivered either in an instructor-specified or random
sequence.
• Student responses during sessions are recorded (but not graded) after
every question, so assignment sessions can be interrupted and continued
upon next login.
• Students must be registered in the class and logged in to begin a
Homework or Quiz assignment.
• By default, Homework or Quiz assignments can be attempted multiple
times for credit. To limit the number of attempts a student can make on a
particular assignment, use Assignment Properties of the Set Policies tab
in the Assignment Editor.
• Results for every attempt at a Homework or Quiz assignment are recorded
in the Gradebook for the class.
Proctored Exams are similar to Homework or Quiz assignments, but with
an additional security measure to confirm the identity of the student taking
the test. All Proctored Exams require a proctor to authorize students
submitting their test for grading. You can require proctor authorization to
validate student identity and grant assignment access at the start of a
proctored exam. Students must be registered in your class. They are required
to provide their student login and password to access assignments in addition
to proctor authorization.

There are two types of proctors: Global and Local.

• Global proctors are defined by the System Administrator and can give
authorization for any class.
• Local proctors are defined by the Instructor and can only give
authorization for a particular class. To set up a local proctor, navigate to
the Class Homepage. From the Actions menu, select User Manager.
From Actions menu, select Register Users. In the User Role row, select
the Proctor radio button. Select, or search for, a user from the list of
registered users and click Register.
Proctors can give authorization directly, at the student's computer, or
remotely through the Proctor Tools menu. In both cases, the proctor must
sign in by giving a login name and password. To give authorization remotely,
36 •

the proctor must login, select the class and from the Actions menu, select
Proctor Tools.

Anonymous Practice assignments are similar to Homework or Quiz

assignments; however, the students results are not recorded. Any number of
questions can be included, and the assignment is delivered in an instructor-
specified sequence (or scrambled). Graded assignment reports are produced
upon conclusion of the assignment, but results are not recorded in the
Gradebook. Students can view their results at the end of the session; no
permanent record is maintained. Results can be printed, but are only
available for as long as a student displays them.

Study Session and Mastery These assignments usually draw from a large
pool of assignment material (often algorithmically generated to produce
limitless question permutations). The instructor chooses the questions to
include and sets criteria for mastery assignments.

Assignments are delivered one-question-at-a-time, and the student submits

each question for grading individually and immediately, instead of having the
entire test graded at the end.

Mastery and Study Session assignment types emphasize the following

pedagogical approaches.

• For Mastery assignments, instructors create carefully structured

collections of questions grouped by learning objectives. Mastery
assignments require a login and password, and results are recorded in the
Gradebook. The default delivery is in sequential order.
• For Study Sessions, students control the study process by practicing
question after question. You can provide hints and full solutions for
questions to students while they work. Results are displayed one question
at a time and are not recorded in the Gradebook.
For assignment attributes, see the following table.
 3.5 Setting Policies • 37

Table 1: Assignment Types

Student
Assignment Recorded in Hints Solutions
Graded Registered in
Type Gradebook Available Available
Class

Anonymous yes no yes yes no

Practice

Homework/ yes yes yes yes no

Quiz

Mastery yes yes yes yes no

Proctored yes yes yes yes no

Exams

Study Session yes no yes yes yes

Setting the Assignment Type

To set the assignment type:

1. Select one of the options in the Type of Assignment group box in the Set
Policies tab of the Assignment Editor. Homework or Quiz is the system
default assignment type.
2. For any assignment type, you can click the Advanced button to set
prerequisite conditions.
If you select Mastery assignment type, by default, questions are organized in
sequential order. To specify additional criteria for your assignment, click the Edit
mastery policies link. For details, refer to the Set Mastery Policies help page in
the Maple T.A. Help system.

Assignment Feedback
You can specify the type and timing of assignment feedback displayed to
students.

Note: You can allow access to question hints (if they exist) in any assignment
type. If you choose to display hints and comments but your source questions
(from the Question Bank) do not include them, the system ignores the display
settings.

To set assignment feedback:

• To display hints during an assignment, select the Show hints check box.
• To display the final grade after the assignment is graded, select the Show
the final grade check box.
38 •

• During the assignment, you can display the correct answer or a comment
for each question. Select from Always, If correct, If incorrect, or Never
condition options for displaying the correct answer or question comment.
• After the assignment is graded, you can display the correct answer or a
comment for each question. Select from Always, If correct, If incorrect, or
Never condition options for displaying the correct answer or question
comment.
• The program can send you an email whenever a student completes the
assignment in Homework and Proctored Exam mode, giving the name of
the student and the result. To receive email notification, select the Send
email reports to check box and enter your email address.
Note: To use this feature, your system administrator must have an SMTP server
configured.
• You can restrict feedback so that feedback details are not displayed until a
certain date. Click the Restrict Feedback check box and click the calendar
icon to choose a date.

Assignment Properties
In the Assignment Properties dialog, you can set:

• Passing score
• Time limit
• Number of questions on a page
• Maximum number of times an assignment may be taken
Setting a Passing Score If you select the Practice, Homework, or Proctored
Exam assignment types, you can set a passing score for the assignment. If you
set a score, the system assesses each assignment attempt as either Pass or
Fail, and records this information in the Gradebook automatically. You can
customize the pass/fail feedback clicking the Edit Feedback Messages link.
The field shows the total available score for the assignment (for example, out
of 10), which varies according to the composition of your assignment.

Setting a Time Limit If you select Homework or Proctored Exam assignment

types, you can set a time limit for the test. If you set a limit, the program
shows the student the time remaining during the course of the test. If the time
limit expires during the test, the system informs the student, and does not
allow the student to enter responses to any more questions.

Note: The timer does not stop until the student runs out of time or clicks Grade.
The timer will continue to run even if the student has clicked Quit and Save.
Setting the Number of Questions per Page By default, the program
displays one question per page when presenting an assignment to students.
 3.5 Setting Policies • 39

You can use this option to deliver more than one question per page. If you
have used question annotations and set the annotations to display at the top
or the bottom of the page in which the question is loaded, your annotations
appear as a page-level header or footer (rather than immediately before or
after the question).

Note: Mastery and Study Session assignments automatically serve one question
at a time. This is part of their instructional design and this setting cannot be
changed for these assignment types.
Tip: If you are concerned about a student’s ability to assess complicated
questions over a slower online connection, it is recommended that you accept the
default setting for questions per page (which is one-at-a-time). Loading one
question at a time usually allows a student to move through the assignment
effectively, but also saves each question response as it is completed.
Setting the Maximum Number of Attempts For Homework and Proctored
Exam assignments, you can set the maximum number of times a student can
take an assignment. If the student attempts more than the maximum amount,
a message is displayed indicating the restriction. If the assignment is a
Proctored Exam, the student can click the Exception button displayed in the
restriction message screen. A proctor can then provide authorization.

Scheduling Assignments
Using the calendar function in the Scheduling dialog, you can set Start and
End times for each assignment. These times govern the availability of the
assignment to students accessing your Class Home Page. Scheduled times
refer to your server clock and system’s time zone set by your System
Administrator.

Before and after the indicated availability window, the assignment is still
displayed in the assignment list viewable by students on your Class Home
Page, but it cannot be selected. Note that unavailable assignments appear in
the list of assignments on the Assignment Editor Main Menu page.
Additionally, unavailable assignments will appear in the student’s past
results page, if the student completed them.

Assignment Visibility
• Optional. By default, the Visible check box is selected. Clear this check
box to temporarily exclude the assignment from the list of assignments
displayed to students on your Class Home Page. Or, in the Assignment
Editor main menu, click the hide option available on mouse rollover of the
assignment name. See Assignment Editor Main Menu on page 30.
40 •

3.6 Reviewing and Saving Assignments

In the Review & Finish tab of the Assignment Editor, you can review
assignment summary information, including:

• Assignment Type
• Questions Selected
• Scheduled Availability
• Rules and policies you established

To change settings in your assignment:

1. In the Review & Finish tab, click the highlighted link in the category to be
changed.
2. A prompt appears asking whether to return to the tab where the option is
set. Click OK. The appropriate Assignment Editor tab opens.
3. Make changes and return to the Review & Finish tab.

Finishing an Assignment

To accept and publish the assignment you have created or modified:

• Click Finish in the Review & Finish tab. You are returned to the
Assignment Editor list of assignments for your class, where your new
assignment is displayed in the list of all class assignments.

Assignment Status
Consider the following information regarding your assignment status.

• If you have scheduled the assignment for immediate availability, your

new assignment is available for students in the Class Homepage.
• The system does not save partially completed assignments until you click
Finish in the Review & Finish tab of the Assignment Editor. If you begin
to create an assignment and then abandon it without clicking Finish, your
additions and changes are lost. If you need to leave the Assignment Editor
without finishing the assignment, it is recommended that you mark the
assignment as hidden so that students cannot access it. Hide assignments
from student view in the Class Homepage by hovering the mouse over the
assignment name in the class assignment list, and then clicking hide.
• If the server shuts down before you click the Finish button, your editing
changes will be lost. When the server restarts, it uses the last saved
version of your assignment data. To reduce the risk of this during long
assignment editing sessions, it is recommended that you periodically click
 3.7 Special Cases • 41

the Finish button, then select your assignment from the main Assignment
Editor list of assignments to start a new editing session.

3.7 Special Cases

Deleting Assignments
You can select and delete assignments in the main Assignment Editor
window. If there are grades associated with an assignment, and you rename
or delete the assignment, a copy is made. Also, results continue to be available
through individual student records. To learn more about the Gradebook, see
Chapter 4: Gradebook on page 43.

Shared Assignments: Saving Your Changes

The following information refers to shared assignments. You may want to
return to this section after reading Shared Classes on page 53.

When you complete changes (by clicking Finish in the Review & Finish tab) in
a shared assignment and change the Assignment Name, your copy of the
assignment automatically appears in the Assignment List of the Assignment
Editor Main Menu.

Your assignment appears under its new name in the Assignment List. Note
that the original assignment, inherited from the shared or template class, also
appears in the list.

If you do not want the original assignment to appear, remove it from view.

• In the Assignment Editor main menu, click the hide option available on
mouse rollover of the assignment name.
42 •
4 Gradebook

4.1 Overview
Maple T.A. automatically stores assignment session scores in the
Gradebook. The Gradebook stores information for each student, such as the
assignment start time, the time spent on the assignment, and the individual
assignment question performance.

The Gradebook allows you to:

• View, analyze, and report scores and statistics for students, assignments,
and question items
• Review and edit student results
• Create reports organized by student, assignment, or by question
• Export grades to comma-delimited, Microsoft® Excel, or XML files

To access the Gradebook:

• From the Class Homepage, click Gradebook and select Open.

4.2 Gradebook Views

The Gradebook provides three views of assignment data: by student, by
assignment, and by assignment item or question.

• To view the grades for an assignment, select an assignment in the search

panel and select Submit. The results are displayed below the Search and
View panels.

43
44 •

• To view summary statistics for each assignment, click the link to a

particular assignment in the student results table. From this view, you
can see summary statistics for each question on an assignment.
Figure 4-A Gradebook

Generating Reports
You can change assignment weighting, grades, or add comments from within
a generated report of an assignment or test.

To generate a report in the Gradebook:

1. In the Search Panel, select the assignment(s) to include in the report.
• To include more than one assignment, press the &75/ key and click the
assignments.
• To include all assignments, select All.
2. Specify the search criteria from the following options:
• Assignment Type - To specify a single type of assignment from Proctored,
Homework/Quiz, Mastery, and External.
• Show Results - To display results, for example, best or most recent.
• Completed/In Progress - To display only Completed, In Progress, or To Be
Reviewed assignments.
• Date Range - To specify date range. Assignments completed within that
date range will be included in the report.
 4.3 Student Statistics • 45

3. In the View Panel, select the data to include in the report from the
following options:
• Assignment - To display the date and time the assignment was started
and finished, the time required to complete, and the number of attempts.
• Student - To display student information, such as first and last name,
middle initial, login and password, email address, and student ID.
• Grade Style - To indicate presentation style for the grade.
• View Results for - To display statistics for student, proctors, or instructors
(multiple items can be selected simultaneously).
• List - To display all users, or only users with grades.
• Summary Data - To display the weightings information, number of
attempts and average number of attempts, total number of points, and
average score.
4. Click Submit to generate the report.

4.3 Student Statistics

Figure 4-B Student Statistics

From the generated report, you can view a student record report, change the
weighting for assignments, and change grades.

To view a student record report, click on the first or last name of a student in
your generated report. The student record report contains the following
details about the student: login, email, student ID, number of completed
assignments, and number of active assignments. The student’s best and
46 •

average scores are displayed for each assignment, as well as the number of
attempts. The overall class best score, average score, and number of attempts
are displayed for comparison purposes, as well as the total points for the
assignment.

Additional information about each assignment session is displayed: start and

end time and date, and duration.

Assignment Weighting
To set weightings for each assignment, generate a report with the Weightings
option selected, and then click the Weighting link in the report. You can set
weighting for each assignment with respect to the cumulative grade for the
class. Enter the weighting for each assignment, with the total for all
assignments equal to 100%. You can Lock individual assignments to prevent
their weighting from being adjusted.

Additionally, you can change the total points of the assignment. If, for
example, one question was clearly too difficult in comparison to the rest of the
assignment, you can override the total points, making the assignment out of 9
instead of 10 points.

The Zero button sets all weightings to 0% and the Reset button resets the
weightings to the original settings.

Changing Grades
From a generated report, you can change a student’s grade. You may change a
student’s grade for several reasons:

• The system does not automatically grade essay questions, so you must
enter a grade for any essay questions included in your assignment.
• You might choose to raise a student’s grade based on effort, improvement,
or other subjective measures.
• You might choose to apply a curve, based on the performance of the entire
class.
 4.3 Student Statistics • 47

Figure 4-C Student Record

To change a student grade:

1. In the resulting report, click the student name. The student record opens
as shown in Figure 4-C.
2. Beside each assignment is a link called Details. Click this link to display
the assignment results.
3. Edit the grade in the New Grade field.
4. Optional. Add comments in the Comment on Grade box. These comments
are strictly for your records; they are not visible to the student.
5. Optional. Add comments in the Instructors Comment box. Students see
these comments when they review their performance on the test. You can
add personalized comments to help individual students understand their
scores and master the material.
6. Click Update at the top of the page.
7. Click Submit to regenerate the statistical information.
48 •

4.4 Assignment Statistics

From the generated report, you can view details about the assignments.

To view assignment details, click on one of the assignment links at the top of
the student report table.

Figure 4-D Assignment Link

The following details are displayed: original and current total points, date last
modified, class average, number of attempts, average number of attempts,
and number of active assignments. Details about the assignment setup are
displayed as well. A histogram of the assignment statistics are provided.

The student report table now displays the students’ performance on each
question in the assignment. Click on a question in the table to display
the details of the question.

Figure 4-E Assignment Statistics

 4.5 Item Statistics • 49

4.5 Item Statistics

The system collects statistical data on the questions used in your
assignments. It can automatically produce various statistical analyses based
on item usage and student performance.

View item statistics by clicking on the Item Statistics link below the Search
Panel. Statistical information for each question includes the success rate, p-
Value, d-Value, number of times the question was answered, the number of
times the question was answered correctly and incorrectly, and if any partial
marks were given.

Additionally, for non-permuting, non-algorithmic multiple choice questions a

chart is automatically displayed with the frequency each choice was selected.

The following is a sample report covering a single assignment.

Figure 4-F Item Statistics

4.6 Add External Assignment

The Gradebook gives you the ability to add the marks of an assignment that is
not in the system. To add the marks of an external assignment:

• From the Class Homepage, click Gradebook and select Add External
Assign.
• Enter the assignment name, total points, and a passing score in the
appropriate fields.
• Enter a score for each student and, optionally, a comment.
• Click Save to finish, or Save & Add Another, to add another external
assignment.
External assignments are displayed in the gradebook with other assignments.
50 •
5 Class Management

5.1 Overview
Various system tools enable you to manage your class and exchange course
material between your class and others with Maple T.A. You can perform the
following tasks.

• Register and manage proctors for your course

• Edit your instructor profile
• Lock or unlock access to student registration for your class
• Share your assignments and question banks with other instructors
• Work with files on your class Web site
• Create and deploy course modules
In this chapter, the following topics are covered.

• Class Roster
• Uploading files to your class Web site
• Shared classes
• Course modules

5.2 Class Roster

Before the Gradebook can begin tracking student performance, it must have a
student roster. You can create a roster by:

• Uploading a roster.
• Allowing students to register themselves for your course.

51
52 •

Uploading a Class Roster

You can upload a class roster from your Class Homepage. The system uploads
a comma-separated file (for example, *.csv) that has one line for each student
and has the following format:

first name, middle initial, last name, student ID, email address, login,
password

• The fields that are underlined are required.

• First Name must be at least one alphabetical character.
• Middle Initial must be no more than one alphabetical character.
• Last Name must be at least one alphabetical character.
• Student ID must be at least five alphanumeric characters
• Login and password are optional, but if a login is provided for a student, a
password must also be provided.
• If no login is provided the system generates a login and password, which is
displayed on the next page. You must print this page. If it is not printed,
the automatically generated login and passwords will be lost.
• If you have a null required field, for example, the student did not provide a
middle initial, use two consecutive delimiters.

To upload a class roster:

Important: Create your class roster as a text file and save it.
1. From the Class Homepage, click Actions and select Administer Users.
From the Actions menu, select Upload Roster.
2. To locate your class roster, click Browse. Navigate to the file and click
Open.
3. Click Submit. A list of each student’s name, ID, and email is displayed.
4. Click Upload Roster. A roster upload summary is displayed.

Student Registration
Students can register for your class using the Find classes open for
registration link on the System Homepage. The student selects the class he
or she wants to enroll in, and clicks Register. The student then clicks Confirm
and must complete the form on the Student Registration screen. You can lock
access to this form of registration from your class homepage. From the
Actions menu, select Class Info, click Edit and select the Registration Locked
check box.
 5.3 Uploading Files • 53

5.3 Uploading Files

In conjunction with your Class Homepage, your class also has a Web site
folder on the system that you can use to store images and other resource
material (such as Maple library files) used in your question banks. The
Website Editor provides a list of the Web site content and gives you options for
uploading, organizing, and deleting files.

To manage files on your class Web site:

• From your Class Homepage, click the Content Manager menu, and select
Website Editor.
You can upload multiple resource files to your class Web site if you package
them in a compressed zip file first. The Zip Archive option is useful if you have
many files to upload.

To upload a file:
1. Click the icon next to the instruction upload files(s) to this point...
The Website Editor/Upload Files screen is displayed.
2. Click Browse to locate and select the file.
3. Click the Single File or Zip Archive radio button. The system uploads the
file directly to your class Web site, with the name you specify. (The default
name is the name of the file on your computer.) In the case of a zip file, the
program extracts all the files from the selected zip file and uploads them
to the Web site. (If the selected file is not a zip file, the program does not
upload a file.)
4. Click OK to perform the upload and return to the list of files on your Web
site. The uploaded file appears with the list of files in the Website Editor.
Important: The default maximum size of a file that can be uploaded is 2 MB. This
maximum size can be set in the Maple T.A. system.properties file. Contact your
system administer to adjust this size. If you receive a message informing you that
your upload exceeds the server limit, contact your system administrator.
Note: For maintenance and sharing purposes it is recommended that you create a
folder within the Website Editor and upload files to that folder. See Additional
Notes on page 59.

5.4 Shared Classes

You can share your question banks, resources, and assignments with other
instructors.
54 •

• Class sharing is an ideal way to manage multiple class sections of a large

course using common question banks and assignments, ranging from
practice sessions to exams.
• Shared classes can also contain unique question banks and assignments
that are not part of the parent class.
When you share a class, you create a single parent class whose question banks
and assignments are cloned. The question banks and assignments are
inherited by each child class instance created when registering a copy of the
parent.

Question banks and assignments inherited from a parent class are always
identified by the shared class icon, which appears beside the assignments and
question banks in the Assignment List and Question Bank List.

Figure 5-A Inherited Assignment Icon

Creating a Shared Class

To share the contents of your class with other instructors:

1. From the Class Homepage, click the Actions menu, click Class Info, and
select Edit.
2. Select the Featured Class check box.
3. Click Submit to save your changes.
 5.4 Shared Classes • 55

Other instructors can create a copy of your class, including your question
banks and assignments, by creating a new class and choosing your class from
the Inherit Content from list.

To remove class sharing:

1. From the Class Homepage, click the Actions menu, click Class Info, and
select Edit.
2. Clear the Featured Class check box.
3. Click Submit to save your changes.

Shared Class Content Updates

In general, changes to question banks or assignments in the parent class
automatically update the copies of the question banks or assignments in your
child classes. However, if you edit and then save your copies of the inherited
materials using their original names, you do not receive updates.

The following applies to changes you make to inherited question banks,

whether you make changes to them individually using the Question Bank
Editor or if you use Course Modules to make global changes that affect
inherited question banks. (Course Modules are described in the next section.)

You break the link to the parent class version of the question bank, if you:

• Edit a parent question bank and then Save it using the original name as
the parent class.
• Install a course module that has a new version of a question bank with the
same name as a question bank in the parent class.
To refresh the content of your class to match that in the parent class or to
restore the link to the parent class version of the content, you must do one of
the following:

• Save your new, edited question bank under a different name and then
delete the version that has the same (original) name as the original in the
parent class question bank.
• Delete the edited/modified version of the question bank.
The system automatically restores the parent class version of the matching
question bank.
56 •

Table 2: Editing and Naming Implications

Edits Link Status Results
No edits to Question Link maintained Changes from the
Bank and Assignments parent class are visible
in the child class
Edit a Question Bank Link maintained Changes from the
and save it under a new parent class are visible
name to the child class but do
not affect the edited,
child Question Bank
Edit a Question Bank Link is disabled Changes from the
and save it under the parent class are not
same name visible to the child class
Upload a course module Link is disabled Changes from the
containing a Question parent class are not
Bank with the same visible in the child class
name as one in the
parent class

5.5 Course Modules

Course Modules allow you to share your class content with others, including
related assignments and Web resources (for example, images) used by your
questions and assignments.

When you create a course module, the system packages the class elements you
have identified, producing a single, zip file that can be archived or
redistributed to other instructors using the system.

Once a course module is distributed and installed in a new class location, it

does not maintain any synchronization with the original source class or its
materials.

Note: Inherited content is not included in child class course modules.

 5.5 Course Modules • 57

Creating a Course Module

To create a new course module:

1. From the Class Homepage, click Content Manager and select Course
Modules.
2. Click Create.
A table displays all the question banks, assignments, and Web folders
with resources (for example, image files) for your class.
3. Select the course components to include in your new course module.
You can highlight multiple items in a list using 6KLIW-click (for contiguous
selections), &75/-click (for multiple individual selections), or Select All.
4. Use the arrow button to add your selections to the list of included
elements for your new course module.
You can include any combination of question banks, assignments, and
Web folders in your selected list.
5. To select Web resources (for example, images and other files that are
referenced by your question banks and assignments), select the folders
that contain your resources. Subfolders are automatically selected.
6. When you are satisfied that the list on the right contains all the elements
to include in your new course module, click OK.
7. Specify a name for your course module. Optionally, you can enter
descriptions for each course component. You can also select descriptive
names for any Web folders you have selected. Question bank and
assignment names cannot be changed.
8. Click OK to create your course module according to the specifications you
have indicated. Notice that the new course module is added to the bottom
of the list of installed course modules for your class.
Note: Click Cancel at any time to return to the Course Modules Main Menu.

Exporting a Course Module

This is a required step for redistributing or installing your course into a new
class.

To export a course module:

1. In the Course Modules main page, select the course module to save to
your local machine by selecting the check box adjacent to it in the list of
available modules in your class.
2. Click the Export button.
The next page displays the related URL information that is referenced in
the course module you have selected. The following message about the
URLs is displayed.
58 •

Your question banks are scanned for URLs beginning with the following strings.
These references are replaced with a system-independent string that makes your
module re-locatable to classes on other servers.
3. Click OK to continue. Typically you do not need to make changes to the
system default behavior for URL replacements.
4. Click the link to download the course module.
5. Click Return to return to the Course Module main page.
When the file download/save operation is complete, you are returned to the
Course Modules main menu.

Importing and Installing a Course Module

The advantage of using course modules to manage content between classes on
one or more Maple T.A. servers is that the question banks, assignments, and
Web resource folders are entirely portable and can be installed in a new class
very easily.

In the following discussion, the term destination class refers to the class in
which to install the course module and the term source class refers to the
originating class for the course module contents.

To install a new course module into the destination class:

1. Ensure that you have access to the saved course module from the source
class on your hard drive, a network drive, or an Internet resource.
2. Click the Import button from the Course Modules main menu.
3. To select a course module, click Browse.
4. In the Choose File dialog, select the course module file on your hard drive,
a network drive, or an Internet resource, and click Open.
Note: The course module file must be in original zip format.
5. Click Import to initiate the file upload.
Elements contained in your uploaded course for which names match
elements previously contained in your class are highlighted in yellow
background with red type, with a warning message:
WARNING: The course module you have uploaded contains resources which will
overwrite components that you already have installed. The components which will
overwrite your existing course components are highlighted in the table below. If
you do not want these course components erased and replaced with new ones,
press Cancel, or ensure that they are not selected in the table below. To proceed,
select the components that you want to install from the table below and press
Install.
 5.5 Course Modules • 59

6. At this point you can install the new components in your class,
overwriting the original components. You can also select or clear other
elements of the course module for installation into your class. The default
installation behavior is to install no course module elements; however, by
selecting individual parts, you can choose the specific elements to install.

Click Install to copy and install all the selected course module elements
into your destination class.

The new course module appears in the list of available course modules for
your class, and all of the elements you selected appear in their respective
areas throughout your class Web site. Question banks are listed in the
Question Bank Editor, assignments appear in the Assignment Editor, and
Web resources are displayed in the Website Editor.

Additional Notes
The base class Web site folder, ZHEBIROGHUV is the most common element that
is flagged as a duplicate. This is a common default destination for many Web
resources; however, because it is a folder name established for every course,
you may already have saved your own resources to the class Web site folder in
the destination course. If this is the case, you can either:

• Create a new subfolder in your destination class Web site and reinstall
your resources in that subfolder.
• If you have access to the source class for the course module, you can
return to the course module’s source class and move the resources in the
base folder of that class Web site to a subfolder, and then recreate the
course module so that it will not match with your destination class folders
upon upload.
Note: If you change the location of your resources, make sure to update the
reference to them in questions appropriately.
Ensure the following file and system requirements are met.

• The course module you upload must be in zip format.

• If you attempt to upload a zip file that is not a course module, the system
generates the following error message and you must make another
attempt:
This file does not appear to be a course module (it has no manifest file).
• Each server has a maximum file size setting for uploads that is
established by your system administrator. (The system default setting is
to allow uploads of up to 2 MB.) If your file upload repeatedly times out,
60 •

or if you receive a message informing you that your upload exceeds the
server limit, contact your system administrator.

Inheritance of Question Banks and Assignments

If you install a course module that has a new version of a question bank with
the same name as the question bank in the parent class, you permanently
break the link to the parent class version of the question bank.

To refresh the content of your class to match that in the parent class or restore
the link to the parent class version of the content, you must do one of the
following.

• Save your new, edited question bank under a different name.

• Delete the edited/modified version of the question bank.
The parent class restores the matching question bank automatically.

Note: If you modify question banks or assignments that you inherit from a shared
parent class, there is no risk that the parent class version will overwrite your
modified version, unless you specifically delete the modified question bank or
assignment from your child class. This means that if you make changes to the
inherited question banks or assignments and save them to the original name, your
changed versions sever the relationship with the parent asset and you will not
receive any future updates from the parent class automatically. Therefore, you
must inform the instructor in your shared parent class if you want to be notified of
changes to parent class question banks and assignments.
6 Additional Resources

6.1 Maple Application Center

The Maple Application Center™ contains free course modules and resources
for download. Many topics are covered, for example, vector spaces, symmetric
matrices, orthogonality and inner products, matrix algebra, optimization,
DEs, functions and relations, rational expressions, inner product spaces and
eigenspaces, and more.

To access Maple T.A. resources at the Maple Application Center:

1. In your browser, navigate to KWWSZZZPDSOHDSSVFRP.
2. Perform a search. Set the Application Type to “Maple T.A.” or a specific
resource you require, for example, “Maple T.A. Question Banks.”

61
62 •
Index

Symbols browser buttons

$ variable symbol, 18 navigating, 5

A C
adding changing grades, 46
question in question bank, 9 child class, 55, 60
algorithmic variables class
specifying, 17 create new, 3
assignment editor create shared class, 4
overview, 29 registration form, 4
vs. question bank, 29 Class Homepage, 2
assignments instructor use of, 2
course module inheritance, 60 links, 3
create new, 31 menu items, 3
deleting, 41 class management overview, 51
finishing, 40 class roster
introduction, 1 overview, 51
locked, 31 text file, 52
mastery, 36 uploading, 52
naming, 32 course module
saving, 40 creating, 57
shared, 41 exporting, 57
shared class inheritance, 60 file server requirements, 59
status, 40 installing, 58
study session, 36 overview, 56
types, 34 uploading, 58
assignment statistics creating
overview, 48 course module, 57
assignment tab Maple-graded question, 21
choose name, 32 shared class, 4, 54
review & finish, 40 D
select questions, 32
deleting
set policies, 33
assignments, 41
B destination class
Boolean value definition, 58
in Maple code, 20

63
 Index • 64

E question bank, 11
edit instructor
feedback, 18 logging on, 2
mastery policies, 37 item statistics
student information, 49 overview, 49
email notification, 38 M
example
Maple-graded question type
question types, 12
guidelines, 20
randomly determined parameters, 16
overview, 20
F Maple plot
feedback, 37–38 insert, 23
in question, 18 mastery assignment, 36
file maximum
maximum size, 53 attempts, 39
upload, 53 file size, 53
final grade, 37 merge questions, 32
finishing assignments, 40 multiple choice
advanced question, 14, 16
G
generating reports, 44 N
gradebook naming
add comments, 47 assignments, 32
add external assignment, 49 navigating, 5
edit student information, 49 crumb bar, 5
generating reports, 44 navigating, crumb bar, 5
overview, 43 new assignment, 31
graded assessments, 34 O
grouped questions, 33
online connection, 39
guidelines
opening
Maple code, 20
question bank on hard drive, 27
H P
headers
passing score
advanced button, 32
setting, 38
help system
plot
accessing, 5
insert, 23
hints
plot as algorithmic variable, 23
set in question bank, 37
plotting
HTML
student response, 22
in questions, 14
proctors
I introduction, 2
individual questions, 33 Q
inline questions
question bank editor
list question, 23
navigate to, 8
visual editor, 12
overview, 8
insert
Question Bank Editor>Add Question
plot, 23
Screen, 10
installing
question banks
course module, 58
adding a question, 9
65 • Index

adding a topic, 9 setting policies, 33

backing up, 27 shared class
course module inheritance, 60 creating, 54
importing, 27 removing, 55
introduction, 1 updates, 55
overview, 7 shared parent class, 60
process, 8 source class
saving & installing, 11 definition, 58
shared class inheritance, 60 students
starting new, 9 class homepage, 1
topics, 7 student statistics
question designer add comments, 47
introduction, 12 assignment weighting, 46
question types, 13 changing grades, 46
response area, 12 overview, 45
questions study session, 36
per page, 38 system homepage, 2
selecting, 32
question type
T
examples, 12 test and review question, 16
Maple-graded, 20 text file
class roster, 52
R time limit, 38
removing tool tips
shared class, 55 Main Menu, 2
requirements topic
course module, 59 in question banks, 9
response area, 12 types of assignments, 34
response area properties panel, 13
roster, 52
U
uploading
S class roster, 52
saving course module, 58
assignments, 40 issues with question banks, 28
course module, 57 procedure for class roster, 52
scheduling assignments, 39
scramble questions, 32
V
selecting variable symbol, 18
questions, 32 visual editor
semicolon overview, 12
in algorithmic variables, 18 W
in Maple-graded questions, 20 Website editor, 53
send reports, 38
set policies tab, 37
Index • 66