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webMathematica-based on-line learning system?

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg55675] webMathematica-based on-line learning system?
• From: Murray Eisenberg <murray at math.umass.edu>
• Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2005 01:28:05 -0500 (EST)
• Organization: Mathematics & Statistics, Univ. of Mass./Amherst
• Reply-to: murray at math.umass.edu
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

There are a bunch of "learning management systems" around.  Can anybody 
point me to one based upon webMathematica technology?

The sort of system I want would:

(0) allow platform-independent and browser-independent access, with the 
system itself preferably based on a Linux server;

(1) allow the instructor to arrange exams, quizzes, and homework 
assignments -- let's just call such things "units" below -- where the 
questions can be fill-in-the-answer as well as the more traditional 
multiple choice, matching, etc.;

(2) have built-in provision for automatic selection of problems from a 
pool based upon type of question, and for selection in which one or more 
parameters in a question can change (so that that different student 
don't get exactly the same question, and a single student doesn't get 
the same questions if s/he repeats the unit);

(3) allow the instructor to control the time permitted the student to 
respond to a question, and to control whether and how many times a unit 
can be retaken;

(4) based upon instructor criteria, would automatically evaluate answers 
and provide feedback, either instantaneous after each question or at the 
end of the unit (at the instructor's discretion), and then provide a 
score to the student; and

(5) record students' scores in a database and include provision for 
various reporting to the individual student and to the instructor both 
of the results on an individual unit and the entire group of units used 
over some time period.

I am equally interested in something still under development but close 
to being ready for market as in something already being sold.

Most interesting would be such a system that already has a database of 
calculus questions!

-- 
Murray Eisenberg                     murray at math.umass.edu
Mathematics & Statistics Dept.
Lederle Graduate Research Tower      phone 413 549-1020 (H)
University of Massachusetts                413 545-2859 (W)
710 North Pleasant Street            fax   413 545-1801
Amherst, MA 01003-9305