MSOR connections最新文献

{"title":"Automatic assessment of mathematical programming exercises with Numbas","authors":"Chris Graham","doi":"10.21100/msor.v21i1.1395","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21100/msor.v21i1.1395","url":null,"abstract":"As programming has become a common feature of undergraduate mathematics degrees, there has been an increasing focus on how to teach and assess the subject to mathematicians. The potential benefits of e-assessment of basic programming exercises have many parallels with assessment in mathematics where e-assessment tools are widely used: the chance to give instant feedback to students offers an opportunity to allow students to work at their own pace, accommodating the disparate background in programming that often exists in undergraduate mathematics cohorts. And the randomisation of question content not only offers a powerful tool for practice, with students able to repeat similar problems over and over, it also can offer some protection against plagiarism in a subject where, just like a solution to some mathematical problems, student answers to identical problems are likely to be very similar. This paper considers an extension to Numbas to automatically assess programming exercises and the successful implementation of the resource in undergraduate modules using the programming languages R and Python.","PeriodicalId":18932,"journal":{"name":"MSOR connections","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88890510","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correct for the wrong reason: why we should know more about Mathematical Common Student Errors in e-Assessment questions","authors":"Indunil Sikurajapathi, Karen Henderson, Rhys Gwynllyw","doi":"10.21100/msor.v21i1.1393","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21100/msor.v21i1.1393","url":null,"abstract":"Students may arrive at an incorrect answer when answering a mathematical question due to several reasons, such as random errors, calculation errors or misreading the question. Such errors are sometimes referred to as Common Student Errors (CSEs). This article explains why it is important to know more about Mathematical CSEs in e-Assessment questions, using several examples encountered while conducting the CSE Project at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol). The CSE Project at UWE Bristol began with an aim of developing a technique to detect CSEs and provide tailored feedback in e-Assessment questions delivered via Dewis, UWE Bristol’s in-house e-Assessment system.  In this research article, we present one important finding of this project that is related to the parameter selection(s) of e-Assessment questions which have at least one CSE.  We highlight why, in this digital era, it is more vital than ever to know more about mathematical CSEs.","PeriodicalId":18932,"journal":{"name":"MSOR connections","volume":"39 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76577177","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"“It’s so unfair” – Can we increase student perceptions of equity in the grading of group assessments by allowing them to declare a distribution of workload?","authors":"L. M. Shaw","doi":"10.21100/msor.v21i1.1376","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21100/msor.v21i1.1376","url":null,"abstract":"One of the most common complaints from students about taking part in group work is that the efforts of those who make the largest contribution are not rewarded fairly. One possible way to combat this is to allow students to agree on and declare a contribution split when submitting group projects, in the knowledge that their grades will be adjusted accordingly. We consider the results of a survey among students who have experienced group work graded both under this format and the standard “everyone in the group gets the same grade” approach. Quantitative analysis reveals that, in general, students may prefer the declaration of workload split approach. However, a closer analysis of free-text comments showed that feelings are often more nuanced than positive or negative. Students with social anxieties seem to be particularly conflicted by this method of assessment, with many reporting feelings of appreciation at the perception that their work is rewarded more fairly, concurrent with heightened stress and anxiety at the idea of approaching the conversation around workload split with their peers.","PeriodicalId":18932,"journal":{"name":"MSOR connections","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81534278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Using online STACK assessment to teach complex analysis: a prototype course design?","authors":"R. Gratwick, S. O'Hagan","doi":"10.21100/msor.v21i1.1394","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21100/msor.v21i1.1394","url":null,"abstract":"We describe a new course design, informed by our experience of the pandemic, that we think could be used in other high-level mathematics courses. The course’s main resource was a set of interactive STACK workbooks containing the course notes, automatically-marked comprehension and practice questions for self-assessment, and short videos of examples, calculations, and high-level motivation. This freed up synchronous class time to address conceptual understanding using interactive polling. We describe the course and discuss how it worked in practice.","PeriodicalId":18932,"journal":{"name":"MSOR connections","volume":"76 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81026428","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The sigma Accessibility Special Interest Group: Resources Update","authors":"Ruth Hand, C. Mac an Bhaird, Peter Mulligan, James O'Malley, Rachel O'Neill","doi":"10.21100/msor.v21i1.1370","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21100/msor.v21i1.1370","url":null,"abstract":"This article contains a short update on the work of the sigma Accessibility Special Interest Group. We announce the release of resources to assist mathematics tutors and coordinators with the support of mature students and those with dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia.  We provide a brief background to the development of these resources and describe their pilot in two institutions, one in England and the other in Ireland. We close with a description of the next stages of work for the special interest group and a call for additional people to get involved.","PeriodicalId":18932,"journal":{"name":"MSOR connections","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88927283","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gathering and Compiling Mathematical Common Student Errors in e-Assessment Questions with Taxonomical Classification","authors":"Indunil Sikurajapathi, Karen Henderson, Rhys Gwynllyw","doi":"10.21100/msor.v20i3.1345","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21100/msor.v20i3.1345","url":null,"abstract":"This article gives an overview of the interactive book called ‘Collection of Taxonomically Classified Mathematical Common Student Errors in e-Assessments (CSE Book)’ which has been produced as a result of the Common Student Errors Project (CSE Project) set at the University of the West of England, (UWE Bristol).  The process of creating this CSE Book is discussed in this article, namely, through the systematic collection and compilation of CSEs, and classification of them taxonomically according to a taxonomy presented in existing literature by examining first year Engineering Mathematics students’ rough answer scripts, and e-Assessment-stored data. We believe that the CSEs presented in the CSE book would be useful for mathematics teachers when providing feedback to students to correct CSEs.  Further, institutions can utilise it in the future development of teaching and support resources to ensure that these CSEs will be addressed to help students to acquire better understanding of mathematics. Moreover, mathematics learners can try these questions online by using the respective hyperlinks given in the CSE Book. If any of the identified CSEs are entered in the solution, then enhanced feedback is provided to correct their misconceptions instantly. Currently, the CSE Book is freely available at UWE Bristol’s Repository.","PeriodicalId":18932,"journal":{"name":"MSOR connections","volume":"100 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85534247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diagnostic tests: Purposes and two case studies","authors":"Leanne J. Rylands, Donald Shearman","doi":"10.21100/msor.v20i3.1281","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21100/msor.v20i3.1281","url":null,"abstract":"It is not uncommon to use what are called diagnostic, placement, readiness or competency tests once students arrive at university to gauge their basic skills in mathematics or literacy. This paper begins by discussing diagnostic mathematics tests and identifying the key reasons for which these are run. Two such tests with repercussions for students are discussed. These two tests are for different student cohorts and are run for different reasons. We identify the purposes for which the tests were developed, and actions which eventuated. We identify any additional purposes the tests served beyond those intended. The tests had a positive impact on student learning. It is not uncommon to use what are called diagnostic, placement, readiness or competency tests once students arrive at university to gauge their basic skills in mathematics or literacy. This paper begins by discussing diagnostic mathematics tests and identifying the key reasons for which these are run. Two such tests with repercussions for students are discussed. These two tests are for different student cohorts and are run for different reasons. We identify the purposes for which the tests were developed, and actions which eventuated. We identify any additional purposes the tests served beyond those intended. The tests had a positive impact on student learning.It is not uncommon to use what are called diagnostic, placement, readiness or competency tests once students arrive at university to gauge their basic skills in mathematics or literacy. This paper begins by discussing diagnostic mathematics tests and identifying the key reasons for which these are run. Two such tests with repercussions for students are discussed. These two tests are for different student cohorts and are run for different reasons. We identify the purposes for which the tests were developed, and actions which eventuated. We identify any additional purposes the tests served beyond those intended. The tests had a positive impact on student learning.It is not uncommon to use what are called diagnostic, placement, readiness or competency tests once students arrive at university to gauge their basic skills in mathematics or literacy. This paper begins by discussing diagnostic mathematics tests and identifying the key reasons for which these are run. Two such tests with repercussions for students are discussed. These two tests are for different student cohorts and are run for different reasons. We identify the purposes for which the tests were developed, and actions which eventuated. We identify any additional purposes the tests served beyond those intended. The tests had a positive impact on student learning.  ","PeriodicalId":18932,"journal":{"name":"MSOR connections","volume":"250 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83555064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Computer Science Students’ Perspectives on the Study of Mathematics","authors":"C. Mac an Bhaird, Peter Mulligan, James O'Malley, Rachel O'Neill","doi":"10.21100/msor.v20i3.1323","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21100/msor.v20i3.1323","url":null,"abstract":"In 2019, the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Maynooth University commenced a project which sought to address, through the provision of mathematics learning supports, the issues of poor engagement and retention of computer science students studying mathematics. In this paper, we present preliminary engagement and performance data along with interviews conducted with eight students. We discuss how the quantitative data seemed to indicate that computer science students were engaging at similar levels to their peers, but several factors, including the quality of this engagement and their mathematical backgrounds may explain their poor exam performance. It also emerged that, while students were largely negative about their experiences in large lectures and their awareness of the relevance of mathematics to computer science, they were generally positive about smaller teaching situations such as tutorials, mathematics support drop-in and opportunities to work with their peers.","PeriodicalId":18932,"journal":{"name":"MSOR connections","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82956524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Access, Disability and Mature Student Opinion on Academic Mathematics Supports","authors":"C. Mac an Bhaird, Peter Mulligan, James O'Malley, Rachel O'Neill","doi":"10.21100/msor.v20i3.1288","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21100/msor.v20i3.1288","url":null,"abstract":"In this paper we report on the main themes which emerged from analysis of a survey of students registered with the Access, Disability and Mature Student offices at Maynooth University. The survey focussed on the students’ experiences of mathematics and the mathematics academic supports available to them. The majority of student feedback was positive, for example their engagement with the Mathematics Support Centre, improved understanding of mathematics and the influence of tutors and peers. However, some issues emerged in relation to impact on learning, such as inflexible departmental structures with fixed deadlines and a lack of student awareness of the supports available. In addition to discussing the main results, we outline how the findings will guide the future provision of such supports.","PeriodicalId":18932,"journal":{"name":"MSOR connections","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75072732","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"University Mathematics Assessment Practices During the Covid-19 Pandemic","authors":"Matthew Henley, M. Grove, R. Hilliam","doi":"10.21100/msor.v20i3.1325","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21100/msor.v20i3.1325","url":null,"abstract":"In response to the global Covid-19 pandemic departments of mathematical sciences within the UK and Ireland needed to adapt their teaching approaches and methodologies from March 2020 to incorporate not only government social distancing requirements, but also periods of national lockdown and the fact that students were necessarily studying online. In planning for the many different and possible scenarios, universities implemented a range of emergency measures and regulation changes to provide frameworks for adapting teaching, learning and assessment approaches, and at a subject level, departments also needed to correspondingly respond to specific disciplinary needs. Here we specifically consider the changes made by mathematical sciences departments to their assessment practices in the period from March 2020 until January 2021 and their proposed adjustments for the remainder of the 2020/21 academic year. We found that departments were using a range of different approaches regarding the release of their assessments and this paper considers the implications of each for future practice. In particular we identified a concerning issue that emerged across a number of departments in relation to academic misconduct that will now require a community-wide approach if open-book online assessments are to prove a valid, reliable and fair method of assessment in the longer-term.","PeriodicalId":18932,"journal":{"name":"MSOR connections","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85454333","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}