Maplesoft MAPLE user guide
User Guide
© Maplesoft, a division of Waterloo Maple Inc. 2009
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transcribed, in any
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Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a
commitment on the part of the vendor. The software described in this document is
furnished under a license agreement and may be used or copied only in accordance with
the agreement. It is against the law to copy the software on any medium except as
specifically allowed in the agreement.
Copyrights
Copyright © Maplesoft, a division of Waterloo Maple Inc. 2009
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respective companies.
ISBN 978-1-897310-83-0
Contents
Getting Started.................................................................................... 1
System Overview ....................................................................................... 1
Assignments .......................................................................................... 2
Gradebook ............................................................................................. 2
Logging On ................................................................................................. 2
The Class Homepage ................................................................................. 3
Creating a Class .........................................................................................4
Adding Users to the System ...................................................................... 5
User Rosters .......................................................................................... 5
Adding Individual Users ...................................................................... 8
Registering Users in a Class ..................................................................... 8
The User Manager ................................................................................ 8
Student Self-Registration ..................................................................... 9
Class Rosters .........................................................................................9
Sharing Content................................................................................ 11
Sharing Questions ................................................................................... 11
Course Modules ........................................................................................ 13
Child Classes ............................................................................................ 15
Featured Classes ...................................................................................... 16
Propagation of Material from Featured to Child Classes .................16
Question Repository......................................................................... 19
Overview ................................................................................................... 19
Question Editor ........................................................................................ 19
Example Questions .................................................................................. 21
The Question Designer ....................................................................... 22
Multiple-choice Question using the Question Designer ................... 23
Multiple-choice Question with Randomly Determined Parameters 25
Multiple Choice Question Incorporating 2-D Math .......................... 27
Maple-Graded Question ..................................................................... 29
Plotting the Student's Response ........................................................ 31
Inserting a Maple Plot in the Question Feedback ............................ 31
Apply Partial Grading to Maple-graded Questions .......................... 32
List Question using the Question Designer ...................................... 32
Numeric Question using the Question Designer .............................. 34
Equation Editor .................................................................................. 35
Downloading Questions ........................................................................... 35
Assignments ..................................................................................... 37
Overview ................................................................................................... 37
Assignment Editor Main Menu .......................................................... 37
Warnings and Locking Mechanism ...................................................38
Creating Assignments .............................................................................39
Naming Assignments ............................................................................... 39
Selecting Questions ................................................................................. 39
Individual Versus Grouped Questions .............................................. 40
Setting Policies ......................................................................................... 40
Assignment Types ............................................................................... 42
Feedback ............................................................................................. 45
Assignment Properties ....................................................................... 46
Advanced Policies ...............................................................................49
Reviewing and Saving Assignments .......................................................50
Special Cases ............................................................................................ 51
Deleting Assignments ......................................................................... 51
Shared Assignments: Saving Your Changes ..................................... 52
Gradebook......................................................................................... 53
Overview ................................................................................................... 53
Gradebook Views ..................................................................................... 53
Generating Reports ............................................................................ 54
Student Statistics .................................................................................... 55
Assignment Weighting ....................................................................... 56
Assignment Statistics .............................................................................. 58
Item Statistics .......................................................................................... 59
Add External Assignment ....................................................................... 59
Content Creation in the Question Editor ........................................ 61
Question Types ......................................................................................... 61
Enhancing questions ............................................................................... 63
Feedback ............................................................................................. 63
Information Fields .............................................................................. 64
Hints .................................................................................................... 64
Solution ............................................................................................... 65
Including Formatted Math Expressions in Questions ........................... 65
Using the mathml Function ............................................................... 65
Using the Math Editor ....................................................................... 66
Using Maple's MathML[ExportPresentation] Function ................... 67
Including Images in Questions ............................................................... 67
Static Images ...................................................................................... 67
Maple Plots ......................................................................................... 68
Algorithmic Variables....................................................................... 71
Creating Algorithmic Variables in Maple T.A. ......................................71
Algorithm Design Tool ........................................................................ 72
Maple T.A.’s Built-in Functions and Constants ..................................... 72
Examples of Randomization Functions in Maple T.A. .......................... 77
Basic Arithmetic ................................................................................. 78
Calculating Area ................................................................................. 79
Color Combinations ............................................................................ 80
Randomization Routines in Maple .......................................................... 81
Random Integers ................................................................................. 82
Random Polynomials .......................................................................... 82
LinearAlgebra Functions ................................................................... 83
RandomTools Functions ..................................................................... 83
Examples of Randomization Functions in Maple .................................. 85
Degree of polynomial .......................................................................... 85
Intersection of Sets ............................................................................. 85
Matrix Determinant ...........................................................................86
Maple-graded Questions.................................................................. 89
A Basic Maple-graded Question ..............................................................89
Testing Your Question ........................................................................ 92
A Randomized Question .......................................................................... 92
A Question with Infinitely Many Correct Answers ............................... 96
Testing your question ......................................................................... 98
Another Question with Infinitely Many Correct Answers .................... 99
Accepting Approximations of Exact Symbolic Answers ......................... 99
Questions with Vectors and Matrices ................................................... 100
Allowing for Partial Grading ................................................................. 101
Performing a String Match ................................................................... 102
Performing a Pattern Match ................................................................. 103
Troubleshooting Maple-graded questions ............................................ 104
Flash and Applet Questions .......................................................... 105
Flash Movies in Maple T.A. Questions ................................................. 105
Java Applets in Maple T.A. Questions ................................................. 106
Dynamic Labels on an Image ...........................................................106
Interactive Plots ................................................................................ 108
Flash Question Type .............................................................................. 110
Applet Question Type ............................................................................ 111
Step 1: Create and Deploy a Java Applet ........................................ 112
Step 2: Create and Deploy a Java Class for Grading ..................... 113
Step 3: Author the Maple T.A Question .......................................... 113
Question Authoring in LaTeX ........................................................ 115
Writing Questions in LaTeX ................................................................. 115
Requirements .................................................................................... 115
Authoring Process ............................................................................. 116
LaTeX Document Structure ............................................................. 116
Question Structure ........................................................................... 117
Sample Question File ....................................................................... 117
Converting into a Maple T.A. Script ................................................ 118
Sample .qu File ................................................................................. 119
Working with Algorithmic Variables .................................................... 120
Defining the Algorithm .................................................................... 120
Referencing Algorithmic Variables .................................................. 121
Placing Images in Questions ................................................................. 122
Setting the Image Base ....................................................................122
Inserting an Image ........................................................................... 122
Graph Sketching Questions .................................................................. 123
Overview ........................................................................................... 123
Plain-text Question Files................................................................ 127
Question Tags ........................................................................................ 128
Question Type Modes ............................................................................ 129
Question Fields ...................................................................................... 130
Notes: ................................................................................................. 132
Plain-text File Question Enhancements ............................................... 132
Response-specific Feedback ............................................................. 132
Key Word Questions ......................................................................... 133
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 and is grouped
into three parts. Chapters One through Five provide information related to
each component of the system. Chapters Six through Eight provide
instruction on basic question creation using the Question Editor. Chapters
Nine through Eleven provide instruction on advanced question creation,
including the use of Flash movies and Applets, LaTeX, and Plain-text
question creation.
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.
vii
viii •
1 Getting Started
1.1 System Overview
Maple T.A. uses questions found in the Question Repository as the basis for
constructing assignments. The Question Repository is the location of all
questions for class homework, test items, or other class problem material.
Four types of users interact with Maple T.A.:
• System administrators manage classes and users.
• Instructors create questions and assignments.
• Proctors validate student identity and grant assignment access.
• Students complete assignments created by instructors.
System administrators can create, modify, and delete classes. They can also
create, modify, and delete users individually or by uploading a roster.
Instructors control the rules and policies for assignments, which can range
from self-study and homework sessions to proctored exams. Once satisfied
with the questions and rules in the assignment, it can be published for use by
students. Instructors control availability and due dates, and set grading
parameters. Grades are automatically recorded in the system Gradebook
and, if necessary, these grades can be changed.
Proctors can log in to validate a student's identity prior to administering a
proctored exam.
Students logged in to 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.
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 instructors,
1
2 •
proctors, and students. A class contains questions, assignments, resource
files, and the class gradebook.
Assignments
Maple T.A. has a variety of assignment types, including:
• Self-study practice
•Mastery
• Homework and quizzes
• Proctored exams requiring student validation
When an assignment is created, you specify the questions to be used, as well
as assignment access and feedback parameters. After determining the content
(questions), rules, and policies, you publish an assignment to the class web
site for use by students. Students can review the results of any previously
completed assignments.
Gradebook
After students complete an assignment, you can view the results in a
Gradebook or create downloadable performance reports.
With Maple T.A., you can generate comprehensive performance reports for
individual students and assignments, classes, or multiple assignments. You
can also perform statistical item analysis of questions.
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.
You can click on the class name to navigate to the Class Homepage.
If your system administrator has not created a class for you, you can create a
class.
1.3 The Class Homepage • 3
1.3 The Class Homepage
Instructors access the Class Homepage to:
• Create and edit questions
• Create, publish, and manage assignments
• Access a gradebook that records student work and assignment results
Figure 1-A Class Homepage
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 Repository, Course
Modules, and Web Site Editor
• Gradebook -> Open, Add External Assign.
• Help -> Instructor, Other Help -> Proctor, Other Help -> Student, Getting
Started, and About
• Logout
4 •
1.4 Creating a Class
Both instructors and administrators have sufficient privileges to create
unique (new and empty) classes or ones based on shared material.
Creating a new class
1. Start at the System Homepage.
2. From the Actions menu, select Administer Classes (System
Administrators only).
3. From the Actions menu, select Add Class.
4. Complete the class registration form. Detailed information on available
fields is provided here:
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 web page 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, and students will not be able to enroll themselves
into your class unless you unlock registration by clearing the check box.
Featured Class
Marking the class as a Featured Class allows the creation of child classes based
on this class. This allows you to share assignments, quizzes, tests, and other
resources. 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, and other resources.
1.5 Adding Users to the System • 5
5. Click Submit. A summary of the class details is displayed.
Creating a copy of a class
1. From the Class Homepage of the class you want to share, select the
Actions menu, and then 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. Enter details of the instructor you are searching for and click Search.
Alternatively, you can search for the instructor in the list of registered
users.
4. Select the instructor and click Update. The name of the instructor should
be displayed.
5. Complete the Class Registration form and click Submit.
1.5 Adding Users to the System
System administrators and instructors that have create privileges can add
users to the system. Users can be created from a roster (to add a large number
of users at once) or individually. The system administrator can set up the
system to allow students to create user accounts for themselves, but you have
more control and the data will be more consistent if user accounts are created
by a few chosen individuals.
User Rosters
User rosters are a convenient method to add a large number of users at once.
Rosters are easily created and updated. Large numbers of users can also be
removed using batch removal.
Creating a Roster
The user roster must be a comma-separated file (for example, *.csv) or tabseparated file (for example, *.tsv) that has one line for each user. The first line
must be a header row that specifies the data contained in each column. The
headers can be in any order, to make it easy to match your existing format.
The acceptable fields in the roster are as follows:
Login, First Name, Middle Initial, Last Name, Email Address, Student ID,
Password, Role, Require User Validation
The corresponding header row values for these are as follows:
6 •
login, first, initial, last, email, student, password, role, validate
• The fields that are underlined are required.
• Login must be at least one alphanumeric character.
• 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.
• Email addresses must be unique.
• Student IDs must be unique.
• Student ID must be at least five alphanumeric characters.
• Password must be at least five alphanumeric characters.
• If no password is provided, the system generates one which is displayed on
the next page. You can print or save this page. If it is not printed or saved,
the automatically generated login and passwords will be lost.
• Role can be Administrator, Instructor, Proctor, or Student. The role
specified cannot exceed the level of the user who is creating the roster. The
default is Student.
• Validate is a yes/no field and determines whether students have to review
their data on first login and validate it. The default setting is ‘yes’.
• If you have a null field (for example, a student did not provide a middle
initial), use two consecutive delimiters.
Note: If the header row includes Email and Student ID, you cannot have empty
values for those fields in the rows of student data. If there are some students who
do not have either an email or a student ID, you should use the value <Null>.
Uploading a Roster
You upload a user roster from the System Homepage. This will register users
in the system.
1. From the System Homepage, click Actions and select Administer Users.
2. From the Actions menu, select Roster, and then Import.
3. To locate your class roster, click Browse. Navigate to the file and click
Open.
4. From the drop-down menu, select the type of file being submitted as either
Comma-separated or Tab-separated.
5. Click Submit. A table is displayed that includes all columns and
information in the file.
6. Click Enroll Roster. A roster upload summary is displayed.
1.5 Adding Users to the System • 7
Updating a Roster
User rosters can be updated by importing rows with Login values that are
already present in the Maple T.A. database. If an import row specifies a Login
that already exists and an LDAP system is being used to maintain the
database, then the user profile attributes are refreshed from the LDAP
system. In this case, the only column required in the import row is the Login
column. In other cases, the behavior is as follows:
• The imported attributes overwrite the corresponding attributes in the
Maple T.A. database.
• Empty attributes are ignored and do not overwrite existing information.
An attribute is empty if it is delimited by successive commas or tabs with
no intervening character.
• An attribute may be overwritten to null by providing the special Maple
T.A. string <Null> as its import value.
• An attribute that is specified as one or more spaces will be trimmed and
will overwrite the database attribute with an empty string (different from
a null value).
• Attribute values not included in the import (that is, with no column in the
import) are not modified in the database.
Batch Removal
Large groups of students can be removed from the system at once using a
special type of import. In this case, only the Login column of the import file is
used or required.
1. From the System Homepage, click Actions and select Administer Users.
2. From the Actions menu, select Roster, and then Delete.
3. Select the radio button to determine if the users will be “permanently
deleted (cannot be restored)”, or “marked as deleted (can be restored)”.
4. To locate the roster for batch removal, click Browse. Navigate to the file
and click Open.
5. From the drop-down menu, select the type of file being submitted as either
Comma-separated or Tab-separated.
6. Click Submit. A table is displayed that includes all information in the
database for the users selected.
7. Click Delete Roster. A roster validation summary is displayed.
Users that are “permanently deleted” are removed from the entire system,
along with any assignment answers or grades owned by those users. Users
that are “marked as deleted” are moved to a separate database within the
system and no longer have access to the system, but all of their information is
8 •
stored. They can be restored later by doing a search for deleted users in the
Administer Users page, selecting the check boxes beside their names and
clicking Restore. Permanently deleted users will not show up on a search for
deleted users.
Adding Individual Users
You can also add users to the system individually. This is useful for adding a
small number of users.
1. From the System Homepage, click Actions and select Administer Users.
2. From the Actions menu, select Add User.
3. Fill in the form.
4. Click Submit.
1.6 Registering Users in a Class
Before the Gradebook can begin tracking student performance, it must have
students registered in the course. You can register students in a class by:
• Using the User Manager
• Allowing students to register themselves for your course
• Creating and uploading a class roster
To register students in your course, they must have an account in the system.
Creating user accounts is usually done by the system administrator, although
the administrator can give instructors the ability to create user accounts. In
addition, the system administrator can set up the system to allow students to
create their own user accounts.
The User Manager
You can select students to register in your class from a list of system users. All
the students you want to register must already have an account in the system.
You can search the list for a user that satisfies particular criteria.
1. From the Class Homepage, click Actions and select User Manager. From
the Actions menu, select Register Users.
2. Enter search criteria to narrow the list of users down or to search for a
particular student.
3. Select the checkbox beside the students you want to register in your class.
4. Click Register.
1.6 Registering Users in a Class • 9
Student Self-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.
Class Rosters
Creating a Class Roster
A class roster has the same format as a user roster. See “User Rosters” on
page 5.
Uploading a Class Roster
You can upload a class roster from your Class Homepage. This will register
users in the system as students in your course. If you have create privileges
and the user is not already in the system, a new account will be created.
1. From the Class Homepage, click Actions and select User Manager. From
the Actions menu, select Roster, and then Import.
2. To locate your class roster, click Browse. Navigate to the file and click
Open.
3. From the drop-down menu, select the type of file being submitted as either
Comma-separated or Tab-separated.
4. Click Submit. A table is displayed that includes all columns and
information in the file.
5. Click Enroll Roster. A roster upload summary is displayed.
As discussed in the User Rosters section, system administrators and
instructors with create privileges can also import users from the System
Homepage. This will add students into the Maple T.A. system, but you will
still need to register the students into a course.
10 •
2 Sharing Content
Sharing content is an important part of using a system like Maple T.A.
effectively. Sharing content makes a wider range of questions and
assignments available to all users. You can share questions, assignments, and
resources in a variety of ways, from choosing specific content to providing
access to all the content in a class.
2.1 Sharing Questions
Questions are owned by a class. The creator of a question becomes the default
owner of the question. Questions can only be modified by the owner.
Child classes automatically inherit questions from their ancestors.
Instructors can obtain question material for their groups in one of three ways:
1. Create a question. The instructor becomes the owner of this question.
2. Inherit a public question from an ancestor class. Instructors can use the
question in their assignments, but cannot modify the question. Only the
original owner (creator) of the question will be able to modify the question,
and those changes will be automatically propagated to all subscribers'
question groups. This is similar to the Question Bank inheritance rules in
Maple T.A. 4.0.
3. Shadow a public question from another class. Instructors can use the
question in their assignments, but cannot modify the question. Only the
original owner (creator) of the question will be able to modify the question,
and those changes will be automatically propagated to all subscribers'
question groups.
4. Clone a public question from repository. This operation creates a local
copy, or clone, of the public question and sets the owner to the instructor
11
12 •
who made the clone. Only this subsequent instructor will be able to modify
the cloned question. All changes made to the original public question will
not be visible in cloned questions.
The Inherit, Shadow, and Clone methods have disadvantages:
• When instructors Inherit or Shadow a public question, they should expect
it to be modified by the question owner at any time without notice;
however, the question most probably will be a valid question with all
resources (images, etc.) in place.
• When instructors Clone a question, they can be sure that it will not be
touched by anybody, but there is a danger of losing resources (images, etc.)
because the cloning process does not copy the resources to the instructor's
web space; therefore, they can be deleted any time by the original author
of the question.
To create a question:
1. Click the Question Repository link from the menu bar.
2. Click Questions, then New Question.
3. Create the question and add it to one or more Groups.
To share a question:
1. Find the question that you wish to share.
2. Click the share button or click the checkbox beside the questions you
wish to share and then click Make Public.
To shadow a question:
1. Click the Public Questions link.
2. Use the search methods available to find the public questions that you
wish to use.
3. Add the question to one or more of your question groups by clicking the
modify button
or by clicking the checkbox beside the questions you wish
to use and then clicking Add To Groups.
To clone a question:
1. Use the search methods to find the questions (Public or Private) that you
wish to clone.
2. Click the clone button or click the checkbox beside the questions you
wish to share and then click Clone.
Inherited questions automatically appear in a class’ repository as they are
created.
2.2 Course Modules • 13
2.2 Course Modules
If you want to share not just your questions, but also images and assignments
that you have created based on those questions, you should use course
modules. Once you create a course module, you can send it to other instructors
who can upload it into their classes and use it as is or alter it to better suit
their needs. Course modules can be uploaded to other installations of Maple
T.A., not just the one at your institution.
Note: Only local content can be included in a course module. If you are inheriting
content from another class, you will not be shown the inherited content in the
course module creation screen.
Figure 2-A The Course Module main menu screen enables you to create, import,
export, or delete course modules and their contents.
To share content using course modules, first create a course module by
choosing the items you want to include. Once you have created the course
module, you can save the course module file (
send that file to other instructors.
To create a course module:
1. Log in as an instructor and click on the class that contains the content you
want to share.
2. Click Content Manager, then Course Modules.
3. Click New.
4. Select the question banks, assignments, and web folders that you want
included in the course module. Click OK.
5. Enter a name for the module. Optionally, enter a description for any of the
items you have included in the module. Click OK. The course module now
appears in the list of course modules for your class.
.zip) to your computer and then
14 •
To export a course module:
1. Log in as an instructor and click on the class name that has the course
module you want to export.
2. Click Content Manager, then Course Modules.
3. Select the checkbox beside the course module you want to download and
then click Export.
4. The following screen allows you to add URLs that you want changed. In
most cases, the default URLs are the only ones that need to be updated.
Click OK.
5. Once the course module is created and ready for download, you will see a
link click here to start the download. Click that link to open the file
download dialog.
6. Click Save, then browse to the location where you want to save the file.
Enter a new file name or use the existing name of the course module and
click Save.
7. Once the download is complete, click Close. You are returned to the
download screen.
8. Click Return to go back to the Course Modules menu.
When you receive a course module, you need to import and install it or pieces
of it to the desired class.
To import a course module:
1. Log in as an instructor and click on the class in which you want to import
the content.
2. Click Content Manager, then Course Modules.
3. Click Import.
4. Click Browse… to locate the course module file (.zip) on your computer.
5. Click Import. The system will display the question banks, assignments,
and web resources from the course module. If there are items that use the
same name as those in your class, they will be highlighted in yellow on the
upload screen.
6. Select the checkboxes beside the items you want to install and click
Install. The selected items are installed in your class.
If you have uploaded a course module and decide that you no longer want to
keep it, you can delete it. You can do one of two things: delete just the course
module name from the list of course modules; or, delete the course module
name from the list and all or part of its content from your class.
2.3 Child Classes • 15
To delete a course module:
1. Log in as an instructor and click on the class name that has the course
module.
2. Click Content Manager, then Course Modules.
3. Select the checkbox beside the course module you want to delete and then
click Delete. This will remove the course module name from the list of
course modules, but it will not delete the content of the course module
from your class.
4. You will receive a warning. Click OK to delete the course module name
from the list.
To delete course module content from a class:
1. Log in as an instructor and click on the class name that has the course
module.
2. Click Content Manager, then Course Modules.
3. Select the checkbox beside the course module you want to delete and then
click View Details.
4. Select the checkboxes beside the items that you want to remove from your
class and click Delete.
5. You will receive a warning. Click OK to delete the course module name
from the list and the selected content from your class.
2.3 Child Classes
If you have a class that contains content that you want to share with other
instructors at your institution, you have the ability to share the entire class.
The benefit of sharing the class rather than providing a course module is that
there is a link between a parent class and any child class. Child classes will
automatically get any changes that you make to the parent class content.
With a course module, there is no link between your class content and the
class in which the course module is uploaded.
Creating a child class can be done by an instructor or an administrator.
To create a Child Class:
1. Log in and click on the class you want to share.
2. Click Actions, and then Add Child Class.
16 •
3. Click Change Instructor and then browse the user list or use the search
panel to find the user who will be the instructor for the child class. Select
the radio button beside the user and click Update to change the instructor.
4. Enter the information in the registration form and click Submit. You will
get a notice that the class was created.
2.4 Featured Classes
If you have a class that will be used by many instructors or from year to year,
you may want to create a featured class. A featured class is similar to a shared
class as described in the previous section. The main difference is that a
featured class will appear in the drop-down list of classes from which you can
inherit content when a new class is created.
To create a Featured Class:
1. Log in as a system administrator.
2. Click Actions, and then Administer Classes.
3. If the tree view is showing, click Table View.
4. Click the Open link for the class that you want to make a featured class.
5. Click Edit.
6. On the Class Details page, select the checkbox beside Featured Class.
Click Submit.
Propagation of Material from Featured to Child Classes
The relationship between featured and child classes allows for quick and easy
propagation of material, while still allowing certain features within the child
classes to be customized. Details of this relationship are as follows:
• When an assignment is created in a featured class, all child classes will
receive only a copy of all assignment attributes (names, policies,
restrictions, etc.). The content of the assignment will not be copied to the
child classes; instead, inherited assignments will point to one copy of the
assignment content stored in the featured class.
• All changes made to the assignment content in the featured class will be
immediately visible in all child classes.
• All changes made to the assignment attributes (names, policies, etc.) in
the featured class will not be propagated to child classes, allowing them to
have their own customized set of attributes.
2.4 Featured Classes • 17
• Instructors of child classes will be allowed to modify all attributes of the
inherited assignments, but will not be able to modify assignment content.
• If instructors of child classes wish to customize the content of an inherited
assignment, they will have to make their own copy of the assignment.
18 •
3 Question Repository
3.1 Overview
The Question Repository is used to create, organize, and search for questions.
This replaces the use of Question Banks and Topics used in Maple T.A. prior
to version 5.0.
There are three methods for authoring question banks in the system:
1. Question Editor
2. Maple T.A. .qu plain-text script files
3. LaTeX files that can produce math-intensive questions formatted to
Maple T.A. specifications
This document discusses using the Question Editor. For information on
authoring questions banks using the other two methods, refer to the Maple
T.A. help system.
3.2 Question Editor
To create a question using the Question Editor:
1. Click the Question Repository link from the menu bar.
2. Click Questions, then New Question.
19
20 •
Figure 3-A Question Editor - New Question
3. Enter the content of your question. Examples are provided in the Example
Questions on page 21.
Figure 3-B Entering a Question
4. Once you have completed the question, click Finish.
5. Choose the groups (if any) that you wish the question to belong to and
click Submit.
3.3 Example Questions • 21
6. A preview of the question is displayed. Provide an answer and click Grade
to see how the question is graded. 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)
3.3 Example Questions
This document discusses three question types: Question Designer, Maplegraded, 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 into your question. Creating a Maplegraded question, inserting plots into the Maple-graded question, and a
creating List question will also be discussed.
22 •
The Question Designer
The Question Designer provides a flexible 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.
When you are satisfied with the appearance of the question, you define
answer regions, or Response Areas, and then apply grading and other
behaviors. Like all questions in Maple T.A., you can insert algorithmic
variables and inline math expressions as required.
Figure 3-C 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.
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