Symbolic math software for scalable e-learning and e-assessment
Background Information
The Theoretical Classical Mechanics course, formally designated as 34TCM, relies heavily on graded homework sets to motivate students and provide evenly distributed assessments throughout the academic term. Teaching subjects that are mathematically and theoretically complex requires providing students with continuous intermediate feedback on their learning process. However, in large courses accommodating over one hundred students, manually correcting and providing individualised feedback on detailed homework solutions is far too time-consuming for the teaching staff. To address this logistical challenge, the course currently employs a software platform called Oncourse for scalable e-assessment. While Oncourse successfully evaluates the accuracy of mathematical end results, it unfortunately lacks the functionality to provide personalised feedback on the individual steps students take to reach those final answers. Without this essential feedback, students miss crucial opportunities to deepen their understanding and improve their mathematical problem-solving skills. To support diverse learning paths and encourage self-directed study, students require comprehensive guidance through the sequential steps of their reasoning, rather than simply receiving a binary verdict on their final mathematical answer. Identifying software capable of highlighting exactly where a derivation goes off track and scaffolding mathematically complex steps is therefore essential to deliver higher quality, personalised feedback that helps students learn much more independently.
Aim of the Project
The primary objective of this project is to pilot Möbius, an advanced alternative software based on Maple's symbolic mathematics engine, to evaluate its potential as a comprehensive replacement for the currently used e-assessment tools. By testing and integrating Möbius, the project aims to offer a scalable solution for e-assessment, e-learning, and e-feedback that can benefit all courses featuring a substantial mathematical or theoretical component. The immediate intention is to utilise this software for mandatory homework problem sets, which contribute twenty percent to the final course grade, ensuring students receive automated and personalised feedback on their active problem-solving processes. The pilot will assess whether the targeted error-searching and step-wise feedback capabilities of Möbius can strengthen student motivation, improve the overall effectiveness of the learning experience, and provide quality individualised support. Furthermore, the project aims to reduce the considerable assessment workload for the teaching team. Designing homework problems that are neither trivial nor excessively complex is highly time-consuming, and a robust symbolic math engine can facilitate this task while assisting students in solving difficult integrals or differential equations. Ultimately, the pilot will compare the new platform against existing university software based on improved functionality, student satisfaction, teacher workload reduction, and overall cost-effectiveness to determine if wider adoption is justified.
This project is still ongoing.
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