2018_webwork

In September 2018 we upgraded from Webwork version 2.5 to Webwork version 2.13. Here is a brief overview of some of the changes you will see and the new features that are available. For a complete list, see http://webwork.maa.org/wiki/Category:Release_Notes.

Instructor Interface Updates.

The Statistics page has been improved.
The Homework Sets editor, the Classlist Editor, and the Library Browser all look different, but each does pretty much the same stuff as before.
The National Problem Library is now the Open Problem Library and is much easier to search.
No more worrying about Daylight Saving Time: instead of choosing a time zone for every due date, the time zone is set globally for your course. (Time zones are still shown to students.)
The instructor interface is now more compatible with phones, tablets, and screen readers.

Student Interface Updates.

The student interface is now more compatible with phones, tablets, and screen readers.
The grades page is now easier to read.

Optional Features.

Unless otherwise noted, these can be enabled from Course Configuration → Optional Modules.

Show Past Answers. Enable via Course Configuration → Permissions → Allowed to view past answers. If you enable this, students can view their past answers. Note that the instructor and TA view of past answers is color-coded by correctness, but the student view is not.
GUI for equation editing. Enable via Course Configuration → PG - Problem Display/Answer Checking. If you enable this, students have the option of using the “MathView” equation editor to enter their answers. Many students appreciate this option, as one of the most common complaints with Webwork has been the difficulty of entering answers. However, there is an argument to be made that it is worth learning how to type complicated expressions as linear strings of characters, as students will in the real world use computers to do math.
Disable grade totals. Via Course Configuration → General → Show Total Homework Grade. Webwork calculates the Total Homework Grade as the ratio of total problems completed to total problems assigned; that is, each problem is worth the same amount. If you instead count each homework assignment as worth the same amount, so that some problems are worth more than others, you may wish to disable this.
Date picker. Enable via Course Configuration → General. If you enable this, you can choose due dates from a graphical calendar instead of typing them in.
Reduced Scoring. If you enable this, then assignments that are late can still be turned in for reduced credit. See http://webwork.maa.org/wiki/Reduced_Scoring.
Periodic Randomization. If you enable this, then after n incorrect attempts students will be forced to “start over” with a different version of the current problem. You can set the value of n for each problem. See http://webwork.maa.org/wiki/Periodic_Randomization.
Show Me Another. If you enable this, then after n incorrect attempts students will have the option of viewing a different version of the current problem. You can set the value of n for each problem, restrict how many times this can be done per problem, and so on. See http://webwork.maa.org/wiki/Show_Me_Another.
Conditional release. If you enable this, then you can keep some homework sets locked until a certain score is reached on other homework sets. See http://webwork.maa.org/wiki/Conditional_Release.
MathAchievements. If you enable this feature, Webwork is “gamified”; students receive “Achievement Points” for completing various tasks which they can use within Webwork. For details, see http://webwork.maa.org/wiki/Achievements.

Problem authoring updates.

Problems can now include Sage cells and GeoGebra applets in problems.
Problems can call an R server and run R code.
Problems can contain “essay questions” that must be manually graded by instructors/TAs.
You can create “problem trees”, called “Just-In-Time Assignments”. If a student gets the root problem incorrect, then they will be given easier problems to work through until they are able to solve the original problem.
There is a webGL-based 3D grapher instead of the old Java 3D grapher.
You can now allow/require sets to be entered using set builder notation (as opposed to interval notation).
Answers can now be permutations, entered using cycle notation.
The problem editor now includes line numbers, context highlighting, etc.

Coming soon.

Webwork can now be integrated with Canvas for automatic grade exports and roster imports. However, IET needs to approve this first. More details when we have them…