Development of teaching-modules in computational Mathematics and STACK in cooperation with students

Abstract

We report a project assigned to two second year bachelor students. They create two modules that first year students in electronics test out in February 2017. In module one they create a small course in Computational Mathematics using Maxima to solve problems in Integration. In module two they create a training course in STACK. STACK is an advanced Computer Aided Assessment system for mathematics which goes well beyond relying on multiple choice and other selected response question types. In particular, random versions of a particular question are generated in a structured mathematical way. The main goal of the project is that, under staff guidance, students create a test in STACK for students in the following year. This is similar to “peer tutoring”, but involves peers in assessment design. The authors believe that it requires one to have a deeper understanding of a topic to make a test for another, and this is therefore a valid task for students themselves to seek to undertake. The teacher and developer of STACK will evaluate the quality of work the first year student groups deliver. The question is whether this approach helps students gain a better understanding of integration