[Vidya]

Online homework is the best way of learning also.

[complex]

I'm not a huge fan. It can be affected by a bad connection, system collapsing, system needing repair, etc.

Also...I like scribbling on my homework. I'm not ashamed to kill trees. Plus...then you have the issue of things like MOs or structures that would be a pain in submitting online.

It's OK though. Not my first choice. Especially for chem.

[sublime4510]

Frustration, most online assignments do not help because if you're getting the questions wrong only an answer is provided no explanation on how to do the problem.

[mandy9008]

i am assigned online homework every week on masteringchemistry. it is okay, it is good because of the instant grades. another good thing about it is the fact that their is hints when you get stuck! i recommend it

[dani88]

My Prof. uses www.webassign.com which is helpful as they allow you to do practice questions before submitting an answer to the question being graded. It also shows you the answer of the practice questions which really help as then I can sort of figure out how to get that answer. This is a good way for me to learn as I couldn't afford the book and am learning from basically lecture and online sources. 

[408]

Horrible

-ease of cheating if multiple choice or simply entering your final number.  Also, handwritten work is easier to identify who wrote it, not so with a word(etc) document which can be copied and pasted.
-previously mention sig digs issues as well as formatting
-minor errors in ones work, combined with a one number type answer means 0/1 as opposed to if on paper showing ones work, would usually just loose one mark if everything else was correct (ex forgetting  a minus sign)
-mostly used by those who want automarking to save them time

I would rather use paper every time.

[Borek]

ease of cheating if multiple choice or simply entering your final number.

Care to elaborate? I am not pro nor against, but I don't see why it should be easy to cheat - I mean, if the test and software are properly designed, online version doesn't look more prone to cheating than a paper version.

[408]

I have seen an online work for analytical chemistry, where the only work that would be entered was the final number.  Upon submission the student would receive results(grades) with the correct answer given if incorrect.  These correct answers were then shared with the students friends, and this group of 4 or 5 friends would alternate who did the assignment first each week, so that only one person had to get less than 100% in the weeks assignments.

[Borek]

I have seen an online work for analytical chemistry, where the only work that would be entered was the final number.  Upon submission the student would receive results(grades) with the correct answer given if incorrect.  These correct answers were then shared with the students friends, and this group of 4 or 5 friends would alternate who did the assignment first each week, so that only one person had to get less than 100% in the weeks assignments.

That is problem with idiotic implementation, not with the method in general. Implementing quizz in such a way that each individual students gets its own set of numbers is rather easy

[Fridushka]

well for me there is no frustration because neither chemistry nor the online system itself will make me as such, ill be totally satisfied because i can get feedback after making the mistake & learn from it..i can tell you this from my own experience since i do so, although my professors don't give online homework, but i google some chemistry test or quizzes just in order to have fun with it. Somewhere in between, don't think so. i wouldn't like to do everything on paper, hand in and get it back 1 week later..actually i hate this thing! So it's better to do it online and get the results immediately:)

[lou_skywalker]

well webassign is OK, but sometimes very annoying especially with the significant figures. ANd the hints given are not useful at all..

[donsayuriru]

Your instructor should employ the following:

1. PDF files
2. Powerpoint presentations
3. Online links or references.
4. Audio
5. Other media applicable.

The site were the questions come from should be dynamic. Your instructor should be aware of that. If that is not the case, he has to use alternatives liek audio downloadables or  pdf files that have been scanned from books (without copyright issues).

I have to help a professor set up online homework, and was wondering what the general opinion is

What are your experiences when your professor uses online resources and assigns homework that must be submitted online (either with WebCT or other online system) ?

Frustration.... because of the chemistry or because of the online system itself?

Satisfaction ....because you get feedback right away and learn from your mistakes

Somewhere in between?

Would rather do everything on paper, hand in and get it back 1 week later....?


thanks for any replies

[srihari]

well see online assignments can put to real good use the thing is it's upto us to be honest. Well if one is not it's his/her problem.
The questions should be of the Multiple-choice type . They should be different for each student but testing only the same fundamental concepts and of similar toughness

[pear]

I haven't had anything other than multiple-choice online quizes, but I am a tutor at a university that uses My Math Lab for many of the lower-level courses.  What I've noticed is a lot of data-entry issues, such as the computer only recognizing a very specific answer which sometimes means having an entire entry marked incorrect based on something like "+2" versus "2."  Many tutees also complain that they don't have a computer/internet at home and trying to work their homework around the lab's hours are difficult (My Math Lab requires certain programs in order to run which isn't installed on most PCs in the school) when they are already juggling family life, jobs, etc. 

As for my experience observing, cheating happens.  A lot.  And I doubt I see the bulk of it because its quite foolish to do in a center full of academia enthusiasts.

[baboom]

I think that online homework is very useful, because you learn what types of questions the prof likes to ask.