MyOpenMath is a free online course management system. This open-source is primarily used in qualitative classes such as math and physics.
It is used in our general chemistry I class, SCC201, to facilitate and implement online homework in place of any paid commercial platform.
For an instructor who wants to implement this platform in the class, the learning curve can be steep, as the HTML code is needed to implement questions successfully.
There is a lot of support in the instructor’s forum, and that’s helpful. However, MyOpenMath does not provide any student support. The instructor is responsible for helping his students and resolving any issues they have.
Here are small suggestions to anyone (with limited HTML experience) who plan to use MyOpenMath.
- Start small. Learn the differences between assessment, block, and forum.
- Check available questions in the data bank. There is a possibility that a lot of material you need is already covered and ready to use.
- Test questions that you are planning to use. They might require some modifications or improvements.
- You can modify and/or duplicate a question for your assessment.
- If you want to start writing your own questions: modifying existed multiple-choice questions. That’s your first exposure to HTML code.
- If you select a question that you like from the question bank, observe and learn from their HTML code. One might find it helpful to modify the existing code rather than write from scratch, especially the complicated questions, including randomizations, the format of scientific notations, number of significant figures, percentage of error in calculated answers accepted for full credit.
Implement as a low stake assessment and get feedback from students. This will be a valuable source to make further improvements.