Icon for: Mohammad Muztaba Fuad

MOHAMMAD MUZTABA FUAD

Winston-Salem State University
Public
Choice
Public Discussion

Continue the discussion of this presentation on the Multiplex. Go to Multiplex

  • Icon for: Elc Estrera

    Elc Estrera

    Facilitator
    Senior Research Analyst
    May 16, 2016 | 05:52 p.m.

    This is such an interesting idea for using widely available technology to engage students in learning. I’m a little confused about the settings in which MRS is used? It can be used to administer quizzes, so do students collaborate using MRS outside of class? Do they collaborate only inside of class?

  • Icon for: Muztaba Fuad

    Muztaba Fuad

    Lead Presenter
    Associate Professor
    May 16, 2016 | 06:16 p.m.

    Thanks for your question. The system is used to administer in-class interactive quizzes. Currently, students can collaborate only inside the class, however there are plans for future extension that will also facilitate out-of-class problem solving. A stand-alone version of the software can be used at home right now to practice with problem exercises.

  • M. Hossain

    Guest
    May 17, 2016 | 01:43 p.m.

    The idea of MRS is very interesting and well timed.

    I have a few questions regarding the system.

    1. How hard is it for an instructor to use MRS? Does MRS allow an instructor incorporate new problems? Or, it comes with a fixed set of problems/in-class activities? Or, is MRS’s student side application generic (like multiple choice, fill in the gaps, true/false, etc.)?

    2. Can the instructor upload student scores produced by MRS directly to a course management system (like Blackboard)?

    3. Do you have plans to make MRS public so that instructors at other universities can use it?

    Thank you.

  • Icon for: Muztaba Fuad

    Muztaba Fuad

    Lead Presenter
    Associate Professor
    May 17, 2016 | 02:12 p.m.

    Great To know. Let me try to answer your questions:

    1. There is a set of interactive exercise solving apps (course modules) that can be used in CS courses or some in any courses.These apps are parameterized and can be populated with randomly generated problems or faculty generated problems. To use those built-in modules, faculty needs to follow a list of easy to use steps. However, MRS is developed in a way for anyone to create their own interactive exercise apps and use MRS as the backend to facilitate student interaction, automatic grading, anonymous communication etc. Our main goal is to involve student in problem solving with interactive/engaging activities; however if faculty wants, they can use MRS for more static problem solving such as multiple-choice or true/false questions.

    2. No in the current version because of security related policy to access Blackboard in our campus. However, MRS can save student grades in a format that can be imported to BlackBoard. The future goal is to have that functionality.

    3. We certainly plan to make MRS open-sourced and public. Currently you can download some of the interactive apps and the MRS backend from the project website. We are hoping to put the code online and all of the course modules by the end of this year.

    Thanks for your question. Don’t hesitate to ask if you have more.

  • Icon for: Nicole Reitz-Larsen

    Nicole Reitz-Larsen

    Facilitator
    Educator
    May 18, 2016 | 12:56 a.m.

    Thank you for the informative video. It was nice to see what kinds of sample activities the students can do using the MRS.

    I’d be interested to hear about the courses these devices are used in? Beginning level, intermediate or advanced. What kinds of scaffolding is used to help students who aren’t getting the correct answers or results from the daily activities.

    Also, how are students reassessed on their knowledge if the activities are done in real time?

  • Icon for: Muztaba Fuad

    Muztaba Fuad

    Lead Presenter
    Associate Professor
    May 18, 2016 | 09:28 a.m.

    That is a great question. MRS is being used in a sophomore level course and a junior level course for 4 semesters now. Next fall, along with this 2, it will be used in a freshman level course. You can find more about the pedagogy at http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/ICALT.2014.52 that talks about the format of class, use of scaffolding, quiz types etc. Along with these short quizzes, students also have to solve same problems in labs, assignments, mid-terms and final exam. So they are constantly reassessed of their acquired knowledge during the semester.

  • Icon for: Barbara Ericson

    Barbara Ericson

    Senior Research Scientist
    May 19, 2016 | 12:14 p.m.

    I really like the use of interactive exercises on the student’s mobile devices during class time. I also like that they goes beyond just clicker multiple-choice questions. What is the underlying technology?

  • Icon for: Muztaba Fuad

    Muztaba Fuad

    Lead Presenter
    Associate Professor
    May 19, 2016 | 12:42 p.m.

    Thanks for your comment and question. The faculty side of the software uses Java, so any computer with Java installed can run that. The student side of the software is developed for Android devices right now.

  • Icon for: Louise Allen

    Louise Allen

    Visiting Assistant Professor
    May 20, 2016 | 12:39 p.m.

    Great to see this project in action at WSSU. Have you considered trying out the MRS in non-CSC courses?

  • Icon for: Muztaba Fuad

    Muztaba Fuad

    Lead Presenter
    Associate Professor
    May 20, 2016 | 02:23 p.m.

    Thanks for your question. MRS will be used in two non-CS courses this Fall.

  • Further posting is closed as the showcase has ended.