At KCC, we adopted online teaching as a crucial response to the pandemic. Over time, we’ve grown accustomed to this digital approach, appreciating its flexibility for both students and faculty. Leveraging technology, we integrated Blackboard with various publishers and utilized diverse video conferencing software. Despite the initial learning curve, our transition was quite smooth.

I have always been a fan of teaching with technology. While working on my OER project, I stumbled upon a realization: KCC lacked an online homework system specifically tailored for math courses. As a math professor, I’ve received numerous inquiries from students seeking practice problems with solutions. While many practice problems exist online, finding ones with accompanying solutions can be challenging. While some online homework platforms are available from publishers, they often come at a cost. After thorough research, I discovered WeBWork.

What is WeBWork?

WeBWork is an open-source online homework system designed for math courses. Supported by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), it comes with an Open Problem Library (OPL) of over 35,000 homework problems. Supported courses include college algebra, discrete mathematics, probability and statistics, single and multivariable calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, and complex analysis.

Why should we care?

• • Cost: WeBWork is free to use following the initial setup.
  • Customization: It allows for user input, providing flexibility tailored to specific course needs.
  • Community-driven: Developed nationwide with collaborative content creation across multiple CUNY campuses.
  • Workload Reduction: Automated homework management frees up valuable time for lecture preparation.

Participating CUNY campuses include:

• • City College
  •  LaGuardia
  •  Queensborough
  •  BMCC
  • Queens College
  •  BCC
  • York College
  • City Tech
  •  CSI
  • Baruch

What am I proposing?

• • Implementation: Establish a WeBWork server within the math department or through IT.
  • Pilot Testing: Conduct initial trials with select courses to address potential technical challenges.
  • Training Workshops: Organize sessions to familiarize faculty with the platform.

In summary, I am confident that integrating WeBWork into KCC’s educational framework would yield significant benefits. Given the math requirements across various majors, having a dedicated platform for homework assignments would greatly benefit both students and math faculty. Furthermore, WeBWork’s growing library of practice problems with solutions is invaluable in fostering student success.