Online Homework Systems: A Good Idea?

Online homework systems do save time for instructors, but do they benefit students? I don't know. Right now, in the beginning and intermediate algebra courses, many colleges use online homework/testing systems such as MyMathLab. I don't. When I teach I always have students do their homework on paper, and I collect it. I don't grade it because the answers are in the back of the book, but I do look it over to see if students are showing their work in an organized, neat manner. If their work doesn't look the way I want it to look, I comment on it. With online homework systems, students get problems from the computer, then enter their answers on the computer. The computer grades their work and sends the results to the instructor. Here is what I don't know: If you take the computer away, will the students who have been doing most of their work on the computer do as well on written tests as the students who have not been using the computer? Do students like the online homework systems? Do students using online homework in one class, do as well in the next class, if that next class does not use an online homework system? Share you thoughts with us.

Online Textbooks

We have posted a sample chapter from each of the three books we are going to publish online. You can see the sample chapters by going to www.mathtv.com and clicking on the Online Books tab. What makes our online textbooks different from others is that we have videos to accompany every example in our online books. If you are interested in using one of the books, please let us know by using the Contact Us button on the sample chapter page. The online books will be part of our Premium Content that will require a subscription and a small fee. What do you think?