Online Math
Assessment
Using WAMAP
David Lippman, Pierce College
WAMAP webmaster
IMathAS lead developer
Transition Math Project Summer Institute August 23, 2006
What is WAMAP / IMathAS
IMathAS: Internet Math Assessment System
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Web-based math assessment engine
Algorithmically generated questions
Computer grading of numerical and math expression questions
1500+ existing questions from arithmetic through calculus
Accurate math and graph display
Light course management system features
WAMAP: Washington Math Assessment & Placement
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Free IMathAS web hosting for Washington schools
Funded by TMP
Uses
For Courses:
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Homework
Quizzes
Tests
Take-home tests
Practice tests
Beginning/end of quarter diagnostics
Other:
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Diagnostic assessments
Placement testing
Benefits
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Instant feedback
Students can self-identify areas of weakness and
do immediate additional practice or review
Encourages students working together while
discouraging cheating
Student Demo
www.wamap.org
Username: demo Password: demo
 Registration
 Enrollment
 Forums
 Take Test
 Question Types
Diagnostic & Placement
Customizations
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Pierce Diagnostic login
www.pierce.ctc.edu/dlippman/diag
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Pierce Placement login
www.pierce.ctc.edu/dlippman/imathas/placement/placement.php
Feedback
“As we move to mandatory skills-based
assessments for our below college-level courses,
we will be able to easily administer, monitor, and
assess how students are doing across the
discipline and, if other schools participate,
across multiple schools”
-David Whittaker
Cascadia CC
Instructor Demo
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Create new course
Add text item w/ math & graphs
Add assessment
Categorization
Grade book
List Students
Copy course items
Shift course dates
Comparisons
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Blackboard
Blackboard contains more advanced course management features, but lacks userfriendly math and graph display, has limited ability to ask randomized questions, and
cannot automatically grade math expression answers.
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iLrn, MyMathLab, etc.
WAMAP’s assessment system is very similar to many of these systems, but
does not include tutorials or links to textbook materials.
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Webassign
WAMAP is very similar to Webassign, but is free, and (in my opinion) is a bit easier to
write custom questions in. Webassign does include a much larger existing question set,
but many of the questions are not randomized.
Primary Advantages
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Cost
It’s free!
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Updates and improvements
WAMAP is continually updated and improved based on user input, and is not locked
to a vendor’s update cycle. The smaller user base also allows quicker response to
problems and requests.
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Customization
Because WAMAP is open-source, it can be easily customized to meet your needs at a
much lower cost than commercial solutions.
Want to use it?
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Log in to www.wamap.org
Click on the “Information for Instructors” link
Click on the “New Instructor Account Request”
and send in your info. Your account will be set
up in a few days or less.
Read the Getting Started in IMathAS guide to
get familiar with the system.