Students’ Perceptions of Using MyMathLab and WebAssign in Mathematics Classroom

Abstract

Enhancing students’ conceptual understanding and increasing student motivation to effectively participate in classroom discussions are important for instructors of mathematics. Web-based homework management systems provide alternatives to the traditional pen-and-paper based approaches. In addition, these tools facilitate the creation of a student-centered environment which allows instructors to assign work based on students' needs while using a variety of multimedia materials that can include animation, video, and/or audio in order to enhance student learning and facilitate student-instructor communications. These systems provide flexible instructional tools that not only offer students immediate feedback, but also track student performance. The goal of using these programs is to enhance student understanding and learning of different mathematical concepts. The purpose of this paper is to present students’ perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of using two web-based homework management systems; MyMathLab and WebAssign. In addition, it sheds light on students’ habits of using these systems and their perception of the optimal number of attempts that should be allowed to complete the homework assignments.