The University of Waterloo and Maplesoft have announced a partnership to provide effective, engaging, online education for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses. Combining rich course materials developed by the University with Maple T.A., Maplesoft’s online testing and assessment system, and Maplesoft technology for developing, managing, and displaying dynamic STEM content, the collaboration has produced a platform for engaging and efficient learning.

The first result of this collaboration is the Secondary School Courseware project from the University of Waterloo. The University’s Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing (CEMC) has launched a courseware site designed to support high school students and teachers in their Precalculus and Calculus courses. Interactive investigations and on-screen text with synchronized audio teach the concepts from Grade 12 Advanced Functions (Precalculus) and Grade 12 Calculus and Vectors. In addition, self-assessment questions, exercises, and solutions help consolidate learning.

The courseware provides a rich selection of freely accessible, engaging content for use by high school teachers and students around the world, and will help prepare students for university-level mathematics courses. The content enables teachers and students to interact with dynamic applications to explore concepts and deepen understanding. Self-assessment quizzes, which are powered by Maple T.A., provide instant feedback, allowing students to practice as much as they need, evaluate their level of understanding and even try out enrichment and extension questions.

“The CEMC's mission is to support and promote mathematics and computer science education in Canada and around the world through a variety of activities and resources. Creating online courseware seemed like a natural next step for us as it provides free, high-quality curriculum content and increased flexibility to teachers, students and administrators,” said Ian VanderBurgh, Director of the CEMC at the University of Waterloo. “We were looking for an efficient way to provide effective online education for STEM courses and found a natural ally in Maplesoft. The university is already a significant user of Maple T.A., and Maplesoft’s proven technology made it possible to develop an effective content management platform with a world class math engine.”

“This partnership is a direct result of the commitment by Maplesoft and the University of Waterloo to encourage and promote the study and use of math amongst high school and university students,” said Jim Cooper, President and CEO, Maplesoft. “The University of Waterloo has a long history of excellence in mathematics, and now students everywhere will gain from the experience and know-how of the University, and Maplesoft’s expertise in technical education. This project is an excellent illustration of The Möbius Project, Maplesoft’s initiative designed to help institutions develop and provide STEM courses online.”

Work is already underway to use the Maplesoft-developed platform in other online courses offered by the University of Waterloo, including core math courses, as well as courses in optimization, modeling, computer science, and quantum information systems.

To begin using the Secondary School Courseware today, students and teachers can visit http://courseware.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/. No login or special software is needed to access the courseware.

Visit the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing for more information on the Secondary School Courseware project and other University of Waterloo initiatives in mathematics education. To learn more about how Maplesoft can help move STEM courses online through The Möbius Project initiative, contact the Maplesoft Teaching Solutions Group.

About the University of Waterloo

In just half a century, the University of Waterloo, located at the heart of Canada's technology hub, has become one of Canada's leading comprehensive universities with 35,000 full- and part-time students in undergraduate and graduate programs. A globally focused institution, celebrated as Canada’s most innovative university for 23 consecutive years, Waterloo is home to the world's largest post-secondary co-operative education program and encourages enterprising partnerships in learning, research and discovery. In the next decade, the university is committed to building a better future for Canada and the world by championing innovation and collaboration to create solutions relevant to the needs of today and tomorrow. For more information about Waterloo, please visit uwaterloo.ca.

About Maplesoft

Maplesoft™, a subsidiary of Cybernet Systems Co., Ltd. in Japan, has over 25 years of experience developing products for technical education and research, offering a solution that applies to every aspect of academic life. Its product suite reflects the philosophy that given great tools, people can do great things.

Maplesoft’s core technology is the world’s most advanced symbolic computation engine, which is the foundation for all of its products, including Maple™, the technical computing and documentation environment; MapleSim™, the high-performance, multi-domain modeling and simulation tool for physical systems; and Maple T.A.™, a web-based system for creating and assessing online tests and assignments.

Maplesoft also introduced a fundamental shift in technical education through its Clickable Math™ and Clickable Engineering™ initiatives. The idea behind this shift is to create technology that will allow students and teachers to focus on the concepts, not the tool. These initiatives deliver powerful mathematics through visual, interactive point-and-click methods in Maple, while the intuitive physical modeling environment of MapleSim helps teachers to quickly demonstrate the connection between modeling concepts and the underlying mathematical theory.

Over 90% of advanced research institutions and universities worldwide, including MIT, Stanford, Oxford, the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the U.S. Department of Energy, have adopted Maplesoft solutions to enhance their education and research activities. In industry Maplesoft’s customers include Ford, Toyota, NASA, Canadian Space Agency, Motorola, and DreamWorks, covering sectors such as automotive, aerospace, electronics, defense, consumer products, and entertainment.

Visit www.maplesoft.com to learn more.

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Nick Manning

University of Waterloo

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