1. Consider assigning one project per week during the term, excluding the first week of the term (during which students are settling into their routine) and the last week of the term (during which students are studying for final exams).

2. In a first term course, assign the first two projects:

A Brief Maple Tutorial: Part 1, Arithmetic and Simple Algebra
A Brief Maple Tutorial: Part 2, Functions of a Single Variable and Graphing

(this is actually a "must"), and work through them at the end of the first week of the term, in front of the class (using a computer and overhead projector) before having students try them. This will allow you to illustrate and discuss how to get Maple up and running, editing, and some practical aspects of using Maple. (Working through these projects will be appreciated by those students who have little or no computer experience.)

3. Consider distributing the first two of the following handouts, and either the third or fourth, to your class. The first discusses some common Maple errors, and the second presents some further notes. The third handout might be used for a class of Maple/computer novices: it announces a policy permitting students to work together in teams. The fourth is for a class of Maple/computer veterans: it announces a policy requiring students to do individual work.

Some Common Maple Errors
Further Notes
Guidelines for the Novice
Guidelines for the Advanced Student

4. Consider "pregrading" projects.

First, it's perhaps worth mentioning that grading projects is not time-consuming: with a little experience it is not difficult to learn what to look for in grading, and to learn how to grade a project in a few seconds. (One of the things to look for in grading is the graphics; they are easy to find and quick to assess. Another thing to look for is the work that is to be done by hand: it is very easy to distinguish between the student who has made an effort and the one who has not.)

When using these projects, I designate a due date (normally the day before the next major class exam). In "pregrading", if the student turns in the project prior to the due date and it is correct, I accept it (and keep it); if the project has any mistakes, I point them out (without worrying about specific point deductions) and return it for correction. I go through this as many times as is necessary for every student and for every project. The key to doing this is, as indicated above, that grading is a very fast and easy process. "Pregrading" is nondestructive, it establishes communication with students, and it avoids the headaches associated with deciding how much partial credit to give.

5. Students should be strongly advised to make electronic back-ups of their work. In conjunction with pregrading, if a student makes a mess of one printed assignment and wants to try it again, it's very easy to run off another hard copy if the original is backed up.

6. The projects described in these web pages are not intended to stand alone. Beyond the tutorials in the first term, going over projects in detail in class is not necessary; but taking a few seconds to say something about them when the time is right will help better integrate them with what you do in class, and with the text.

7. If a novice Maple/computer student transfers into your class after the first few weeks of the term, have them go through the two tutorials mentioned above, and then at least read (if not work through) the projects you've assigned so far. This applies to first, second, and third term courses. You might want to consider preparing summaries of commands used in the material you've chosen to cover, as an aid for both your transfers and for your other students; but consider using these summaries only as an aid, and not as a list of commands to be memorized.

8. Consider asking a question on each exam that addresses the Calculus in the projects assigned for that exam if that material might otherwise not be covered.

9. One reason to ask questions on exams that address the Calculus in the projects assigned for the exam is to make sure students are learning from the projects, and not inappropriately Òcutting cornersÓ. Allowing novice Maple/computer students to work in groups, having students include their name and date on each project, having each student do something by hand on each project, and pregrading are further disincentives to "cutting corners". (Having a student write their name on a project they've done is no insurance that someone else won't copy it, but it may act as a disincentive to give one's work away.) Also remember that changing points, intervals, functions, etc., can defeat "student archives".