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Maple T.A.™ 2.5 is the very latest version of Maplesoft’s accomplished web-based testing and assessment system. Now integrated with Maple 10 (Maplesoft’s powerful maths engine) and its new Equation Editor, Maple T.A. 2.5 also includes updates to the Assignment Editor, Question Bank Editor and Class Management. These updates enable colleges and universities to further enhance modern post-secondary mathematics education.

Maple T.A.’s integration of the new Maplesoft Equation Editor provides access to the editor in all question types, as well as delivering improved formatting of expressions and enhanced preview capabilities. Maple plots can now be created as algorithmic variables and used in questions, hints, feedback and solutions. Maple-graded questions in Maple T.A. 2.5 can now be programmed to provide partial credit, grading students’ responses with a mark between 0 and 1. And, with the integration of Maple 10, Maple T.A. 2.5 provides access to the new functionality of the latest release of Maple. With these enhancements, teachers are able to create more sophisticated questions, create questions in less time and distribute richer content to their students.

The upgrades to the Maple T.A. Assignment Editor include a new layout, the ability to view a summary or hide an assignment directly from the main menu and automatic locking of assignments in use to ensure data integrity. The Question Bank Editor contains improvements to the Algorithmic Editor and the display of questions for editing. Additional enhancements to Class Management provide for smoother and more robust deployment, minimal downtime and enable institutions to service larger classes.

“Maple T.A. 2.5 combines Maplesoft’s extensive education experience with the best general assessment technology,” said Jim Cooper, CEO of Maplesoft. “The availability of Maple T.A. 2.5 makes online testing and assessment even easier and more cost-effective. It also further demonstrates Maplesoft’s commitment to deliver progressive instruction to students in mathematics, science and engineering.”

Launched in 2002, Maple T.A is used in colleges and universities worldwide. For instance, the State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook relies on Maple T.A. to administer placement tests every year to assess students’ level of maths knowledge and to enroll students in the appropriate courses. In their maths admissions package, SUNY Stony Brook refers students to a Web site where they are able to practice questions and perform the test at a time that best suits them, when they feel most comfortable and prepared. As a result, SUNY Stony Brook has completely automated their placement test process, which has reduced the stress and chaos of registration day and better prepared students for the exam since students can take it from the comfort of their home. With Maple T.A., professors are also able to concentrate on the students and not the exam and timing.

In addition to the Maple T.A. 2.5 upgrade, the Maple T.A. Building Block™ for Blackboard Learning System™ (Release 6) has also been upgraded. The Maple T.A. Building Block is a tool that integrates the Maple T.A. online testing and assessment system with the Blackboard Learning System. Upgrades include: a Maple T.A. instructor control panel, which allows access to all the Maple T.A. functionality from one link; navigation improvements; and values for login names and class names that adhere to the Blackboard requirements. The course management components of Blackboard combined with the testing and assessment capabilities of Maple T.A. provide a full-featured system for mathematics and other technical courses.

Maple T.A. 2.5 is available for single classes, departments and entire institutions. Licences are supplied and supported in the UK and Ireland by Adept Scientific plc, Amor Way, Letchworth, Herts. SG6 1ZA; telephone (01462) 480055, fax (01462) 480213, e-mail maple@adeptscience.co.uk; or see Adept’s dedicated World Wide Web site http://www.adeptscience.co.uk/

With offices in the UK, USA, Germany and throughout the Nordic region, Adept Scientific is one of the world’s leading suppliers of software and hardware products for research, scientific, engineering and technical applications on desktop computers.