New Features for January 2015

December 31, 2014

As happens twice a year, every year, MyLab Math, MyLab Statistics, MathXL, and MyMathTest are getting even better! Learn about our new features below.

Have a question about our new features? Come join us on the Math Instructor Exchange and post a discussion question.

Study Plan Enhancements

Instructors have a new Gradebook view that lets them easily review and analyze students' progress on Companion Study Plans, including an Item Analysis view that identifies which objectives the class has mastered or needs to review. Instructors can also set as the default landing page a new interactive view of the Study Plan (the former View Progress page), which lets students go directly to the sections or topics that need study. Also, students are automatically shown the next-assigned Companion Study Plan, simplifying their navigation in the Study Plan.

Show/Hide Learning Aids at the Question Level

Instructors can choose whether to show or hide all learning aids or specific learning aids for individual questions. Learning aids that have been removed from an assignment can be made available for specific questions in that assignment. These options are accessed from either the View Assignment Details page (“Step 2”) or the Settings page (“Step 3”) of the assignment wizard.

HTML5 Player Enhancements: Show Work and Printing Options

The HTML5 Player (available to users on mobile devices) will include a new Show Work component that lets students enter text either from a keyboard or by using a stylus or finger to draw freehand. They can continue to upload images such as phone-photos of their handwritten work. Instructors can choose whether to print an assignment’s header and an honor statement, and whether to print answers inline, after each question, or on a separate sheet.

Full Learning Catalytics Integration (Available in MyLab Math and MyLab Statistics only)

Instructors who use Learning Catalytics in their course can choose to show a “pod” on the Course Home page lets students “Join Now” when there is a session in progress. Instructors also have the option to send grade data to the MyLab Math/MyLab Statistics gradebook, and students as well as instructors can review work completed in Learning Catalytics. For more information, visit https://learningcatalytics.com.

“New Features” Announcements

A new product-specific announcement may appear in a pop-up window when instructors and students first enter their courses. This announcement from Pearson is role-aware—i.e., instructors can see a different message from students—and will appear until you choose to not show it again.

Reporting Dashboard Enhancements

The reporting dashboard now offers Item Analysis reports to allow an instructor or course designer a way to evaluate student question item results, including both scores and average amount of time spent, across all students who have submitted those questions in an assignment. In addition, a new report feature called Trends will show the change in overall score, assignment, and mastery results over time. Please be sure to check our product pages for additional information about these features and future releases.

Notify Lab Administrators

MyLab Math, MyLab Statistics, MathXL, and MyMathTest require the use of the Adobe Flash Player version 10.2 (released in February 2011) or higher. We recommend using the most recent version of the Flash Player (15.0), although it is not required. Versions older than 10.2 will not be supported. If you are teaching with the above-mentioned products for the first time, please refer your computer lab administrators to the installation instructions at http://www.mymathlab.com/it-admin-support.

Also, if you use the Pearson LockDown Browser in your course(s), and your computer or computers in any campus labs are running Windows 8.0 or 8.1, please make sure your computer lab administrator downloads and installs the LockDown Browser executable file before classes begin. The latest Windows version of the LockDown Browser is 1.0.6.01, dated March 28, 2014. The latest Mac version is 1.0.6.00, also dated March 28, 2014. This version contains the basic and scientific calculators that match Windows 7's calculator layout.