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Is the XYZ Homework System ADA Compliant?

Yes, download the document below to see how XYZ Homework meets the Americans with Disabilities Act Section 508 technical standards.

XYZ Homework ADA Compliance PDF

Do students get more than one chance to answer the homework questions?

This is up to you and you can change it on a per-assessment basis if you want (you can give them multiple—or even unlimited—chances on homework, but only 1 chance on a quiz or test). To change this, go to the assessment settings and there’s a box for “Default Attempts per problem.” This is set at 1 by default. You can change that to whatever you’d like. If you check the box next to it, then if the student misses the problem the first time, the problem changes for their second (and subsequent) attempts.

How does the student log in? What do they need? The course number and a code from the book? Where do they find the book code?

The student logs in much the same way that you do. There’s a “create account” button below the login. They create their account there and they need two bits of information.

1. Their student access code which is on the first page of their textbook and
2. The Course ID # which you will provide. The Course ID is right now a 2 digit number that you can see from your administration screen. (Later this will be a 3 and then 4 digit number ad infinitum as more courses and classes are added.)

Do I set up the class roster or is it created as they log in?

The class roster is created automatically as students set up their account.

Will I be able to look at the assignments as the student will see them?

Yes. In the upper right of the course page, just to the right of course name are three views: “Normal,” “Student” and “Quick.” Click on “Student” and you’ll see things as a student would. If you ever wonder where the question settings, etc. disappeared to, it’s probably because you’ve got “Student” view selected.

How do I classify something as a “Test” or a “Quiz”?

Classifying something as a test (or quiz or whatever) is a two step process.

1. In the Gradebook, click on “GB Settings.”
2. Scroll down to “Categories” and click “Add New Category”
3. Name the new category “Test” and there are some additional options there to select if you so desire.
4. Click “Update.” You’ve now created a “Test” category.
5. Return to your main course view.
6. Click on the “Settings” for an assessment.
7. Under “Core Options” is “Gradebook Category” which is a drop-down menu. Select “Test” from the menu and now that item is categorized as a test. When it becomes “live” to the students, a new “Test” category will show up in the gradebook.

My school uses a different gradebook program. Can I use it instead of XYZ Homework’s built-in program?

The Gradebook in XYZ Homework works automatically as students complete assessments. If you need to have grades entered in another system, then the easiest way may be to use the “export” settings in the gradebook. It will create a .csv file (comma-separated values) that you can open in any spreadsheet program and you may be able to import it directly into your other system as well.

How sensitive is XYZ Homework’s system to parsing students’ answers? Will it count a problem as wrong if there are extra spaces?

As far as sensitivity to the answers goes, it’s pretty forgiving. It won’t read extraneous spaces as wrong. We believe most of these problems are worded rather well, so it’s key that the students read the instructions. If it asks for an equation, then the system will show that and expect y=2x+1. If it’s just asking for what y equals, then the blank for the answer will typically read y=[ ] so that they would only input the 2x+1.

I can’t see any entries in the gradebook for my class.

Items won’t show up in the gradebook until you’ve set them to “Show by Dates.” If you’ve got a section “Hidden” (This is in the “Settings” option for each assessment), then the students can’t see it so there’s no reason for it to show up in the gradebook if there are no student scores. What this does is negate the necessity (you can still do it if you choose) of deleting certain assessments that you’re not going to use. If you just leave them as “hidden” then they won't show up for the students and they won’t clutter up your gradebook.