Design of Interactive STACK Exercises Using JSXGraph for Online Course: Exploring Strategies for Supporting Students with Mathematical Challenges

Abstract

The integration of technology into education has changed the way students learn and utilise course materials in online courses. However, the effectiveness of online courses greatly depends on the quality of learning materials, the ability to provide feedback and interactivity. With regard to mathematical exercises, the issue of designing interactive tasks has not yet been adequately addressed. This article presents a model to support the design of automatic interactive exercises using the Moodle STACK plugin and the JavaScript library JSXGraph, with special attention paid to providing immediate feedback and supporting students with mathematical challenges. We also delve into the technical aspects of the design of interactive exercises to highlight the opportunities and challenges that open-source tools bring to the creation of digital tasks. We argue that with careful exercise design and attention to specific technical considerations, interactive STACK exercises created with JSXGraph can particularly enhance students’ understanding of conceptual aspects in the mathematical sciences. A specific example exercise is given, and its design is discussed. In conclusion, this article extensively discusses important factors to consider in the design of interactive exercises and examines rarely addressed issues in the design of automatic digital tasks, such as accessibility, pedagogical soundness, expanding the possibilities of immediate hints, dynamic guiding of students, feedback, and students with mathematical challenges.