VIP details/module handbook
Semester 1, 2025/26
Introduction
Hello, and welcome to the VIP on ‘Creating accessible online mathematics and statistics resources’!
My name is Tom and here are my contact details:
- Office location: Room 220, Mathematical Institute
- Email: tdhc@st-andrews.ac.uk
My office policy is open-door: if my door is open, please feel free to drop in!
VIP administration
Resources (mostly docx)
Link to our reflective log template
Link to our VIP assessment grid
Link to our VIP group work report template
Assessment pattern
This VIP has the following assessment pattern.
- Fortnightly reflective logs in Weeks 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 (20%)
- Group presentation (30%)
- Portfolio of work and final report, due Saturday 7 December (50%)
You will be assessed on the 20-point scale for each of these components relative to your year. Your final grade will be the weighted average of all of these components.
Assessment: Fortnightly logs (1/2)
The deadline for each fortnightly log is Friday 12 noon in odd numbered weeks. Please email these to me before then.
The word count is (30 words \(\times\) number of credits taken).
I will be providing formative feedback after the Week 3 and Week 7 reflective logs, which will consist of comments about your reflective logs.
Assessment: Fortnightly logs (2/2)
Each fortnightly log will be rated on the 20-point scale, with an average mark over the five fortnightly logs reported as your final mark for the 20%. Only the final grade (at the end of the semester) is needed to be made public.
VIP event: Online Reflective writing workshop run by the central VIP. (sign-up link to follow from central VIP team)
Assessment: Group presentation (30%)
The group presentation will consist of printed posters for the VIP conference and an oral presentation (to be decided).
Assessment: Portfolio and final report (50%)
The deadline for submission of the portfolio of works and final reflective report (100 words \(\times\) amount of credits taken) is Saturday 6 December, which is the first day of the exam diet.
The project
The website
STARMAST (St Andrews Resources in Mathematics and Statistics)
Recent developments
33 guides now available on 31 different topics, each with questions and answers
have spoken to DoT’s in different Schools, with our resources being now being used in Maths and Stats, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Medicine
over 250 users and 6500 page views last year
What will you do?
The tasks
Create content: study guides, questions, answers, proof sheets, fact sheets, general interest articles, interactive web content (flash cards, posters, etc), video and audio guides…
Content management: develop road-maps through the website, link with standard qualification materials, how best to present materials…
Develop impact: website management, workflow optimization, development and management of accessibility tools, social media strategies, outreach to the public, search engine optimization…
Creating content
Quality, not quantity. Materials are going to be publicly available. Only the best goes up.
Follow the style guide to the letter. The website must be written in a consistent style with the guides that are already there.
The amount of work will vary on a sliding scale depending on your credits and year. You will write at least one guide, one question set, one answer set.
Other than that, you can let your mind run free!
Content management
How can we best present our resources?
Match resources to school-level curricula and provide links for this
Strategic priorities for the future
Develop impact
Website management
Accessibility research and development
Outreach to the public
Social media management
How?
The website is written using Quarto (a markup language using R as a base), with version control using Github. You can use whichever code editor you so desire, but I strongly recommend using RStudio. Please make sure you download RStudio, R, and set up a github account.
The repository can be found at https://github.com/tdhc153/starmast.
Generative AI
This project allows the use of generative AI tools only in the creation of interactive figures.
It is not to be used in any other aspect of your project work.
More resources about the use and misuse of generative AI can be found here:
Any questions?
Come and see me in room 220 or email me :)
