Faculty Involved:   Rocky Ross

The Webworks Laboratory, directed by Rocky Ross, is devoted to the design, implementation, and evaluation of teaching and learning resources that can be delivered on the web. Current work focuses on two major aspects:

  1. The creation of active learning applets that can be embedded in a web presentation of a topic (e.g., the theory of computing) that allows the learner to interact with and manipulate dynamic models (e.g., finite state automata, context free grammars, etc.) in context.
  2. The creation of hypertextbooks -- web-based teaching and learning resources that incorporate text, graphics, active learning applets, sound, and video into a seamless whole -- that can serve to augment or supplant traditional textbooks in courses.

Support:

The activities of the Webworks Laboratory are supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and are interdisciplinary in nature.

Opportunities:

There is no end to the number and kinds of projects that can be undertaken in the Laboratory. They range in size and complexity in ways that make them variously suitable for:

  • undergraduate senior projects
  • graduate projects for Master's students on the project option
  • Master's theses
  • PhD theses

The project has ongoing needs for new student participants. Some support may be available but is usually reserved for students who have already been in the Department for a while in order for the Webworks Director to determine their suitability to the needs of the Laboratory.