Numbas editor Documentation Release 6.0 Newcastle University Sep 23, 2021 Important Information 1 The Numbas editor 3 2 What students need 5 3 Recording scores 7 4 Accessibility 9 5 Licensing 15 6 Create an account 17 7 Explore the editor 19 8 Write your first question 23 9 Create an exam 31 10 Delivering a Numbas exam to your students 35 11 Collaborating using Numbas 43 12 What next? 47 13 Recorded training sessions 49 14 Planning a question 51 15 How do I. 55 16 Gallery of example questions 67 17 Projects 75 18 Exams 81 19 Diagnostic mode 91 20 Questions 95 21 Explore mode 117 i 22 Question parts 123 23 LaTeX notation 147 24 JME 149 25 Marking algorithms 209 26 Number notation 215 27 Substituting variables into displayed maths 217 28 Pattern-matching mathematical expressions 225 29 Javascript APIs 233 30 Extensions 235 31 Themes 245 32 Custom part types 249 33 Installing an editor server 259 Index 269 ii Numbas editor Documentation, Release 6.0 Numbas is an open-source e-assessment system aimed at mathematics and other numerate disciplines. It generates SCORM 2004-compliant, self-contained assessment packages. Find out more about Numbas, including case studies and the latest blog posts, at numbas.org.uk. A free to use Numbas editor is open to the public at numbas.mathcentre.ac.uk. This documentation is a work in progress. If you have any questions, please email us or join the numbas-users mailing list. Important Information 1 Numbas editor Documentation, Release 6.0 2 Important Information CHAPTER 1 The Numbas editor The Numbas editor is used to write questions and collect them into exams. The editor at num- bas.mathcentre.ac.uk is free to use, and hosted by Newcastle University. If you want to set up your own instance of the editor, you can: it’s open source. See the editor installation instructions. 3 Numbas editor Documentation, Release 6.0 4 Chapter 1. The Numbas editor CHAPTER 2 What students need Students access Numbas through a web browser. The exam runs entirely on the student’s device. Numbas is compatible with all major browsers and devices. For standalone tests, you just need to upload your exam to the web and give your students a link to it. See recording scores for information on integrating Numbas with a virtual learning environment. We have tested Numbas on the following browsers. Any more recent versions should be assumed to work. • Chrome version 10. • Firefox version 7. • Internet Explorer 9. • Edge any version. • Safari 5.0 on desktop. • iOS (iPhone/iPad) 8.0 with Safari. • Android 5.0 (Lollipop) with Chrome. 5 Numbas editor Documentation, Release 6.0 6 Chapter 2. What students need CHAPTER 3 Recording scores In order to record students’ scores and other attempt data, you need to connect to a virtual learning environment (VLE). Numbas can use the SCORM 2004 standard, if your VLE supports it. Several VLEs have built-in SCORM players: the ones we know of are Blackboard Learn 9.1+, Moodle 2.6+, desire2learn Brightspace. Warning: Blackboard Learn’s SCORM player has several bugs and missing features. Many users have reported Blackboard failing to record attempt data for 5-10% of student attempts, apparently at random. We don’t recommend using Blackboard’s built-in SCORM player for summative assessment. Our recommended method of integrating with a VLE is the Numbas LTI provider. The LTI provider is software which you must run on a server you control; see the guide on what you need to run the LTI provider. The LTI provider works with any Basic LTI 1.1 tool consumer, which includes most VLEs. The major ones we know of are: Blackboard Learn 9.1+, Moodle 2.2+, Canvas, desire2learn Brightspace. Students can also print out or produce PDF transcripts of their attempts once completed. 7 Numbas editor Documentation, Release 6.0 8 Chapter 3. Recording scores CHAPTER 4 Accessibility Numbas should be accessible to everyone who needs to or would like to use it. Accessibility is an important consideration during the design and development process. We regularly test Numbas against a variety of accessibility requirements. There are separate accessibility statements for the Numbas editor and for Numbas exams. 4.1 Accessibility statement for the Numbas editor The Numbas editor should be accessible to everyone who needs to or would like to use it. Accessibility is an important consideration during the design and development process. We regularly test Numbas against a variety of accessibility requirements. This statement was prepared in October 2019. 4.1.1 What’s covered by this statement The Numbas editor interface, including the question and exam editors. 4.1.2 What’s not covered by this statement This statement does not cover the Numbas exam interface seen by students or the Numbas LTI tool provider. 4.1.3 Compliance with standards We aim to meet WCAG 2.1 AA level standards. 9 Numbas editor Documentation, Release 6.0 4.1.4 Particular accessibility requirements we’ve designed around • Still usable when zoomed to 200%. • Colour is never used as the sole means of conveying information. • Ensure a colour contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 (WCAG level AA) throughout the interface. • The interface can be navigated entirely with the keyboard. • Layout is responsive and usable on screens with a variety of resolutions. 4.1.5 Known accessibility issues The colour contrast on some button labels does not meet WCAG AA level standards. We haven’t spent much time using the editor with a screen reader. Navigating the interface can be cumbersome, and parts of the interface that update in response to actions aren’t automatically read out. The editor interface is not very easy to use on narrow screens such as mobile devices. 4.1.6 Who to contact if you have problems or want to give feedback Contact us through any of the following: • Email [email protected]. • File an issue on the Numbas editor GitHub repository. • Post on the numbas-users group. 4.2 Accessibility statement for Numbas exams Numbas should be accessible to everyone who needs to or would like to use it. Accessibility is an important consideration during the design and development process. We regularly test Numbas against a variety of accessibility requirements. This statement was prepared in October 2019. 4.2.1 What’s covered by this statement The Numbas runtime, as seen by students, using the default theme. 4.2.2 What’s not covered by this statement This statement does not cover the Numbas editor or Numbas LTI tool provider. This statement does not cover the text content of questions written using Numbas - the question author is responsible for ensuring it’s accessible. Authors often embed content such as videos in Numbas questions. Apart from these, the Numbas interface doesn’t include any videos or sound effects. Numbas supports custom interface themes and extensions to provide new functionality. Themes and exten- sions developed by the Numbas team are designed with the same accessibility considerations as the main Numbas system, but third-party themes and extensions are the responsibility of their authors. 10 Chapter 4. Accessibility Numbas editor Documentation, Release 6.0 4.2.3 Compliance with standards We aim to meet WCAG 2.1 AA level standards. 4.2.4 Particular accessibility requirements we’ve designed around • Still usable when zoomed to 200%. • Colour is never used as the sole means of conveying information. • Ensure a colour contrast ratio of at least 7:1 (WCAG level AAA) throughout the interface. • The interface can be navigated entirely with the keyboard. • All content on the page is screen-readable, with sensible descriptions. • Very few animations; reduce motion as much as possible when browsers request it. • Layout is responsive and usable on screens with a variety of resolutions, including mobile devices. 4.2.5 Compatibility with browsers We have tested Numbas on the following browsers. Any more recent versions should be assumed to work. • Chrome version 10. • Firefox version 7. • Internet Explorer 9. • Edge any version. • Safari 5.0 on desktop. • iOS (iPhone/iPad) 8.0 with Safari. • Android 5.0 (Lollipop) with Chrome. 4.2.6 Accessibility guide Page navigation The first link on the page skips to the main content that is currently displayed. During an examthislink goes to the start of the current question’s content. The navigation sidebar contains buttons to move between questions, as well as a score summary, a button to change the display options, and a button to pause the exam, if enabled. The final button in the navigation area is labelled End exam and will end the exam after a confirmation dialog. On narrow screens, the navigation sidebar is hidden and instead a smaller navigation bar is shown at the top of the page. This contains buttons to move to the previous or next question, an End exam button, and a button to show the sidebar, with an icon of three horizontal lines. To hide the sidebar again, click anywhere outside the sidebar. 4.2. Accessibility statement for Numbas exams 11 Numbas editor Documentation, Release 6.0 Interacting with a question Each question is separated into three areas: introductory “question statement” text, one or more parts, and “Advice”, which is only shown when the answers to the parts have been revealed. The statement text is at the top of the question, followed by a separator. There is typically no interactive content in the question statement. Each question part begins with a level 4 header, then some prompt text, typically followed by an input control to enter your answer.