New Maths CD
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Mike Edwards
New Maths CD
Hi
The latest CD in the ElevenPlusExams.co.uk/The Tutors series is now available for ordering and as a download.
With a broadband connection the download is quick and after activating a security code you can be working on it within minutes.
We are particularly pleased with the work that the guys at ElevenPlusExams have put into the presentation of the CD.
They have been working hard to make the product available because of the advance interest in it.
A demo of the CD will be available shortly.
The format is the same as the VR CD1 with the NFER questions organised into categories with 50 questions per category.
We have included 500 additional questions oranised into 25 categories covering the main areas of mental arithmetic and basic algebra.
We think that the CD will attract wider interest, such as KS2 SATs, because of the overall content of it.
Regards
Mike Edwards
The latest CD in the ElevenPlusExams.co.uk/The Tutors series is now available for ordering and as a download.
With a broadband connection the download is quick and after activating a security code you can be working on it within minutes.
We are particularly pleased with the work that the guys at ElevenPlusExams have put into the presentation of the CD.
They have been working hard to make the product available because of the advance interest in it.
A demo of the CD will be available shortly.
The format is the same as the VR CD1 with the NFER questions organised into categories with 50 questions per category.
We have included 500 additional questions oranised into 25 categories covering the main areas of mental arithmetic and basic algebra.
We think that the CD will attract wider interest, such as KS2 SATs, because of the overall content of it.
Regards
Mike Edwards
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Bewildered
- Posts: 1806
- Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 2:29 pm
- Location: Berkshire
Thanks Mike,
Just downloaded it (as couldn't wait
). Had a play and unfortunately used a few papers in process (as no demo yet), and looks great. My son Absolutely loves maths anyway, and am sure he will thoroughly enjoy the time challenge when he gets his hands on it tomorrow morning.
Wonderful idea of Bonus 500+questions providing additional targeted practice in algebra and mental arithmetic.
THANKYOU V Much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BW
Just downloaded it (as couldn't wait
). Had a play and unfortunately used a few papers in process (as no demo yet), and looks great. My son Absolutely loves maths anyway, and am sure he will thoroughly enjoy the time challenge when he gets his hands on it tomorrow morning.Wonderful idea of Bonus 500+questions providing additional targeted practice in algebra and mental arithmetic.
THANKYOU V Much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BW
-
Mike Edwards
Hi
I thought it might be useful for you to know how the Maths CD was created so that you can have an insight, from start to finish, of the processes required to produce the product for launch.
After completing our second VR CD we discussed with ElevenPlusExams what our next project should be.
We agreed that as we had written what is an 11+ VR syllabus on CD that it would be a good idea to create a similar 11+ Maths syllabus on CD.
The VR CD was reasonably easy to format because the 21 question types were already known and we had already written our own e-paper material.
However, although we had taught Maths for Common Entrance Tests using NFER related material we did not have a format to work with.
Our first task therefore was to take the 200 questions in the NFER familiarization packs and sort them into categories. We found that there were approximately 60 different types of questions. These question types were then organised into group categories, for example, all the addition questions and all the subtraction questions were grouped together to create the first category of questions. The miscellaneous category contains questions were the question type only occured once or twice within the NFER 200 question set.
We decided that we wanted to create a rotation of questions within each category so we organised the questions so that there were 10 question types rotating five times. This is what makes up the 50 questions in each category.
We then set to work writing the questions. Now writing 900 questions that are individual and unique, but still of a standard to fit into the NFER framework was not an easy task. Many questions were rejected before we were able to submit the first drafts to ElevenPlusExams.
One of the problems we had was that we did not have the software or the knowledge to create the large ammount of charts, tables, diagrams and drawings incorporated within the CD. Some of the work was completed freehand or decriptively for the programmers to interpret.
Once the draft work was submitted to elevenplusexams they set to work inputting the information, there were four programmers working on the question sets. Again this was a substantial task particularly as we were not working side-by-side and some of the questions required quite clear interpretation. Each diagram had to be created individually by them, it was not just a case of copying and pasting.
We knew that the main part of the CD was going to contain 900 questions. However, our other CDs contain over 1000 questions each. We decided to write additional bonus questions based on mental arithmetic, and to be honest we got a little carried away. Our initial intention was to write about 250 questions, but we thought that this could leave the question set a little incomplete so we ended up writing 500 questions, which included the algebra sets. The bonus questions were submitted to ElevenPlusExams for formatting and inputting.
Once all the question sets were inputted they were returned to us for proof-reading. This itself was a big task, because we were not just proofing for correct answers. Everything that had been inputted needed to be checked so that it was worded correctly, each answer could work and all the diagrams were correct.
After the amendments were made to the first draft a second and third round of proofing occured. One of the difficulties of proofing your own work is that you don't always spot something that is obvious. So the final proofing was completd independently. The CD was tested by a group of Grammar school pupils who had previous experience of Maths 11+ entrance tests. The group were nicknamed the Satsuma Kids because of the large quantity of satsumas they consumed during the process. They pointed out certain issues, in particular the presentation of the fractions, that were then amended.
The role of elevenplusexams was then to deal with all the technical work (that I don't really undersatand), such as encryption, and create all the necessary documents and information pages to market the product and present it on the website as you now see it.
I've missed out all the arguments that Janet and myself have had whilst writing this CD. I think that we are both relieved and extremely pleased that the CD is now available. The initial response that we have had in less than 24 hours is very positive.
Regards
Mike
I thought it might be useful for you to know how the Maths CD was created so that you can have an insight, from start to finish, of the processes required to produce the product for launch.
After completing our second VR CD we discussed with ElevenPlusExams what our next project should be.
We agreed that as we had written what is an 11+ VR syllabus on CD that it would be a good idea to create a similar 11+ Maths syllabus on CD.
The VR CD was reasonably easy to format because the 21 question types were already known and we had already written our own e-paper material.
However, although we had taught Maths for Common Entrance Tests using NFER related material we did not have a format to work with.
Our first task therefore was to take the 200 questions in the NFER familiarization packs and sort them into categories. We found that there were approximately 60 different types of questions. These question types were then organised into group categories, for example, all the addition questions and all the subtraction questions were grouped together to create the first category of questions. The miscellaneous category contains questions were the question type only occured once or twice within the NFER 200 question set.
We decided that we wanted to create a rotation of questions within each category so we organised the questions so that there were 10 question types rotating five times. This is what makes up the 50 questions in each category.
We then set to work writing the questions. Now writing 900 questions that are individual and unique, but still of a standard to fit into the NFER framework was not an easy task. Many questions were rejected before we were able to submit the first drafts to ElevenPlusExams.
One of the problems we had was that we did not have the software or the knowledge to create the large ammount of charts, tables, diagrams and drawings incorporated within the CD. Some of the work was completed freehand or decriptively for the programmers to interpret.
Once the draft work was submitted to elevenplusexams they set to work inputting the information, there were four programmers working on the question sets. Again this was a substantial task particularly as we were not working side-by-side and some of the questions required quite clear interpretation. Each diagram had to be created individually by them, it was not just a case of copying and pasting.
We knew that the main part of the CD was going to contain 900 questions. However, our other CDs contain over 1000 questions each. We decided to write additional bonus questions based on mental arithmetic, and to be honest we got a little carried away. Our initial intention was to write about 250 questions, but we thought that this could leave the question set a little incomplete so we ended up writing 500 questions, which included the algebra sets. The bonus questions were submitted to ElevenPlusExams for formatting and inputting.
Once all the question sets were inputted they were returned to us for proof-reading. This itself was a big task, because we were not just proofing for correct answers. Everything that had been inputted needed to be checked so that it was worded correctly, each answer could work and all the diagrams were correct.
After the amendments were made to the first draft a second and third round of proofing occured. One of the difficulties of proofing your own work is that you don't always spot something that is obvious. So the final proofing was completd independently. The CD was tested by a group of Grammar school pupils who had previous experience of Maths 11+ entrance tests. The group were nicknamed the Satsuma Kids because of the large quantity of satsumas they consumed during the process. They pointed out certain issues, in particular the presentation of the fractions, that were then amended.
The role of elevenplusexams was then to deal with all the technical work (that I don't really undersatand), such as encryption, and create all the necessary documents and information pages to market the product and present it on the website as you now see it.
I've missed out all the arguments that Janet and myself have had whilst writing this CD. I think that we are both relieved and extremely pleased that the CD is now available. The initial response that we have had in less than 24 hours is very positive.
Regards
Mike
