D2L’s Maple T.A. Connector provides unified experience for teachers and students
Waterloo, Canada; 28 January 2014: Maplesoft, a leading producer of high performance software tools for technical education and research, and Desire2Learn (D2L), the EdTech company that created the first truly integrated learning platform (ILP), today announce that they have partnered to create a joint integration, D2L’s Maple T.A. Connector, which offers a smooth and streamlined experience for users of both technologies.
D2L’s Maple T.A. Connector enables users to access Maple T.A from the Desire2Learn ILP. Designed especially for courses involving mathematics, Maple T.A. is an easy-to-use web-based system for creating tests and assignments, and automatically assessing student responses and performance. By enabling integration with the D2L ILP, the connector gives users easier ways to access both products through a single environment.
The connector offers single sign-on authentication, so users do not need to manage two sets of credentials to access the products. Results from Maple T.A. assignments are automatically added to D2L’s grade book, so all the results are kept in a single location without the need for instructors to manually transfer marks. Furthermore, students have easy, single-click access to all their assignments from a single location, no matter which environment the assignment was created in.
The University of Waterloo has successfully adopted D2L’s Maple T.A. Connector, after being a key partner in the initiation of the project and in the design and development of the tool. “Both Maple T.A. and D2L’s integrated learning platform are strong solutions that we use heavily in course management and student assessment,” said Sean Scott, Instructional Support Coordinator, Faculty of Mathematics, University of Waterloo. “A connector product that integrates the two increases our productivity. The unified interface will make it easier for our instructors and students to use both systems, so they can focus more on learning instead of infrastructure.”
“We are delighted that Maplesoft has joined the D2L Partner Ecosystem,” said Ken Chapman, Vice President of Market Strategy at D2L. “Maplesoft has a strong presence in the academic market and this partnership will unite our strengths and help us reach out to more teachers and students, bringing outstanding value, a richer ecosystem and an even better experience for our users.”
“We understand the importance of open architectures and customer choice,” said Laurent Bernardin, Executive Vice President and Chief Scientist, Maplesoft. “This is why early on in Maple T.A., we built in the ability to seamlessly connect with other systems. We are pleased with this opportunity to collaborate with Desire2Learn, providing customers with additional ease of use and increased productivity. University of Waterloo’s implementation is a prime example of combining two great products to enhance the eLearning experience of our customers.”
In addition to integration with Desire2Learn’s platform, Maple T.A. offers several other connectivity options. For pricing and other information on D2L’s Maple T.A. Connector, please contact Maplesoft or D2L.
About Maplesoft
Maplesoft™, a subsidiary of Cybernet Systems Co., Ltd. in Japan, has over 25 years of experience developing products for technical education and research, offering a solution that applies to every aspect of academic life. Its product suite reflects the philosophy that given great tools, people can do great things.
Maplesoft’s core technology is the world’s most advanced symbolic computation engine, which is the foundation for all of its products, including Maple™, the technical computing and documentation environment; MapleSim™, the high-performance, multi-domain modeling and simulation tool for physical systems; and Maple T.A.™, a web-based system for creating and assessing online tests and assignments.
Maplesoft also introduced a fundamental shift in technical education through its Clickable Math™ and Clickable Engineering™ initiatives. The idea behind this shift is to create technology that will allow students and teachers to focus on the concepts, not the tool. These initiatives deliver powerful mathematics through visual, interactive point-and-click methods in Maple, while the intuitive physical modeling environment of MapleSim helps teachers to quickly demonstrate the connection between modeling concepts and the underlying mathematical theory.
Over 90% of advanced research institutions and universities worldwide, including MIT, Stanford, Oxford, the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the U.S. Department of Energy, have adopted Maplesoft solutions to enhance their education and research activities. In industry Maplesoft’s customers include Ford, Toyota, NASA, Canadian Space Agency, Motorola, and DreamWorks, covering sectors such as automotive, aerospace, electronics, defense, consumer products, and entertainment.
Visit www.maplesoft.com to learn more.
