Math and Latex in Pressbooks - User Research Invitation
Hello BC Open folks, Pressbooks has reached out to BCcampus to ask for suggestions of people they can talk to get feedback and so they can improve the way that Pressbooks handles mathematical and scientific notation, including improving their LaTeX support and updating or expanding their use of MathJax. They are specifically looking to conduct short user research interviews with "power users" -- people who use LaTeX or math/scientific notation heavily in their teaching and writing in order to better understand needs and pain points and to refine and prioritize improvements and new features. This is a really great opportunity to contribute to the improvement in how Pressbooks handles math and scientific content. If you are interested (or know someone who might be) please send me an email at jgray(a)bccampus.ca, and I will pass the information on to Pressbooks. Thanks! Josie Josie Gray, MDes she/her/hers Manager, Open Education Hear my name<https://namedrop.io/josiegray> Cell: 778-584-7808 • Email: jgray(a)bccampus.ca Bluesky: @josiea.bsky.social<https://bsky.app/profile/josiea.bsky.social> • LinkedIn: josieagray<https://www.linkedin.com/in/josieagray/> • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • BCcampus Learning. Doing. Leading. BCcampus.ca<https://bccampus.ca/> • LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/company/bccampus/> As a settler, I am grateful to live and work in both Moh’kins’tsis on Treaty 7 lands, which includes the territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (the Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai Nations), the Tsuut’ina Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda (including the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley Nations). This place is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3. I also spend a considerable time living in wâwâskesiwisâkahikan in the very northern part of Treaty 6, the traditional and continued homelands of the Cree and Métis Peoples.
Hi Josie, Most our math faculty use a different program to do math textbook, especially question and answer sets. It's quite nice in the way it works. The quizzes seem to have some built in features. I believe it is called MathJax. So, if they looked at that program for suggestion to improve - that would be a way to go. Math folks at UBC also use it. I feel like we would be asking them to change where they publish when it currently works very well for them. I would prefer to see BCcampus offer a MathJax solution instead. Regards Inba From: BC Open <bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca> Sent: March 5, 2025 2:59 PM To: bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca Subject: [Bcopen] Math and Latex in Pressbooks - User Research Invitation Hello BC Open folks, Pressbooks has reached out to BCcampus to ask for suggestions of people they can talk to get feedback and so they can improve the way that Pressbooks handles mathematical and scientific notation, including improving their LaTeX support and updating or expanding their use of MathJax. They are specifically looking to conduct short user research interviews with "power users" -- people who use LaTeX or math/scientific notation heavily in their teaching and writing in order to better understand needs and pain points and to refine and prioritize improvements and new features. This is a really great opportunity to contribute to the improvement in how Pressbooks handles math and scientific content. If you are interested (or know someone who might be) please send me an email at jgray(a)bccampus.ca<mailto:jgray(a)bccampus.ca>, and I will pass the information on to Pressbooks. Thanks! Josie Josie Gray, MDes she/her/hers Manager, Open Education Hear my name<https://namedrop.io/josiegray> Cell: 778-584-7808 * Email: jgray(a)bccampus.ca<mailto:jgray(a)bccampus.ca> Bluesky: @josiea.bsky.social<https://bsky.app/profile/josiea.bsky.social> * LinkedIn: josieagray<https://www.linkedin.com/in/josieagray/> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BCcampus Learning. Doing. Leading. BCcampus.ca<https://bccampus.ca/> * LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/company/bccampus/> As a settler, I am grateful to live and work in both Moh'kins'tsis on Treaty 7 lands, which includes the territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (the Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai Nations), the Tsuut'ina Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda (including the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley Nations). This place is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3. I also spend a considerable time living in wâwâskesiwisâkahikan in the very northern part of Treaty 6, the traditional and continued homelands of the Cree and Métis Peoples.
Hi Inba, Thanks for this information! Do you know the name of the platform? For context, Pressbooks does support MathJax and MathML. In Pressbooks, you can write equations in LaTeX and there is a MathJax plugin installed in Pressbooks that both renders the LaTeX and translates the LaTeX into MathML. You can also insert MathML into Pressbooks and it will render. I think right now Pressbooks is interested how to improve how all that works within Pressbooks. That said, I think it would also be helpful for Pressbooks to hear from an instructor who uses a different platform because it better supports math/scientific authoring. If you have someone in mind that you think may be able to provide that perspective, please have them reach out to me. Thanks so much for your input! Josie Josie Gray, MDes she/her/hers Manager, Open Education Hear my name<https://namedrop.io/josiegray> • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • BCcampus Learning. Doing. Leading. BCcampus.ca<https://bccampus.ca/> • LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/company/bccampus/> [cid:48e35eee-156a-48cf-a902-225a19f40173]<https://outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/23d4d60c728f4effb3fdcbd679930bda(a)bccampus.ca?anonymous&ep=signature> Book time to meet with me<https://outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/23d4d60c728f4effb3fdcbd679930bda(a)bccampus.ca?anonymous&ep=signature> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ________________________________ From: BC Open <bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca> Sent: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 17:15 To: bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca <bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca> Cc: press <press(a)uvic.ca> Subject: [Bcopen] Re: Math and Latex in Pressbooks - User Research Invitation CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. ________________________________ Hi Josie, Most our math faculty use a different program to do math textbook, especially question and answer sets. It’s quite nice in the way it works. The quizzes seem to have some built in features. I believe it is called MathJax. So, if they looked at that program for suggestion to improve – that would be a way to go. Math folks at UBC also use it. I feel like we would be asking them to change where they publish when it currently works very well for them. I would prefer to see BCcampus offer a MathJax solution instead. Regards Inba From: BC Open <bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca> Sent: March 5, 2025 2:59 PM To: bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca Subject: [Bcopen] Math and Latex in Pressbooks - User Research Invitation Hello BC Open folks, Pressbooks has reached out to BCcampus to ask for suggestions of people they can talk to get feedback and so they can improve the way that Pressbooks handles mathematical and scientific notation, including improving their LaTeX support and updating or expanding their use of MathJax. They are specifically looking to conduct short user research interviews with "power users" -- people who use LaTeX or math/scientific notation heavily in their teaching and writing in order to better understand needs and pain points and to refine and prioritize improvements and new features. This is a really great opportunity to contribute to the improvement in how Pressbooks handles math and scientific content. If you are interested (or know someone who might be) please send me an email at jgray(a)bccampus.ca<mailto:jgray(a)bccampus.ca>, and I will pass the information on to Pressbooks. Thanks! Josie Josie Gray, MDes she/her/hers Manager, Open Education Hear my name<https://namedrop.io/josiegray> Cell: 778-584-7808 • Email: jgray(a)bccampus.ca<mailto:jgray(a)bccampus.ca> Bluesky: @josiea.bsky.social<https://bsky.app/profile/josiea.bsky.social> • LinkedIn: josieagray<https://www.linkedin.com/in/josieagray/> • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • BCcampus Learning. Doing. Leading. BCcampus.ca<https://bccampus.ca/> • LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/company/bccampus/> As a settler, I am grateful to live and work in both Moh’kins’tsis on Treaty 7 lands, which includes the territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (the Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai Nations), the Tsuut’ina Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda (including the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley Nations). This place is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3. I also spend a considerable time living in wâwâskesiwisâkahikan in the very northern part of Treaty 6, the traditional and continued homelands of the Cree and Métis Peoples.
Hi Josie, I believe that they are using WebWork. I'll check with them first before sharing emails. Regards Inba From: BC Open <bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca> Sent: March 6, 2025 8:10 AM To: bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca Cc: press <press(a)uvic.ca> Subject: [Bcopen] Re: Math and Latex in Pressbooks - User Research Invitation Hi Inba, Thanks for this information! Do you know the name of the platform? For context, Pressbooks does support MathJax and MathML. In Pressbooks, you can write equations in LaTeX and there is a MathJax plugin installed in Pressbooks that both renders the LaTeX and translates the LaTeX into MathML. You can also insert MathML into Pressbooks and it will render. I think right now Pressbooks is interested how to improve how all that works within Pressbooks. That said, I think it would also be helpful for Pressbooks to hear from an instructor who uses a different platform because it better supports math/scientific authoring. If you have someone in mind that you think may be able to provide that perspective, please have them reach out to me. Thanks so much for your input! Josie Josie Gray, MDes she/her/hers Manager, Open Education Hear my name<https://namedrop.io/josiegray> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BCcampus Learning. Doing. Leading. BCcampus.ca<https://bccampus.ca/> * LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/company/bccampus/> [cid:image001.png(a)01DB8E74.84056C20]<https://outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/23d4d60c728f4effb3fdcbd679930bda(a)bccampus.ca?anonymous&ep=signature> Book time to meet with me<https://outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/23d4d60c728f4effb3fdcbd679930bda(a)bccampus.ca?anonymous&ep=signature> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ________________________________ From: BC Open <bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca<mailto:bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca>> Sent: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 17:15 To: bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca<mailto:bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca> <bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca<mailto:bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca>> Cc: press <press(a)uvic.ca<mailto:press(a)uvic.ca>> Subject: [Bcopen] Re: Math and Latex in Pressbooks - User Research Invitation CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. ________________________________ Hi Josie, Most our math faculty use a different program to do math textbook, especially question and answer sets. It's quite nice in the way it works. The quizzes seem to have some built in features. I believe it is called MathJax. So, if they looked at that program for suggestion to improve - that would be a way to go. Math folks at UBC also use it. I feel like we would be asking them to change where they publish when it currently works very well for them. I would prefer to see BCcampus offer a MathJax solution instead. Regards Inba From: BC Open <bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca<mailto:bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca>> Sent: March 5, 2025 2:59 PM To: bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca<mailto:bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca> Subject: [Bcopen] Math and Latex in Pressbooks - User Research Invitation Hello BC Open folks, Pressbooks has reached out to BCcampus to ask for suggestions of people they can talk to get feedback and so they can improve the way that Pressbooks handles mathematical and scientific notation, including improving their LaTeX support and updating or expanding their use of MathJax. They are specifically looking to conduct short user research interviews with "power users" -- people who use LaTeX or math/scientific notation heavily in their teaching and writing in order to better understand needs and pain points and to refine and prioritize improvements and new features. This is a really great opportunity to contribute to the improvement in how Pressbooks handles math and scientific content. If you are interested (or know someone who might be) please send me an email at jgray(a)bccampus.ca<mailto:jgray(a)bccampus.ca>, and I will pass the information on to Pressbooks. Thanks! Josie Josie Gray, MDes she/her/hers Manager, Open Education Hear my name<https://namedrop.io/josiegray> Cell: 778-584-7808 * Email: jgray(a)bccampus.ca<mailto:jgray(a)bccampus.ca> Bluesky: @josiea.bsky.social<https://bsky.app/profile/josiea.bsky.social> * LinkedIn: josieagray<https://www.linkedin.com/in/josieagray/> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BCcampus Learning. Doing. Leading. BCcampus.ca<https://bccampus.ca/> * LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/company/bccampus/> As a settler, I am grateful to live and work in both Moh'kins'tsis on Treaty 7 lands, which includes the territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (the Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai Nations), the Tsuut'ina Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda (including the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley Nations). This place is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3. I also spend a considerable time living in wâwâskesiwisâkahikan in the very northern part of Treaty 6, the traditional and continued homelands of the Cree and Métis Peoples.
Hi Josie, Here's a name and contact that you can share with Pressbooks. Jane Butterfield - jvbutter(a)uvic.ca<mailto:jvbutter(a)uvic.ca> Regards Inba From: BC Open <bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca> Sent: March 6, 2025 8:48 AM To: bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca Cc: press <press(a)uvic.ca> Subject: [Bcopen] Re: Math and Latex in Pressbooks - User Research Invitation Hi Josie, I believe that they are using WebWork. I'll check with them first before sharing emails. Regards Inba From: BC Open <bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca<mailto:bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca>> Sent: March 6, 2025 8:10 AM To: bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca<mailto:bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca> Cc: press <press(a)uvic.ca<mailto:press(a)uvic.ca>> Subject: [Bcopen] Re: Math and Latex in Pressbooks - User Research Invitation Hi Inba, Thanks for this information! Do you know the name of the platform? For context, Pressbooks does support MathJax and MathML. In Pressbooks, you can write equations in LaTeX and there is a MathJax plugin installed in Pressbooks that both renders the LaTeX and translates the LaTeX into MathML. You can also insert MathML into Pressbooks and it will render. I think right now Pressbooks is interested how to improve how all that works within Pressbooks. That said, I think it would also be helpful for Pressbooks to hear from an instructor who uses a different platform because it better supports math/scientific authoring. If you have someone in mind that you think may be able to provide that perspective, please have them reach out to me. Thanks so much for your input! Josie Josie Gray, MDes she/her/hers Manager, Open Education Hear my name<https://namedrop.io/josiegray> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BCcampus Learning. Doing. Leading. BCcampus.ca<https://bccampus.ca/> * LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/company/bccampus/> [cid:image001.png(a)01DB8EAD.AF286C70]<https://outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/23d4d60c728f4effb3fdcbd679930bda(a)bccampus.ca?anonymous&ep=signature> Book time to meet with me<https://outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/23d4d60c728f4effb3fdcbd679930bda(a)bccampus.ca?anonymous&ep=signature> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ________________________________ From: BC Open <bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca<mailto:bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca>> Sent: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 17:15 To: bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca<mailto:bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca> <bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca<mailto:bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca>> Cc: press <press(a)uvic.ca<mailto:press(a)uvic.ca>> Subject: [Bcopen] Re: Math and Latex in Pressbooks - User Research Invitation CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. ________________________________ Hi Josie, Most our math faculty use a different program to do math textbook, especially question and answer sets. It's quite nice in the way it works. The quizzes seem to have some built in features. I believe it is called MathJax. So, if they looked at that program for suggestion to improve - that would be a way to go. Math folks at UBC also use it. I feel like we would be asking them to change where they publish when it currently works very well for them. I would prefer to see BCcampus offer a MathJax solution instead. Regards Inba From: BC Open <bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca<mailto:bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca>> Sent: March 5, 2025 2:59 PM To: bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca<mailto:bcopen(a)lists.bccampus.ca> Subject: [Bcopen] Math and Latex in Pressbooks - User Research Invitation Hello BC Open folks, Pressbooks has reached out to BCcampus to ask for suggestions of people they can talk to get feedback and so they can improve the way that Pressbooks handles mathematical and scientific notation, including improving their LaTeX support and updating or expanding their use of MathJax. They are specifically looking to conduct short user research interviews with "power users" -- people who use LaTeX or math/scientific notation heavily in their teaching and writing in order to better understand needs and pain points and to refine and prioritize improvements and new features. This is a really great opportunity to contribute to the improvement in how Pressbooks handles math and scientific content. If you are interested (or know someone who might be) please send me an email at jgray(a)bccampus.ca<mailto:jgray(a)bccampus.ca>, and I will pass the information on to Pressbooks. Thanks! Josie Josie Gray, MDes she/her/hers Manager, Open Education Hear my name<https://namedrop.io/josiegray> Cell: 778-584-7808 * Email: jgray(a)bccampus.ca<mailto:jgray(a)bccampus.ca> Bluesky: @josiea.bsky.social<https://bsky.app/profile/josiea.bsky.social> * LinkedIn: josieagray<https://www.linkedin.com/in/josieagray/> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BCcampus Learning. Doing. Leading. BCcampus.ca<https://bccampus.ca/> * LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/company/bccampus/> As a settler, I am grateful to live and work in both Moh'kins'tsis on Treaty 7 lands, which includes the territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (the Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai Nations), the Tsuut'ina Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda (including the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley Nations). This place is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3. I also spend a considerable time living in wâwâskesiwisâkahikan in the very northern part of Treaty 6, the traditional and continued homelands of the Cree and Métis Peoples.
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