Roberto Almanza
Ranyee Chiang
Kevin Mernick
Imeh Williams

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====================Mad Math Minute=========================

An educational software project for Karen DiPrete's 3rd grade classroom, Vartan Gregorian Fox Point Elementary School, Providence, RI

Created as part of Brown University's Educational Software Seminar, CS92

May 2000

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Web page:
   http://www.cs.brown.edu/courses/cs092/2000/madminute

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Project Team:
   Roberto Almanza
   Ranyee Chiang
   Kevin Mernick
   Imeh Williams

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Program Goal:

   Mad Minute is an interactive math software program to aid youngsters in the development of basic math skills like multiplication and division. The impetus for the project came from the enthusiastic and dedicated Karen DiPrete, a third grade teacher at Vartan Gregorian Elementary School at Fox Point.

   In Mrs. DiPrete's classroom, she administers short math drills that test a child proficiency of various multiplication tables. Students can proceed onto more difficult multiplicands by mastering these drills.

   Unfortunately, due to time constraints Mrs. Diprete has a hard time administering these drills to the entire class at the same time. She hopes that our Mad Minute project will give children an opportunity to take these tests individually at their own pace.

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The Program:

   ** Object **
Each student's goal is to learn the multiplication and division tables in a fun way. The students proceed through one multiplicand at a time. At any time, the student can only play levels that he/she has already passed. The final level is a set of 100 mixed problems consisting of different multiplicands.

   ** Login **
A student's data and progress is saved in a database, either installed on the local computer, or on a server so that multiple computers can access the same database. A student must use the same login name each time to continue where they left off.

   ** Main Menu **
From the main menu, a student can go to the hall of fame, play a Mad Minute, or practice their multiplication tables. Each of these are described below. There are also help and quit options.

   ** Hall of Fame **
The lowest times for each operation (multiplication) and for each level (1, 2, 3, etc) are recorded in the hall of fame. Since there are multiple hall of fames, each student will have the opportunity to have their name on at least one hall of fame, hopefully more.

   ** Mad Minute **
The student selects either multiplication or division. The student then selects the level which they want to play. Only the levels that they have previously passed and the current level are available. The student then has one minute to complete 13 problems. The turtle will announce the remaining time at certain intervals, and there is a small timer in the upper left hand corner of the screen.

Once the student has completed levels 1 through 12, the student must complete a set of mixed problems demonstrating their total proficiency. They have 4 minutes to complete these problems.

   ** Practice **
The student has the option to practice the math problems without being timed. Completing a practice level successfully does not advance the student to the next level.

   ** Help **
The help option will take the student to a screen which describes the various parts of the program.

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Installation:

Copy all of the files in the Install folder on the distribution CD into the destination folder.

The readability of 3 files must be changed. Currently, mmtmp.mdb, HallOfFame.mdb, and databaseLocations.txt are all read-only. Change all of these to not read-only. Right click on the file name and select Properties. Unselect the "Read-only" option.

Open the databaseLocations.txt file in the destination folder. This needs to be edited so that the MadMinute program will know the location of the databases. The path of the student database (mmtmp.mdb) will be on the first line. The path of the hall of fame database (HallOfFame.mdb) will be on the second line. The databaseLocations.txt file should be in the same directory as MadMinute.exe.

MadMinute.exe will run the program

To create a shortcut on the desktop for MadMinute, select New and then Shortcut. Click on Browse and select the MadMinute.exe file. Continue following the directions.

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Database Management:

   The student and hall of fame data is stored in a Microsoft Access database. The individual student data is stored in a file called mmtmp.mdb. The hall of fame data is stored in a file called hallOfFame.mdb. Both of these can be opened, read, and edited through Microsoft Access. When manipulating these files you will be prompted for a password. Please contact us if you need the password.

   For the installation in Ms. Diprete's classroom the student database (mmtmp.mdb) will be on the server at this path \\FXPDC\Aps\MadMin\Diprete\. To view the student data simply double click on the file named mmtmp.mdb. The data in this file is in a fairly simple format:
  LoginID The student's login name
  LastDate The last date the student used the program
  TotalTime The total time spent on program to date
  SectionsCompleteMult Tables completed in multiplication
  SectionsCompleteDiv Tables completed in division
If required a teacher may alter any information that needs to be modified by simply selecting the field and typing in the new value.

   The hall of fame database(hallOfFame.mdb) is stored locally on each machine and is located in the following path PLACE PATH NAME HERE.

   The same applies for the installation on the server, the password is the same and the data may also be altered. The student database (mmtmp.mdb) is located in \\FXPDC\MadMin\. The hall of fame database (hallOfFame.mdb) is located in \\FXPDC\MadMin\.

Slightly more technical(not really):
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   The game itself reads the appropriate destination of both databases from a text file named databaseLocations.txt. Within this file the first line contains the full path of the student database (ex. c:\MadMinute\), the second line contains the full path of the hall of fame database. Anyone altering this file should follow the convention given and ensure that the databases are located at the locations specified.

   The text file is unique for each installation. For the installation in Ms. Diprete's class it is located in c:\MadMin\. For the server installation it is located in \\FXPDC\MadMin\.

Trouble Shooting
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• Nothing is being displayed in the hall of fame
  Solution: Ensure that the hallOfFame.mdb file is located in the
  path specified on the second line of the databaseLocations.txt file specified above.
  Right click on the file name and select Properties. The "Read-only" option should not be selected.
• I previously logged in, yet it keeps telling me to sign up again
  Solution: Ensure that the mmtmp.mdb file is located in the path specified on the first line of the databaseLocations.txt file specified above.
  Right click on the file name and select Properties. The "Read-only" option should not be selected.
• I passed this table already, yet it won't let me advance.
  Solution: Ensure that the mmtmp.mdb file is located in the path specified on the first line of the databaseLocations.txt file specified above.
  Right click on the file name and select Properties. The "Read-only" option should not be selected.
• If all else fails, restore the student info and hall of fame info (databases) by doing the following:
  Go to .\MadMinute\BackupDatabases\ in here you will find a copy of the original databases simply copy and paste these into the current location of the corrupt databases and youre all set. : )