Introducing ALEKS

What is ALEKS?

• ALEKS is a Web-based learning system.
• ALEKS is a precise assessment tool.
• ALEKS provides highly targeted instruction that offers topics based on assessment results.
• ALEKS gives immediate feedback in learning mode.
• ALEKS is a full-featured course management system with rich reporting features.

Currently, ALEKS is available for a wide range of course products.

Interactive Tutorial

After registering with ALEKS, the student learns how to use the input tools by taking a brief, interactive tutorial.

Assessment

Once the student is familiar with ALEKS and its tools, the student takes a personalized interactive assessment. The assessment includes about 25 to 30 questions. For maximum assessment accuracy, ALEKS does not tell the student whether the answers are correct or incorrect.

Pie Chart

Following the initial assessment the student receives her report in a color-keyed pie chart. In the "pie" each "slice" corresponds to a particular area of the syllabus, such as "Graphs and linear functions" or "Exponents & polynomials". The degree to which the slice is filled by a darker color shows the extent to which the student has mastered that area.
The report describes the student's current knowledge of the subject and makes precise recommendations for further study. Each slice of the "pie" may be opened to produce a list of the concepts on which the student can choose to work.

Learning Mode

By clicking on any of the items suggested by ALEKS the student makes an immediate transition into the Learning Mode. The Learning Mode provides practice problems and offers explanations of concepts and procedures. The student receives immediate feedback and, in some cases, suggestions for correcting mistakes.

Review

In the Learning Mode students are also able to review topics on which they have recently worked.

Worksheet

Students also have the ability to print out worksheets for additional practice or review.

Instructor Module

When you log on as an instructor you immediately enter the Instructor Module, where ALEKS provides an easy to use series of mini tutorials to assist you.

ALEKS provides a variety of information on the students in a course including: time of last session; duration of all sessions; performance; and other useful information. Bar graphs allow you to quickly grasp each student's performance at the time of their last assessment (in blue), the progress they made in Learning Mode (in green), and the material remaining to be learned (in yellow).

Course Report

Instructors and administrators are able to check on any student's progress or the progress of an entire course, using a pie chart report similar to that for individual students.
In addition, ALEKS can group students according to chosen criteria, enabling you to target specific topics. For instance, you can view a list of all students in a course who are ready to learn the same item.

Student Report

You can also examine a comprehensive report for each student. This will show the students' personal Pie, what she knows, what she is ready to learn, and her history in bar graph form.

Take a Quiz

The quiz feature in ALEKS allows you to choose any topics in a course.