Desert Sands Charter School, Antelope Valley Union High School District Palmdale, CA
Grade(s): K - 12 Scenario: Home Access Purpose: Supplement, Exit Exam ALEKS Portion of Curriculum: 20% Time Spent in ALEKS: 1.5 hours per week ALEKS Course: Mathematics - LV 3 (with QuickTables), Mathematics - LV 4 (with QuickTables), Mathematics - LV 5 (with QuickTables), Mathematics - LV 6, Middle School Math Course 1, Middle School Math Course 2, Middle School Math Course 3, Algebra 1, High School Geometry, Algebra 2, PreCalculus, Trigonometry, Math Prep for the California High School Exit Exam
Wendy Hains, Supervising Teacher
I have had such wonderful success with ALEKS. My high performing students are challenged and almost become addicted to it. My low performing students find that they can manage it on their own and are not overwhelmed. Parents like it so much that they say they would buy it on their own; it’s that good. I have also begun training other teachers which is fun because ALEKS is so teacher, student, and parent friendly.
Scenario
What challenges did the class or school face in math prior to using ALEKS? Our major issues were not being able to pinpoint exactly what the students know. Most assessments are multiple choice, which does not show if students know a concept or if they are just guessing.
How many days per week is class time dedicated to ALEKS? 3+ days per week.
What is the average length of a class period when ALEKS is used? 20-30 minutes.
Implementation
How do you implement ALEKS? Currently, ALEKS is used as a supplemental program because not all students have access to a computer.
Do you cover ALEKS concepts in a particular order? No, students take their assessment and then just work at their own pace.
How did you modify your regular teaching approach as a result of ALEKS? It helps to know what concepts or standards that the student has mastered.
How often are students required or encouraged to work on ALEKS at home? At least 20 minutes a day, or three days a week for 30 minutes.
How do you cultivate parental involvement and support for ALEKS? Parental involvement really generates itself. I remember one parent wanting to purchase it at home for her college student.
Grading
Is ALEKS assigned to your students as all or part of their homework responsibilities? If so, what part of the total homework load is it? ALEKS is only part of the homework right now. I am still trying to convince the administration that ALEKS does it all.
How do you incorporate ALEKS into your grading system? Right now it is about 20 percent of the total grade; although I wish it was 100 percent. Again, I am trying to show the administration the value of ALEKS.
Do you require students to make regular amounts of progress in ALEKS? Some teachers do require that they master at least two concepts each time they log in. The students' pie charts and standards lists are usually our measure.
Learning Outcomes
Since using ALEKS, please describe the learning outcomes or progress you have seen. I have seen high-end students who love to work on ALEKS and just can't wait to complete their pies. They love the challenge. My low performing students are finally feeling some success. They get immediate responses to their answers and it is not an overwhelming work load.
