On the page "Progress report for a single student in this course" there is a line for each assessment taken by a particular student, with bar graphs showing mastery as of that assessment and subsequent progress made in the Learning Mode. The initial assessment is shown in the bottom line, with later assessments "stacked" upward. By following progression from earlier to later assessments, the instructor can see very clearly how a student is progressing toward mastery of the subject matter.

Caution should be exercised in interpreting this information. Students vary widely both in the smoothness and in the speed with which they master material. Progress made in the Learning Mode (green bar) is not always immediately reflected in the student's level of mastery on a subsequent assessment. Some students progress more quickly in assessment than in the Learning Mode. In such cases the "new" blue line is further ahead than the green line just below it. On the other hand, many students make faster progress in the Learning Mode than in assessment. In such cases the "new" blue line lags behind the green line below it. It is very common for a student to master the entire subject matter two or more times in the Learning Mode before that mastery is finally confirmed in an assessment. None of these situations is unusual. Part of the power of the ALEKS system is that it does not expect students to behave like machines, but makes allowance for a robust and unpredictable "human factor."

NOTE. In cases where a student moves backward in his or her mastery, the instructor should make individual contact with the student. This student may be experiencing a personal problem, there may have been third-party help on an initial assessment, or there may be other external factors affecting the situation.