The purpose of the Learning Mode is to assist students in
mastering mathematical concepts. Students using ALEKS choose which concepts they wish
to work on from the pool of available topics in the pie slices. This
list of available topics is constantly being updated through progress
made by the student in Learning Mode or as the result of an assessment. As
students are only presented with material the system has determined they
are most ready to learn, the benefit of their work is maximized.
In the Learning Mode students always work on one concept at a time.
The Learning Mode provides students with a rich array of resources to
help in mastering concepts. This includes explanations,
references to a textbook if
one has been integrated with ALEKS, links to supplemental tutorial
material and interactive applications, practice problems, diagnostic feedback on problem
solutions, and access to a student dictionary. Moreover,
the Learning Mode is designed to monitor the progress made by students
toward mastery of a given concept and advise them on continuing or
changing concepts. A student is required to solve an appropriate number
of practice problems correctly before the system will conclude that the
concept has been mastered. (If the student makes mistakes, additional
practice will be required.) Once the concept has been mastered, the
student is encouraged to choose a new concept from the (updated)
pie chart, but more practice is available if desired.
If the student has difficulty, the system may suggest that the student
pay closer attention to the explanations or it may offer the name of a classmate
who has recently mastered this concept
(Sec. 5.7). A new selection may also
be encouraged. The student continues to work in the Learning Mode until a new assessment
is triggered, either by the instructor or automatically.
Automatic assessments are triggered when the student has either spent a certain
amount of time in ALEKS or made a certain amount of progress since the
last assessment (Sec. 4.3.2).
ALEKS® is a registered trademark of ALEKS Corporation.