You know, I was thinking I could make this the shortest review ever by quoting my daughter, Rachel. The first time she used ALEKS, this is what she said...
"Awesome!"
The second time she used ALEKS, she said this...
"I love this!"
I could tell you what she said every single time she used ALEKS, but it would just be more of the same. She loves ALEKS!
Actually, after she had been using it for a few weeks, I asked her if there was something she didn't like about ALEKS. She said, "You know, I don't think there's a thing I don't like about it!"
And this comment comes from a girl that makes a To Do list each morning, checks off everything that she has completed and, like her mother, writes in those things she has completed that weren't even on the list, and then checks them off. I know. I know. Needless to say, she is a very detail-oriented young lady. If she had a problem with ALEKS, she would have found it and said so.
But alas, I can't just make this the shortest product review ever because it deserves much more attention than a few sound bites.
So, let me tell you about ALEKS (in their own words)...
What is ALEKS?
Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces is a Web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system that uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what a student knows and doesn't know in a course. ALEKS offers truly individualized instruction that meets the student at her learning level and instructs her on the exact topics that she is most ready to learn. As a result, no two students will experience the same learning path while working in ALEKS. Learn more by watching a quick 2-minute video.
ALEKS can provide you with the instruction and support that you need to homeschool your children in mathematics for grades 3-12. With a comprehensive course library ranging from elementary school math to complex subjects such as PreCalculus, ALEKS acts much like a human tutor to help take the stress off of homeschooling parents.
ALEKS offers highly-targeted, individualized instruction from virtually any computer with Internet access, making it a comprehensive and mobile education solution for your children. A subscription to ALEKS offers access to all courses and your child may take as many courses as needed during their subscription period.
ALEKS is a Research-Based Online Program:
• Complete Curriculum Solution for Math with Access to Full Course Library
• No Textbook Required
• Artificial Intelligence Targets Gaps in Student Knowledge
• Assessment and Individualized Learning for Grades 3-12
• Master Account Includes Quizzing and Automated Reports to Monitor Learning Progress
• Unlimited Online Access - PC and Mac Compatible
• QuickTables - Complimentary Math Fact Mastery Program for Multiplication, Division, Addition, and Subtraction
Learn More
ALEKS has been used successfully by homeschoolers, as well as by millions of students at schools and educational institutions throughout the world. Additionally, some ALEKS course products are American Council on Education (ACE) credit-recommended, meaning that your student may be eligible for college credit at participating colleges.
MyPie: The ALEKS Pie summarizes a student's current knowledge and offers topics that the student is ready to learn next. The darkened portion of each pie slice represents the topics that the student has mastered and the lighter portion represents what the student has yet to learn.
Explanations: When a student is working on a particular problem, she can access an explanation of that problem by clicking on the "Explain" button. The explanation typically provides a step-by-step solution, with commentary. In some cases, an alternative or more detailed explanation is also available.
Feedback: Students receive immediate feedback and, in some cases, suggestions for correcting mistakes.
Learning Mode: The Learning Mode provides students with practice problems, and offers explanations of topics and procedures as needed. Once a student has demonstrated mastery in the Learning Mode, the topic is added to the ALEKS Pie, and new material that the student is now ready to learn becomes available.
Input Tools: ALEKS provides a free response environment and sophisticated input tools that avoid multiple-choice and require students to demonstrate content mastery.
Master Account Homepage: Easily manage all student accounts, monitor student progress, view customized resources, and more.
Student Progress Report: Track student progress made throughout the course. The blue bar represents the percent of course material that the student has mastered during an ALEKS assessment; the green bar represents the percent of new topics the student has mastered in Learning Mode since the last assessment; and the yellow bar represents the percent of topics the student has yet to learn in order to complete the course.
There are many other features including a Student Attendance Report which tracks student time spent in ALEKS per day, the topics attempted, and the topics mastered and added to the ALEKS Pie.
Here's a little side note, if you're interested...
Mr. Wonderful is a math major. He was very curious and wanted to spend some time on ALEKS just to see what all the hype was about. Let me just say that he got a little bit addicted to solving math problems while on ALEKS! He couldn't help himself. Like starting a puzzle, he just couldn't quit until he had completed his PIE! Even Mr. Wonderful thought ALEKS was a great teaching tool.
Here's the scoop on ALEKS:
A subscription to ALEKS is
$19.95 per student, per month, or
$99.95 every six months, or
$179.95 every twelve months.
You can also learn about their Family Discount Program.
PLEASE, BLOG READERS, DON'T MISS THIS!
I have been asked to pass along this message from ALEKS...
Let me end this product review by quoting Rachel one more time...
"I just love, love, love ALEKS!"
I am a member of The Old Schoolhouse 2010-2011 Crew and receive free products and services in exchange for a thorough and honest review. Though I am compensated with free products, I am not compensated in the form of cash for my reviews. My reviews will always reflect my honest opinions, findings, beliefs and experiences on the products and services that I receive.
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