I am so excited to have tried this "ALEKS Math" that I have seen all over the internet! I have wondered about it for a while and have finally found out what a treat it truly is!
Would you like help teaching your child/children math?
Would your child/children like more Independence in their schoolwork? Does he need help building his confidence? ALEKS takes the cake!
What is ALEKS Math?
ALEKS Math is an online math program for kids grades K-12. It can be used as a full curriculum or as a supplement. Coursework, explanations, quizzes, and worksheets are all a part of the program that your child will encounter.
This is how their website defines ALEKS: "Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces is a Web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system. ALEKS uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what a student knows and doesn't know in a course. ALEKS then instructs the student on the topics she is most ready to learn. As a student works through a course, ALEKS periodically reassesses the student to ensure that topics learned are also retained."
*ALEKS Tour (2 min. video)
*QuickTables Tour (3 1/2 min. video)
How much does it cost?
For one student:
$19.95 per month
$19.95 per month
$99.95 for 6 months
$179.95 for 12 months! (You save $59.45)
They also have a family discount program.
How do I start?
After you read my review, look over the ALEKS website, and sign up for the free trial. You'll encounter several steps before your child will be able to dig in. You must first look over the Course Products page to determine which grade or class your child will fit into. All of the topics for each course are listed.
What is the assessment like?
Your child will go through an online test or assessment. The assessment helps the program determine what your child knows and needs to work on. It has math problems that the child will answer and if it is unfamiliar to him all he has to do is click the skip button saying he hasn't covered this area yet. Easy as pie!
After we sign up, what happens?
When the student is ready to begin learning, he is presented with a pie chart. This chart has the topics that he needs to cover next and they are all divided into pie pieces. He can choose which topic to work on and change topics as he wishes. On each assignment, it gives the student the option to answer the problem or get more of an explanation for better understanding.
After we sign up, what happens?When the student is ready to begin learning, he is presented with a pie chart. This chart has the topics that he needs to cover next and they are all divided into pie pieces. He can choose which topic to work on and change topics as he wishes. On each assignment, it gives the student the option to answer the problem or get more of an explanation for better understanding.
How we used ALEKS:
I signed up Son1 (13) for Middle School Math Course 3. After his assessment, he started to work on his pie. Once he got the hang of it and really began to dig in, he found out that he really liked it. The next thing I knew, he was getting excited over using the virtual protractor! He showed me how he can do his work with it but also how you can flip it upside down and spin it around!
After he did a couple days worth of work, I looked at his report. It showed me what he has done or mastered and what he is ready to learn next. It has a State Standards Report where he is lined up against our state standards and I can see where he stands (according to the work he has done) in his grade level. As a homeschooler, I really appreciate this sweet little page!
Son2 (10) hasn't had such a good experience. It is taking him a little longer to get acquainted with the program. He took his assessment and began to work on his pie. Since he had to read everything himself, he wasn't really excited about digging in. He is a people person and a hands on learner so this was a bit of a challenge for him but that is good! I did see on his ALEKS page that he can retake the assessment. That is a positive, since it took him time to get acquainted.
What does Son1 (13) have to say about ALEKS?
(And I quote!) "I think it works really good. I love it! I like it better than textbooks and I LIKE textbooks. (Really? says Mom.) I'd really like it if they had other subjects like Language Arts and stuff..." Wow, I think that says a lot about ALEKS. ALEKS is sweet!
Pros:
*Sign up was easy as pie
*Pie Chart - student doesn't get overwhelmed with a large amount of work, shows what has been mastered, gives student a bit of control and choices
* Review questions - given the next day after a student has struggled with a topic
*Emailed progress reports
*Easy for student to navigate
*Explanations of topics - extra explanations if needed
*Student can work independently
*Assessments can be redone and levels can be changed
*Worksheets and answers are provided
*Quizzes
*FREE trial
Cons:
*Would have liked a sample of problems in the course description
*Not necessarily for the hands on learner (but can be used as a supplement or grade assessment)
*Kind of dull in appearance - looks very industrial or business like
I definitely recommend that you look into ALEKS Math. This course is great for a full math curriculum and is easy on the wallet! ALEKS Math takes the cake!
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