LisaM
- Reviewed on Thursday, September 02, 2010
- Grades Used: 3rd
- Dates used: 2010
I just wanted to say to try before you buy. This program might be great, but it depends on your computer being compatible. It was not compatible with my brand new Macbook. I tried it on the Macbook months ago and emailed Aleks when it did not work and they tried to help, but it seems to just not be compatible.
So I wanted to try it again and have a brand new HP. I figured for sure it would work on a brand new PC. Instead, it is not compatible. My guess is that the software from Aleks is a bit out of date and not fit for the new computers. Both computers are brand new in the last few months.
I do intend to try Aleks again in case they update their software in the future so we can use it. But for now, we have to let it go. I wish it would have worked for us.
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khollands
- Reviewed on Thursday, November 06, 2008
- Grades Used: 5th-6th
- Dates used: September 2008 to present
We started using Aleks in September and so far it is going well. Math comes easy to my son, so I wanted to choose something that would allow him to work at his own pace. The pie chart is great and he loves being able to work in different areas of math each day. He really likes seeing his progress. Aleks doesn't let anything slip through, so I know he is getting everything mastered or it won't move him forward. Our only concerns are that my son likes to "hear" what is being taught as well as read it (so it would be great if they had an audio of each "explanation") and I find it frustrating (only because I come from a textbook background) that I can't see firsthand the work being done (since it all on the computer). They have lots of reports, but it took awhile to get use to how they presented information. Aleks has great customer support and will work with you to get the report you need or answer your questions. I would definitely recommend this product for a full math curriculum or even as a supplement. They also have "quick tables" to get those math facts mastered and worksheets that you can print for extra practice. At $40 for the whole year you can't beat the price either.
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dlinca
- Reviewed on Tuesday, June 03, 2008
- Grades Used: 3rd + 4th
- Dates used: spring 2008
DS (9) has always battled me when it comes to math. He can do it with no problems - when he wants to. But the problem is; he usually doesn’t want to. So he figures out tricks to skate by. He skips things that he says are “too hard” even though they’re not. It’s been a constant struggle. I’ve had to “police” his math work, which I really don’t care for.
I’ve tried different curricula (Professor B, Horizons, MUS), different approaches, and so forth. Change is always good - he gets bored easily. Then along came ALEKS. It’s been less than one month, but let me tell you, I LOVE Aleks. Aleks is an online program. The student begins by taking an assessment to see what they know and don’t know, and then the program is custom tailored to the individual student. I had DS take the assessment in the evening, when he's the least resistant to math.
Here are some of the things that I find so wonderful about Aleks:
* DS gets to choose what he works on. He has a pie chart showing him all different things he can choose from. If he goes to one section and doesn’t like it, he can simply go back to the pie and choose a different area to work on. He likes being “in control” like this. But in reality, he’s not :).
* The pie chart will only allow him to do things he’s ready for, and as he masters concepts, the pie chart is filled in. By seeing the pie fill in, he’s getting a sense of accomplishment that he thrives on.
*Aleks gives DS "bite sized pieces" to work on. Poor DS would get completely overwhelmed at the sight of a full page of math problems. Even if it were something completely simple, the sheer amount of problems would absolutely send him off the deep end. Aleks give ONE PROBLEM AT A TIME! He may end up doing just as many problems (or more)as that full page worksheet, but because he's not seeing them all at once, he can focus on one problem and get through it with ease.
* If he chooses to work on a particular type of problem and simply can’t figure it out on his own, the explanations in Aleks are concise and easy to follow. Nothing long winded. You see, DS is a typical “don’t read the instructions” kind of guy. If he had something to assemble, he would attempt to figure it all out without ever peeking at the manual. And for some things, that may work. But for math, it won’t. Not for him. And in Aleks, he simply cannot get through without reading the instructions. He’ll try. He’ll fail. He’ll whine. He’ll tell me he KNOWS he got the question correct, only to find out that he didn’t. But because he wants that pie chart filled in, he’ll GLANCE at the explanation for the problem. Then he’ll go through the whole cycle again. Then he’ll finally READ the instructions - and then he gets it. Today he went through this very process. Once he finally got it, he breezed through the problems given to him until his pie chart got another section filled in. And math was finished with a HUGE smile on his face, instead of the frustrated, tearful, defeated look that I’ve seen so many times from him. I really hate seeing that look.
He is really liking the independence this program is giving him. And I can log in to my admin panel and see exactly what he’s worked on, and how successful he’s been with it. There’s no tricking this program into thinking you understand when you really don’t. And there’s no fooling me, either. DS is learning math and it’s not making anyone crazy anymore. He doesn't even mind the assessments they give, because he's so well prepared for them (by ALEKS) it's a breeze to get through them.
Another perk - if it's important to you - is that ALEKS has the state standards build right into it, so you can see how your child is doing compared to the standards that your own state sets.
If you're thinking about trying it, I highly recommend giving it a shot. ALEKS offers a free trial, which is how we got started. Some may consider this expensive (so far I've paid $99 for 6 months) but it's worth every penny if his mindset against math can change, as it appears to be doing.
I asked DS how he would describe ALEKS if someone were to ask him, and without hesitation he said "This is probably the best math I've ever done".
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5daisies
- Reviewed on Sunday, May 25, 2008
- Grades Used: 4th,essential math(6th) with quicktables
- Dates used: 2008-present
We are enjoying Aleks math so far! My kids were frustrated with the endless review and way too many workbook problems using Abeka. It was taking sooo long to do math! I was getting tired of grading and making them redo problems in addition to the next lesson's problems. I wanted to try a computer based program but wanted one that was credible and not over stimulating.
I can honestly say my kids are learning alot. This is comparable to what they learned in Abeka. They picked up where they left off in Abeka, only Aleks had expected them to learn more (geometry) than they had learned. I also noticed right away, the immediate feedback used in Aleks forced my son to pay attention to little mistakes he was doing to be able to get an answer right.
We looked at Teaching Textbooks and then discovered Aleks. My kids love working on the computer as a break from workbooks, and they love the way they get to do math using Aleks. They have a "pie" that shows them what they have learned and what they still need to learn. They get to choose what they want to work on ( from what Aleks determines they are ready for) and work on that ONE thing until its mastered. If they master it, it gets added to their pie. Aleks still has them review but much much less. They get immediate feedback when they miss a problem and they can push "explain" to have it demonstrated any time.
You can also print out worksheets if you wish. Aleks will give them quizzes and periodic assessments. There are no lessons to "complete". You can finish after a certain amount of time working on a part of the pie. Aleks is able to "think" and decipher what your child needs to work on based on his/her answers and adjust the curriculum to your childs needs. So you don't have to worry about fast forwarding through problems they know. TT might be better however if your child needs lots of explanations through the lectures. For my 6th grader the explanations are fine, 4th grader sometimes does need a little help with explanations.
Aleks does not use multiple choice. They have to come up with the right answer. This is also not stimulating entertainment, it gives them one problem at a time on the screen.
Another great aspect to aleks is the quick tables. It is basically speed drills of math facts in a fun engaging way. They can see their progress as they get faster and master each set of facts.
Right now, I love the fact that it takes me out of "teaching" role for math(mostly) and I can use my time for other subjects we love to do together. I also love that aleks does the grading and gives me progress reports. I can honestly say my kids love math now after tears and complaints before.
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