ORMATYC 2016 ALEKS PPL Experience at Washington State University

1. ORMATYC 2016ALEKS PPL Experience at Washington State University Increased Student Success through Proper Math Placement Sandy Cooper, WSU

2. Outline • Brief background on math placement at WSU • Theory behind ALEKS • ALEKS PPL • Implementation of ALEKS PPL at WSU • Change in success rates attributable to accurate placement

3. Background on Math Placement at WSU • 1995- beginning of our math placement journey • Original tools: WA State MPE (advanced and intermediate), SAT, ACT, AP Calc exam • Complicated chart and time consuming to check the various options and enforce placement

4. Partial Placement Chart WSU Eligibility Chart

5. 2010 Internal Study of Effectiveness of Math Placement • Process used- Identified how students placed into a course and grade earned • Criteria- successful placement tool if at least 70% passed course with a C or better • Results- discouraging and disappointing

6. Move to ALEKS as the Primary Math Placement Tool Fall 2010- directive from the provost to make all placement exams on-line (English and Math)

7. WSU Pullman Math Placement Chart

8. 1983-1992- Research in mathematical cognitive science by Jean-Claude Falmagne (NYU and UC-Irvine) and Jean-Paul Doignon (University of Brussels). 1992- Falmagne obtained an NSF grant to develop ALEKS software based on knowledge space theory 1996-ALEKS Corporation founded Theoretical Foundation for ALEKS- Knowledge Space Theory

9. Knowledge Structures • Precedence relations and diagrams • Knowledge States • Learning Paths • Outer and Inner Fringes

10. Precedence relations- built on the assumption that some pieces of knowledge normally precede other pieces of knowledge Example of a precedence diagram a Precedence diagram of six types of algebra problems illustrated in table on next slide. c b d e f

11. Six types of problems in Elementary AlgebraProblem TypeSample problem • Word problem on proportions • Plotting a point in the coordinate plane • Multiplication of monomials • Find the greatest common factor of two monomials • Graphing the line through a given point with a given slope • Writing the equation of a line through a given point and perpendicular to a given line • A car travels on the freeway at an average speed of 52 miles per hour. How many miles does it travel n 5 hours and 30 minutes? • Using the pencil, mark the point at the coordinates (1,3). • Perform the following multiplication: and simplify your answer as much as possible. • Find the greatest common factor of the expressions 14t6y and 4tu5y8. • Graph the line with slope -7 passing through the point (-3, -20). • Write an equation for the line that passes through the point (-5,3) and that is perpendicular to the line 8x+5y=11.

12. Diagram of a precedence relation for Beginning Algebra

13. Knowledge States Let K represent all the possible knowledge states represented by the precedence diagram given earlier. K= { Ø, a, b, ab, ac, abc, abcd, abce, abcde, abcdef} Note that c is not a knowledge state because c is preceded by a.

14. Learning Paths

15. Outer and inner fringes of a knowledge state Outer fringe- set of all problems p such that adding p to the current knowledge state creates a new knowledge state Inner fringe- set of all problems p such that deleting p from the current knowledge state gives another knowledge state Ex. Knowledge state abc- outer fringe is { d,e}, inner fringe is {b,c}

16. More complex example

17. How ALEKS Operates in Learning Mode • Initial assessment- identifies a students current knowledge state • Learning mode- student is provided choices of problems to work on from his or her outer fringe. Once a problem type is mastered, the knowledge state is adjusted. • Periodic progress assessments- verify and adjust, if necessary, current knowledge state

18. ALEKS Acronym A - Assessment LE – Learning KS – Knowledge Spaces

19. ALEKS Placement, Preparation, and Learning (ALEKS PPL) • Commercially available placement tool introduced in Fall 2013 • On-line Placement Package • Initial assessment • Six week learning module (Now 6 months!) • Up to 4 re-assessments

20. Types of Problems • Over 300 problem types from Basic Math through Precalculus • Problems are algorithmically generated, and vary in numbers, narratives, and other parameters • Questions are open-ended, and avoid multiple-choice • Answer may require students to enter a numerical value, write an algebraic expression, or plot the graph of a function

21. Sample Problem

22. Format of Answers

23. How does it work? Student gets question, based on response to the question, he is given a second question that he should have a 50% of knowing based on the previous response. Continues in this manner and in approximately 30 questions can identify a student’s current knowledge state.

24. How does it work? (cont.) At the beginning of an ALEKS placement assessment, ALEKS asks questions that are distributed very roughly in the “middle” of the large range of mathematics covered. As the assessment progresses, questions quickly become focused on the most advanced areas the individual has mastered, whether these areas pertain to Basic Math, or PreCalculus, or anything in between.

25. Implementation of ALEKS PPL at WSU • Implemented in Fall 13. • Totally uproctored and used cut scores to the middle or lower end of the suggested range. • In second year, instructors were complaining about under preparation of students. Also, concerns about cheating were growing.

26. First Concern- Cut Scores Data analytics built into ALEKS PPL • Upload grades for a particular course by student ID number • Set certain parameters such as what you consider to be a passing grade • Immediate results

28. Second Concern- Cheating Placement data indicated 11% of students may be cheating

29. Change in Success Rates

30. Conclusions • ALEKS PPL has a solid research-based foundation • Opportunity for review/remediation built in to the package • Accurately assesses a student’s current knowledge state in approximately 30 questions • Data analytics built in and easy to use