05-15-2015, 08:03 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-15-2015, 09:01 PM by UptonSinclair.)
In June, I will be awarded my Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Thomas Edison State College, but in the back of my mind there is a nagging void. Throughout my short college adventure, math has been the biggest hurdle. At this point I have completed Calculus I, but feel like I walked away with little knowledge of the subject. Though I have completed my degree, I have decided to continue taking math courses until I have slayed this dragon. In this post, I hope to document my math experience so that others can learn from my many failures and victories.
Like many students, my first step on the college journey was the dreaded Accuplacer. After scoring low enough to be placed in Elementary Algebra at the local community college, I was discouraged and put off college for a couple of years. I just couldn't bring myself to pay $120 per credit for classes that would not count toward my degree. Thanks to DegreeForum.net I discovered Aleks and decided $20 per month was a reasonable price to start my journey.
Aleks - Elementary Algebra
Aleks is a great resource, but in the rush to move on with my degree, I approached it wrong. Like many, I worked on the stuff I was comfortable with in order to reach the magic 70% assessment that would allow me to move on. In reality, I should have started at Pre-Algebra and worked to 100% before attempting Elementary Algebra. At the time, I had no idea that I would decide to pursue Calculus and the foundation would be critical. At 70% I moved on to Intermediate Algebra.
Aleks - Intermediate Algebra
I approached Intermediate Algebra with the same horrible approach I used for Beginning Algebra; finish the inner pie as quick as possible skipping the difficult concepts until I reached 70%. This approach may work okay for people who plan to finish at this level, but is absolutely the wrong approach for those like me who plan to continue to the next level. I can't emphasize this point enough. Complete the current course to as close to 100% as you can get. Math takes time and practice. You will gain that practice by working to 100%. This also prevents lazy people like me from skipping concepts that just don't make sense.
When you hit a roadblock on a subject that doesn't make sense, it helps to take a break from Aleks and find additional resources. I had good luck with Khan Academy, Thinkwell, and ThatTutorGuy, but there are a ton of resources available on the Internet.
CLEP - College Algebra
The decision to take the College Algebra CLEP was a mistake. After completing only 70% of Intermediate Algebra through Aleks I took the CLEP and barely passed with a 54. This should have sent me back to Intermediate Algebra, but it often takes multiple mistakes before I realize the problem. The CLEP is a great way to get traditional colleges to accept your work, but it is important to make sure you are prepared for the level of work that comes next.
Aleks - Statistics
Other than knowing a few terms, there is little I remember from Aleks Statistics. Every step of the way through this course I struggled because I did not have a solid foundation to understand the math. I would suggest taking this course after completing College Algebra at a minimum. It is far easier to understand the concepts when one isn't confronted with constant frustration.
Aleks - Trigonometry
I may not be typical, but Trigonometry has been one of the most difficult courses to date. I managed to get a 70% on Aleks but ended up taking the course through an online program at KCTCS to get a better understanding of the subject. I would encourage anyone who tries to learn Trig through Aleks to supplement the learning with textbooks and video lectures. Even after completing a course in Trig I struggle with Trig identities and remembering the unit circle.
At this point, I would like to point out a mistake I made through several courses. Do not become dependent on your calculator. When a calculator is used, be sure it is not a Computer Algebra System. These calculators make things much easier, but they quickly become a crutch. I will explain more when I get to Calculus.
Aleks - Precalculus
I have been back to this course multiple times. Each time I decide to take Calculus I go back to Precalculus for a refresher. I currently score about a 59% on my first assessment. This should illustrate what I have been saying so far. Even after two years of math I still struggle. This is my fault for not slowing down and putting in the time necessary to retain the concepts. If you think about the time a High School student spends building this foundation, it is no wonder someone moving through rapidly has a hard time retaining the materials.
Excelsior - Foundations of Technical Problem Solving (aka Calculus I)
This course was a horrible waste of money. First, I paid about $1600 for this 4 credit course. Because I was not prepared for the complexity I relied heavily on my Ti-Nspire with CAS. This calculator will calculate both derivatives and integrals which kind of defeats the purpose of learning Calculus. In addition, there is far too much time spent on discussion posts that add little to learning the materials. At times, the course felt more like a poorly designed Physics course than it did a math course. Because the course does not limit the use of calculators on exams I passed with a B but learned next to nothing. Let me state clearly, this was my own fault.
Straighterline - Calculus
Trying to save a little money, I attempted Calculus on Straighterline and was exposed to Professor Burger who does the Thinkwell videos used for this course. This man is the greatest thing since sliced bread when it comes to simplifying the concepts. He seems more interested in teaching Calculus than showing how smart he is. I didn't finish the course because I decided that I wanted my Calculus credits to be regionally accredited in case I decide to go further at the local college. My suggestion for anyone considering Calculus I & II through Straighterline is to buy a one year subscription to Thinkwell for $150 and learn the materials first. That way you can finish quickly while paying the monthly subscription of $99 to Straighterline.
The Almost Traditional Route
After many runs at Calculus, I decide to slow down and approach math a little different. I recently completed Trigonometry through KCTCS and I am now registered in Calculus I for the Summer. While I wait from the course to start, I am working through Aleks Precalculus again to keep from getting rusty. It is amazing how quickly I forget this stuff. My wife and I joke that Calculus is my Everest, and I am determined to conquer it. If I were starting from scratch, I would have worked through Aleks until I could place into Calculus at the local community college and then worked from there. I have wasted thousands of dollars getting lazy and trying to take short cuts.
The most important advice I can give anyone learning math is -- slow down. It may seem counter-intuitive, but imagine someone trying to learn to play an instrument by cramming. Or imagine trying to lose weight by fad diets. This is how I approached Aleks in the beginning. I used it as a shortcut rather than a tool. Used properly, it is a great way to gain practice in the computation skills, but it takes more than computation skills to succeed in math. You will need to learn the why as much as the how of mathematics. I am still struggling with the why but I am getting there.
Good luck with your math adventures. Now go do your homework.
Like many students, my first step on the college journey was the dreaded Accuplacer. After scoring low enough to be placed in Elementary Algebra at the local community college, I was discouraged and put off college for a couple of years. I just couldn't bring myself to pay $120 per credit for classes that would not count toward my degree. Thanks to DegreeForum.net I discovered Aleks and decided $20 per month was a reasonable price to start my journey.
Aleks - Elementary Algebra
Aleks is a great resource, but in the rush to move on with my degree, I approached it wrong. Like many, I worked on the stuff I was comfortable with in order to reach the magic 70% assessment that would allow me to move on. In reality, I should have started at Pre-Algebra and worked to 100% before attempting Elementary Algebra. At the time, I had no idea that I would decide to pursue Calculus and the foundation would be critical. At 70% I moved on to Intermediate Algebra.
Aleks - Intermediate Algebra
I approached Intermediate Algebra with the same horrible approach I used for Beginning Algebra; finish the inner pie as quick as possible skipping the difficult concepts until I reached 70%. This approach may work okay for people who plan to finish at this level, but is absolutely the wrong approach for those like me who plan to continue to the next level. I can't emphasize this point enough. Complete the current course to as close to 100% as you can get. Math takes time and practice. You will gain that practice by working to 100%. This also prevents lazy people like me from skipping concepts that just don't make sense.
When you hit a roadblock on a subject that doesn't make sense, it helps to take a break from Aleks and find additional resources. I had good luck with Khan Academy, Thinkwell, and ThatTutorGuy, but there are a ton of resources available on the Internet.
CLEP - College Algebra
The decision to take the College Algebra CLEP was a mistake. After completing only 70% of Intermediate Algebra through Aleks I took the CLEP and barely passed with a 54. This should have sent me back to Intermediate Algebra, but it often takes multiple mistakes before I realize the problem. The CLEP is a great way to get traditional colleges to accept your work, but it is important to make sure you are prepared for the level of work that comes next.
Aleks - Statistics
Other than knowing a few terms, there is little I remember from Aleks Statistics. Every step of the way through this course I struggled because I did not have a solid foundation to understand the math. I would suggest taking this course after completing College Algebra at a minimum. It is far easier to understand the concepts when one isn't confronted with constant frustration.
Aleks - Trigonometry
I may not be typical, but Trigonometry has been one of the most difficult courses to date. I managed to get a 70% on Aleks but ended up taking the course through an online program at KCTCS to get a better understanding of the subject. I would encourage anyone who tries to learn Trig through Aleks to supplement the learning with textbooks and video lectures. Even after completing a course in Trig I struggle with Trig identities and remembering the unit circle.
At this point, I would like to point out a mistake I made through several courses. Do not become dependent on your calculator. When a calculator is used, be sure it is not a Computer Algebra System. These calculators make things much easier, but they quickly become a crutch. I will explain more when I get to Calculus.
Aleks - Precalculus
I have been back to this course multiple times. Each time I decide to take Calculus I go back to Precalculus for a refresher. I currently score about a 59% on my first assessment. This should illustrate what I have been saying so far. Even after two years of math I still struggle. This is my fault for not slowing down and putting in the time necessary to retain the concepts. If you think about the time a High School student spends building this foundation, it is no wonder someone moving through rapidly has a hard time retaining the materials.
Excelsior - Foundations of Technical Problem Solving (aka Calculus I)
This course was a horrible waste of money. First, I paid about $1600 for this 4 credit course. Because I was not prepared for the complexity I relied heavily on my Ti-Nspire with CAS. This calculator will calculate both derivatives and integrals which kind of defeats the purpose of learning Calculus. In addition, there is far too much time spent on discussion posts that add little to learning the materials. At times, the course felt more like a poorly designed Physics course than it did a math course. Because the course does not limit the use of calculators on exams I passed with a B but learned next to nothing. Let me state clearly, this was my own fault.
Straighterline - Calculus
Trying to save a little money, I attempted Calculus on Straighterline and was exposed to Professor Burger who does the Thinkwell videos used for this course. This man is the greatest thing since sliced bread when it comes to simplifying the concepts. He seems more interested in teaching Calculus than showing how smart he is. I didn't finish the course because I decided that I wanted my Calculus credits to be regionally accredited in case I decide to go further at the local college. My suggestion for anyone considering Calculus I & II through Straighterline is to buy a one year subscription to Thinkwell for $150 and learn the materials first. That way you can finish quickly while paying the monthly subscription of $99 to Straighterline.
The Almost Traditional Route
After many runs at Calculus, I decide to slow down and approach math a little different. I recently completed Trigonometry through KCTCS and I am now registered in Calculus I for the Summer. While I wait from the course to start, I am working through Aleks Precalculus again to keep from getting rusty. It is amazing how quickly I forget this stuff. My wife and I joke that Calculus is my Everest, and I am determined to conquer it. If I were starting from scratch, I would have worked through Aleks until I could place into Calculus at the local community college and then worked from there. I have wasted thousands of dollars getting lazy and trying to take short cuts.
The most important advice I can give anyone learning math is -- slow down. It may seem counter-intuitive, but imagine someone trying to learn to play an instrument by cramming. Or imagine trying to lose weight by fad diets. This is how I approached Aleks in the beginning. I used it as a shortcut rather than a tool. Used properly, it is a great way to gain practice in the computation skills, but it takes more than computation skills to succeed in math. You will need to learn the why as much as the how of mathematics. I am still struggling with the why but I am getting there.
Good luck with your math adventures. Now go do your homework.
![[-]](https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/images/collapse.png)
I think it perfectly illustrates the difference between learning and seeking a credential. Learning takes TIME. It takes time to marinate in a subject, to grasp nuances and to form intuition about how topics intersect. You can form new ideas from existing ones.