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ALEKS doesn't line up with CLEP very well - cookderosa - 02-08-2012
Anyone else notice that ALEKS doesn't really prepare you for CLEPs of the same name? My son didn't pass college math clep after he had beginning algebra & intermediate algebra, but I thought it might be a fluke since it was his first exam. He has since completed geometry, business math, college algebra, and almost finished with precal- so I had decided he should take the college math CLEP in case future college plans don't include the big 3, so he's totally NOT prepared for the test. I also gave him the precal practice test (he's only 65% in ALEKS) but he's not even hitting 10%. So, something is seriously wrong with my homeschool, the correlation between the exams, aleks or my son. I'm feeling pretty frustrated. I need to resolve what it is before he sits another exam. His re-take of college math is in May, and I'm thinking of holding off on college algebra until AFTER that simply because some schools are picky about the sequences, so we have some time....thoughts??
**I should ad that my only test that I used both ALEKS and CLEP (actually DSST) was stats, and I had the reverse problem- I was very slow to make progress on aleks stats the class (never did) but successfully passed the DSST with the help of Khan vids only.
ALEKS doesn't line up with CLEP very well - brajalle - 02-08-2012
How does he take exams in general? Any prior issues?
Next, has he done the Khan Academy progress stuff - I know you said you used it, but might it help him? They have a neat setup where you can login and get rewards for progress btw.
As to other thoughts, you said he'd taken beginners algebra and intermediate algebra before taking the college math CLEP, while I'm not sure of the exact curriculum, it may include topics he hadn't experienced yet. Have you checked the exact overlaps vs. what he has learned? Likewise, I'm not sure, but sometimes the format of an instruction may be easier to grasp and/or he may have become very good at figuring out the correct answer. He may be having a problem with the format of the test vs. what he is used to...or he may just have figured out how to find the right answer on ALEKS really well, while not fully grasping all aspects of a topic.
Hard saying what it is, but once you eliminate test taking issues, presentation/format issues, and topics covered vs. tested topics...I guess the only thing I could think of is to try another course format and get more practice/different approaches to applying the math.
You can probably check for knowledge by taking the material, going through it, and quizzing on thought processes. If he knows the theory, then it's just application. If he doesn't know the theory, then he can learn it in another manner. If he knows the theory and application, then perhaps its the test taking or specific presentation of the material vs. what he knows.
As a side note, your son is very lucky, I tutor 4th graders in math and I work with delinquent juveniles in my job, it always amazes me how little involvement parents have in their childs education, or even creating a home environment that prioritizes achievement and focus on school.
ALEKS doesn't line up with CLEP very well - JDM - 02-08-2012
brajalle Wrote:he may just have figured out how to find the right answer on ALEKS really well, while not fully grasping all aspects of a topic.
If that's the case, I've been impressed with Thinkwell's lectures Online Videos | Online Courses - Math & Science online video courses
brajalle Wrote:As a side note, your son is very lucky
Agreed.
ALEKS doesn't line up with CLEP very well - Gooberman11 - 02-08-2012
I did the same thing with Aleks Beg and Int Alg first, plus Math-U-See Alg 2 for highschool. When I looked at the CollegeBoard site for College Math it was clear I was missing concepts. I then went over IC flashcards till I understood the cards. That made all the difference!! They weren't hard, just stuff I hadn't gone over--EVER. I still didn't feel ready, but managed a 62. For me the flashcards showed me what I was missing and then I could study those concepts.
Oh, another thing that helped was making sure I knew what concepts were CALLED. Sometimes I knew how to do the problem, but didn't realize what they were asking because I didn't know what each word meant.
Hope this helps!
ALEKS doesn't line up with CLEP very well - cookderosa - 02-08-2012
all very helpful replies, thanks.
ALEKS doesn't line up with CLEP very well - slimcustomer - 02-08-2012
I took ALEKS Beginning and Intermediate Algebra, assessed at 70%, and then took and passed the College Mathematics and College Algebra CLEP exams. YMMV.
ALEKS doesn't line up with CLEP very well - dcan - 02-08-2012
The College Math CLEP is only partly algebra. A significant portion of it is set theory, logic, combinations, permutations, and probability. Here's the breakdown:
10% Sets
10% Logic
20% Real Number System (especially intervals and factors)
20% Functions and Their Graphs
25% Probability and Statistics
15% Additional Topics from Algebra and Geometry
Of the above, the ALEKS algebra really only focuses on about 55% (real numbers, functions, & "additional topics"). Probability is the single largest category.
I watched a lot of Khan Academy videos when I studied for it. This test was the first math I did in 20 years and if I was taught sets and logic I forgot it, and pretty sure we never learned permutations/etc. This was before I started ALEKS, but it would have only gotten me maybe halfway there.
I think some people walk into the test thinking "oh it's like high school algebra and business math" and are shocked. But it's not a hard test as long as you prepare for it and understand the material.
ALEKS doesn't line up with CLEP very well - cookderosa - 02-09-2012
dcan Wrote:The College Math CLEP is only partly algebra. A significant portion of it is set theory, logic, combinations, permutations, and probability. Here's the breakdown:
10% Sets
10% Logic
20% Real Number System (especially intervals and factors)
20% Functions and Their Graphs
25% Probability and Statistics
15% Additional Topics from Algebra and Geometry
Of the above, the ALEKS algebra really only focuses on about 55% (real numbers, functions, & "additional topics"). Probability is the single largest category.
I watched a lot of Khan Academy videos when I studied for it. This test was the first math I did in 20 years and if I was taught sets and logic I forgot it, and pretty sure we never learned permutations/etc. This was before I started ALEKS, but it would have only gotten me maybe halfway there.
I think some people walk into the test thinking "oh it's like high school algebra and business math" and are shocked. But it's not a hard test as long as you prepare for it and understand the material.
I have to go by what he tells me since he sat the exam, not me, but he said the function problems did him in. Not knowing a function from a Funyun, I assumed that since he learned functions in his maths, that he'd be good to go. He said they were "different" from the ALEKS functions. I honestly have no idea if that's true or just his limited understanding. *I understand that when questions are asked differently than you're used to, without good intuition, they look like different kinds of questions. This could be the case.
Anyhow, I've avoided signing him up for IC because he's not a good flashcard user. I'm still muddling through how to best prepare him for various CLEPs that I'm hoping he'll take this year and next. I have not looked into the new Khan point system thing, last time I used Khan that wasn't there, so I think I'll spend more time discovering that a bit.
Thanks again everyone.
ALEKS doesn't line up with CLEP very well - ryoder - 02-09-2012
Maybe a math tutor would help. The khan academy videos are great though. He explains things better than most teachers I have had in the past.
ALEKS doesn't line up with CLEP very well - BrandeX - 02-09-2012
I am confused as to why some people are taking math based CLEP's after completing ALEKS. Is it for instituions that accept CLEP but refuse ACE credits?