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Narrator: "This is ALEKS, an artificially intelligent web-based learning and assessment system. To understand what makes ALEKS the most effective learning system ever created, let's look at the science behind how it works. Science developed over decades of research at top universities."
The ALEKS logo. The words "Artificially Intelligent" and "Web-Based" appear and then disappear on the screen. The logo opens to a brain connected to computer wiring. The words "Most Effective Learning System Ever Created," "Adaptive, Open-Response Environment," "Avoids Multiple-Choice," "Decades of Research," and "Top Universities" appear and then disappear on the screen.
Narrator: "Let's take a look at Sam. A ninth-grader who is struggling with Algebra 1. The first thing ALEKS needs to do is to determine Sam's knowledge state. Sam's knowledge state is everything he already knows in Algebra 1. To get a basic understanding of what goes into computing a knowledge state, let's pretend that instead of consisting of several hundreds of topics, Algebra 1 only consisted of five topics. But even with only five topics there are 32 possible knowledge states, or combinations of these topics. Now, some of these states are so impractical that in reality, there are actually only 13 feasible knowledge states that a student could fall into. All the feasible knowledge states are organized into a learning space, a mathematical structure specifying the relationships among the knowledge states and showing which topics a student is ready to work on."
Sam holds a book while standing in front of a chalkboard. The chalkboard is labeled "Algebra 1" with examples of Algebra problems. A question mark appears over Sam's head. A magnifying glass appears over Sam's head revealing his brain. Fourteen blocks with Algebra topics appear. The blocks multiply to cover the screen with several hundreds of topics. The blocks disappear to leave five blocks labeled "Integer Addition," "Solving a Proportion," "Simplifying an Algebraic Equation," "Solving Linear Equations," and "Graphing a Line." Each one is labeled from A to E. Circles labeled from A to E multiply, creating 32 combinations of the letters A, B, C, D, and E together. Some of the circles disappear leaving 13 combinations. Sam appears onscreen and arrows lead from Sam's head to each circle with arrows between each circle.
Narrator: "To move from one knowledge state to another within the learning space, a student must learn a new topic, or forget the previously learned one. So, our example involved only five topics, but, if we look at the full Algebra 1 course consisting of hundreds of topics, there are over one trillion feasible knowledge states that a student could fall into. ALEKS can accurately and efficiently assess where each student is among these trillions of knowledge states and know their exact position at all times. This is no simple task, and it's a task that hasn't been achieved by any other program."
A bubble with Sam's head appears attached to a bubble labeled ACD. An arrow labeled E points to bubble ACDE. An arrow labeled B points to bubble ABCD. Sam's head bubble bounces between each bubble of letters. The knowledge state becomes smaller, revealing a complex network of knowledge states connected by bubbles and lines. Four people holding books stand around the network of knowledge states. Bubbles with their heads inside move around the network. The network disappears and is replaced by a blank screen with the caption "Not Achieved by Any Other Program."
Narrator: "All of this works because mathematical cognitive scientists and software engineers at ALEKS have spent years gathering data from millions of actual students using the program. This data allows ALEKS to construct all the feasible knowledge states and how they're structured together into a learning space leading to personalized pathways to course mastery for every student no matter where they start."
Two scientists writing on clipboards stand in front of a row of students at their desks moving across the screen. This transitions back to the knowledge states network. The screen zooms in on the network, revealing smaller knowledge state areas. Sam's bubble can be seen moving along learning paths between knowledge states within the network.
Narrator: "It all begins with a brief individualized assessment. Using learning space theory, ALEKS intelligently chooses each question based on the student's responses to all previous questions to determine what the student has mastered, not mastered, and exactly what topics he is ready to learn. The student sees their knowledge state as a multicolored pie chart, which let's them know what topics are available to explore."
A multicolored pie chart on a laptop is captioned "Ready to Learn, Mastery of Algebra 1." Areas of the pie chart gradually become darker in color, so that sections of the pie chart are either shaded or nonshaded. A shaded section of the pie chart is labeled "Mastered." A nonshaded section is labeled "Not Mastered." The chart moves to the left and a box appears at the right with the following information:
Real Numbers and Variable Expressions
Real Numbers
Variable Expressions
Narrator: "Everything happens step-by-step, one topic at a time, as ALEKS continually updates Sam's knowledge state and ready to learn possibilities. ALEKS constantly watches Sam and records his successes and failures, and this information is used to guide Sam along one of his optimal learning paths through the trillions of knowledge states in the learning space. Only ALEKS has that power."
Sam is sitting at his desk with a laptop. Sam has a thought bubble with a list of topics.
Green checkmarks appear next to each entry in the list. A bubble appears captioned "ALEKS Integer Addition" with blocks labeled with question marks coming from the bubble and entering Sam's laptop. The bubbles then return to ALEKS as either green checkmarks or red X's. "Integer Addition" changes to "Real Numbers." The zoomed-in view of the network reappears with the caption "1,000,000,000,000."
Narrator: "Because of this constant evaluation, ALEKS only presents topics that the student is actually ready to learn. ALEKS challenges the student without frustrating or boring them, resulting in tremendous learning momentum and increasing confidence."
Sam stands next to a list of checkpoints captioned "Ready to Learn." The screen transitions to Sam running along a track with the words "Frustration" and "Boring" appearing then bursting and disappearing. Sam races across a finish line.
Narrator: "ALEKS will periodically assess Sam to make sure that he is retaining the material he learns. Research shows that periodic assessments not only ensure retention, but actually increase it. A cycle of individualized assessment and adaptive learning continues throughout the course to ensure that Sam has truly mastered and retained the concepts presented."
Sam stands with blocks captioned "Integer Addition," and "Solving a Proportion" with green checkmarks appearing then disappearing on the screen. Two scientists are writing on clipboards. An arrow from the scientists points to a light bulb above Sam's head. The screen transitions to a multicolored pie chart with arrows going around the chart labeled "Assessment" and "Learning." A line graph appears with the x-axis labeled "Time" and the y-axis labeled "Mastery." Sam's head bubble appears and moves up a line on the graph to the end of the line, labeled "Success."
Narrator: "At the conclusion of the ALEKS course, Sam will have a deeper understanding of the material and dramatically improved mastery over the course topics. ALEKS has already helped millions of students succeed in math, chemistry, and accounting at thousands of schools, colleges, and universities. For more information or for a free trial, sign up at ALEKS.com or call your ALEKS representative today."
Sam standing behind a podium pumping his arms in the air with an audience cheering. A group of students running along a track yelling, talking, and crossing a finish line. A large group of students wearing graduation caps.
End title screen: ALEKS logo. www.ALEKS.com. Sign up for a free trial. Video by Epipheo.
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Described transcript ©2024 McGraw Hill. All rights reserved. No reproduction or further distribution permitted without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill.
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