Click here to access ALEKS

Click here to access ALEKS from a public computer
(i.e., one that will not allow installation of the plugin

On your first visit, click on the NEW USER? SIGN UP NOW! link.

You will be asked for a Course code. For our course use:

Course Code: GCRHD-VAMKF

After that fill in the information requested and begin the tutorials and the initial assessment.

What is ALEKS?

ALEKS is a web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system. ALEKS uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what a student knows and doesn't know in a subject. ALEKS then instructs the student on the topics she/he is most ready to learn. As a student works through a subject, ALEKS periodically reassesses the student to ensure that topics learned are also retained. A student who shows a high level of mastery of an ALEKS subject will be successful in the actual course she/he is taking.

ALEKS in This Course

We are using ALEKS in this course to assess precalcus preparation for Math 220. To instill the importance of this aspect of the course and the learning system it incorporates, the results of the ALEKS Assessment will comprise 10% of your grade. You can begin the Assessment at any time and continue to improve your score (and precalculus learning) throughout the period ending February 2. This may require considerable work of many of you, but it will make the remainder of the course proceed more smoothly. Do not get frustrated. Talk to your TAs or to me if you need some encouragement.

When you first enter ALEKS you will go through a tutorial on how to enter mathematical experessions into ALEKS. After that ALEKS will give you a test (the Initial Assessment). This test is specifically designed for you, so not all students will see the same test. The number of questions (and the questions themselves) will vary from student to student depending upon how the previous questions in the test are answered. At the end of the test you will be shown an assessment of strengths and weaknesses and ALEKS will prepare specically for you a set of exercises that you can use to fill in your weak areas. This is called ALEKS' Learning Mode. After completing a certain segment of these exercises (and so filling in sections of your "pie"), ALEKS will give you a new assessment. This learning mode followed by assessment is the way in which you learn and improve through ALEKS.