Adaptive learning technology is a way to provide a personalized learning experience to each student. The purpose of this article is to help you understand what adaptive learning technology is and how it works. Come on a journey with me back to 2007.
I used "pre" adaptive learning technology with my middle- and high school math students. At home, each student watched a video lesson, completed several practice problems, then completed a homework assignment. Students entered their answers into the software program, received immediate feedback (correct/incorrect), remedial video instruction after two incorrect answers were entered, and a grade for the homework assignment was stored in a protected gradebook. Class time was used to review and assess the learning objectives for the completed lesson, a collaborative activity to engage learners, and a quick preview of the next lesson and learning objectives. I was using a flipped classroom model before I knew what a flipped classroom was! Each student completed the same homework problems and the same chapter tests, entering their answers as they were calculated. The immediate feedback and remedial video instruction was an improvement for students compared to the several days it took me to grade, record, and return math homework assignments before the "pre" adaptive learning technology and flipped classroom model.
Most sources agree that adaptive learning technology arrived on the educational scene around 2011-2012. The first adaptive learning technology I interfaced was ALEKS by McGraw Hill Education. It was love-at-first-sight! I watch over his shoulder as my son worked precalculus problems in ALEKS. The University of Delaware had determined that incoming freshman who strengthened their precalculus skills before attending the college-level precalculus course were more successful in math than those students who did not strengthen their precalculus skills. When my son answered correctly, ALEKS progressed him to the next learning objective. Two incorrect answers triggered an intervention--a guided instruction module--then ALEKS returned to the precalculus problems. Throughout the course, ALEKS would present review problems "to build confidence and learning momentum". Because of the cumulative nature of learning math, not to mention midterm and final exams, I am a proponent of reviewing math skills.
I don't know about you, but after watching this video, I was intrigued by ALEKS and adaptive learning. I tried to persuade the private schools I worked for to offer ALEKS to their middle- and high school math students. I researched the cutting-edge adaptive learning technology and presented information to school administration and parents.
Alas, fate was against me. If you recall, the end of the world was predicted on May 21, 2011. My efforts to persuade parents and administrators to embrace ALEKS and adaptive learning technology were fruitless. The majority of parents and a few key administrators were resistant to change and uninterested in the benefits of the new adaptive learning technology, and were more in favor of using traditional teaching methods. When they heard "artificial intelligence" and "Markovian algorithms", folks thought computers would take over the world. Finally, a handful of parents expressed concerns such as, "I don't want my child to have more required screen time", "I want my child to complete their math assignments from a textbook", and "What happens if our WiFi goes down?"
In reality, adaptive learning technology is based on educational theory, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence (Posner, 2017). The world was still spinning, and in 2015, I transitioned to teaching math at the college level using Pearson's MyLabsPlus adaptive learning technology.
Using MyLabsPlus for the math courses I teach, each student receives a personalized learning experience by completing a Diagnostic Quiz to assesses prior knowledge on a particular set of learning objectives for the upcoming unit. Students do not earn a grade for this quiz. MyLabsPlus generates particular homework problems based on the student's Diagnostic Quiz responses, so students are only presented with homework problems not yet mastered. This personalized path for assigning math homework to students is an efficient and effective method of learning (Posner, 2017).
Students are given three attempts to correctly answer each homework problem. If completed successfully, MyLabsPlus advances students to the next homework problem in the assignment. While completing the personalized homework problems, students have several resources to assist their learning and understanding. If students need help, the have access to the course eTextbook, video lectures, and three forms of online assistance. The first method of online assistance is called Help Me Solve This. MyLabsPlus walks the student through a step-by-step solution of the current homework problem, then presents the student with the same problem containing different numbers. The second method of online assistance is View An Example. Using this help, students are shown a step-by-step solution to a similar problem, then return to the original problem to solve. The third method of online assistance is Ask My Instructor, where MyLabsPlus emails the instructor a link to the particular homework problem. This gives the instructor an opportunity to work one-on-one with their student to determine the misunderstanding or exact difficulty the student is experiencing. When my students use this option, I print the homework problem, complete the solution in great detail, take a cell phone picture of the problem and worked-out solution, then text the picture to my student. Most of the time, this is sufficient to help the student identify what they were doing wrong. I believe this method preserves the student's dignity by allowing them to compare my solution to theirs while in their environment. Using this method, students can simply enter the correct answer provided by the instructor.
One benefit of adaptive learning technology is that students can complete their assignments at their own pace. However, students are given deadlines to complete the assignments by so that the college can assign a course grade at the end of the block or semester. Assigning grades at the end of the semester is very important in college, and assigning grades keeps the Financial Aid office happy as well. Students progress through the homework assignments at their own pace with "this assignment is due by" also attached to each assignment. Homework assignments must be completed to a minimum score of 75% by the due date in order to unlock the formative assessments sprinkled throughout the course.
Formative assessments are given, both in the classroom and using adaptive learning technology. In the classroom, formative assessment are administered using paper and pencil or digitally using Smart Lab, Kahoot, or Quizlet Live, and can be individual or collaborative. The institution usually determines how students in each course will be presented with a formative assessment; one or two quizzes per unit in MyLabsPlus. To support academic integrity during formative assessments, MyLabsPlus presents different numbers in the exact same problems and randomizes the problem order across each class. If a students does not complete the homework assignments associated with a formative assessment to the minimum 75% score by the assessment due date, MyLabsPlus records a zero score for the formative assessment. Remember, students are not given homework assignments and left completely on their own. They receive face-to-face instruction in the classroom and are encouraged to take notes. Students can take advantage of the various instructional components in MyLabsPlus such as the eTextbook, videos, and three different ways to get help.
Summative assessments are given using a combination of delivery methods, depending on the math course. Developmental math courses have multiple test attempts delivered in different methods. For example, the first unit test attempt is given in the traditional paper/pencil manner. If a student does not demonstrate mastery -- a score less than 75% -- the students has two weeks to complete a Study Plan in MyLabsPlus and complete the second unit test attempt in MyLabsPlus. The adaptive learning technology looks at the student's homework and quiz performance within each unit to determine the student's strengths and weaknesses with regard to the unit's learning objectives. If the student does not complete the unit Study Plan to 80% mastery within the two week window, no second attempt unit test grade is recorded and the student is required to take a paper/pencil final exam for the course. The final exam counts as a third attempt of the unit test, where a matrix is used to extrapolate a unit test grade for each unit from the final exam problems. For college-level math courses, summative assessments are administered on paper/pencil. Students have one attempt for each unit test and a cumulative final exam.
As students work through the course, adaptive learning technology has reporting that goes to the instructors and to the department chair. I will discuss the adaptive learning technology reporting in a future post. Suffice it to say that the adaptive learning technology reporting mechanism is where the instructor analyzes student performance overall and by assignment.
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MyLabsPlus Reporting Menu
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I'd enjoy learning more from your experience with adaptive learning technology. Please share in the comments.
References
Flipped classroom. [Infographic]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.knewton.com/infographics/flipped-classroom/
How ALEKS works. [Video file]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1Q4jRbpODQ
Posner, Z. (2017, January 11). What is adaptive learning anyway? Retrieved from https://www.mheducation.com/ideas/what-is-adaptive-learning.html
Reporting dashboard: Keep students on track. [Picture]. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.pearsonmylabandmastering.com/northamerica/educators/features/reporting-dashboard/index.html
Research behind ALEKS. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.aleks.com/about_aleks/research_behind
Prior to EDT6020 I had only heard about this type of technology being used in standardized testing. If students miss a question or two it scales the information down a level. It only makes sense that it could also be used to help guide self-paced instruction. I am not aware of a system that works for my subject matter, but I am fascinated by AI. Though many people are afraid of it, I believe strongly that educators need to embrace new technology in order to help guide students/education/our country down the best path possible. I am a firm believer that it will not make teachers' jobs obsolete. On the contrary it will give them a tool that allows them to have more time for one-one interactions with their students. A computer can tell what types of problems a student misses, but they aren't going to help diagnose a special education student with dyslexia or for that matter be able to gauge the mood of a teenager to tell that they did poorly on an assignment because their parents recently separated.
ReplyDeleteI was reading the part about earlier in your career and thought to myself "She was flipping her classroom and didn't know it!" All of that initial work must have led to an easier transition to teaching collegiate online courses. I think it is funny how sometimes teachers stumble upon something purely because they discover it works and they have no idea anyone else is using the same technique because we are often secluded with our noses to the grind-stone in our own schools.
Thanks, Nicole, for pointing out the benefits of using adaptive learning technology: ALT gives educators more one-on-one time with their students, ALT specifies areas for intervention by learning objective, and ALT is a tool used by educators-not software to replace educators.
ReplyDeleteOur culture is skeptical when it comes to technology, so we shouldn't be surprised when students, parents, and administrators do not embrace adaptive learning technology. I believe that media hype, especially movies such as Terminator, iRobot, and Lucy, create fear of technology. No method or technique is 100% effective, right? Historically speaking, we apply the good and do what we can to minimize the not-so-good. One of my favorite new technology careers is the White Hat Hacker. https://www.techopedia.com/definition/10349/white-hat-hacker
Adaptive learning technology sounds like a great use of technology to help alleviate the stress of trying to differentiate lesson plans. I currently am teaching a course with a huge variety of learners. I am struggling trying to balance my high flyers who race through an assignment and other students who need one-on-one attention and extra time to complete assignments. My school does not have any adaptive learning technologies available (that I know of). If I had access to programs like this, then I could easily create a blended learning classroom that gives students the options to go at their own pace. I love the idea that this technology can provide immediate grades/feedback and will also provide an intervention or more explanation of a topic a student is struggling with. I may be able to use my LMS, Schoology, to create a semi-ALS environment where students must complete a task before they can move on to the next. This would allow students to go at their own pace; however, it would not be able to identify areas of need and provide additional help and resources.
ReplyDeleteI can understand how teachers might be hesitant to use adaptive learning technology. It does give the feeling that a computer and an algorithm is replacing a teacher. But I believe this is a concern that will go away as soon as a teacher begins to use this ALS and can see the benefits. Teachers are still crucial in a classroom that uses ALS.
-Thanks for your great blog post Karen
Hi Chris,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for commenting on my blog. I welcome contributions from educators to broaden my perspectives. Educational technology grows exponentially; there is always more to learn! We need one another's input and expertise to use the resource we have at our disposal in the best way possible, and to be aware of the new technologies available.
From what I've learned from our classmates, as well as reading as much as I can on adaptive learning technology, it seems that most classrooms have, or have access to, Chromebooks or iPads. If that is your case, you might want to consider these adaptive learning apps:
https://www.ck12.org/student/
http://www.mobymax.com/
https://www.scootpad.com/
Adaptive learning technologies that have a dashboard (usually not free, only free trials) are the next step up. The dashboard is the adaptive learning technology goto place for instructors to check on individual student or class progress, then take action: encouragement or intervention. Some ALT with the dashboard include:
http://www.dreambox.com/
https://www.knewton.com/
You are correct in that the adaptive learning technology simply allows the instructor the time and freedom to give encouragement to the students who are on-course and progressing through the materials, and intervening one-on-one with individual students who are struggling and not mastering the assigned material.
Post back once you try adaptive learning in your classroom. I'd enjoy hearing about your experience. Thanks again for visiting and commenting, Chris.