Does ALEKS Help with Mathematical Retention as Measured on the ACT

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a three tier ALEKS program on the retention of mathematical knowledge as assessed on the student’s ACT math score. In recent years, ACT has noted a decrease in student readiness for college level math courses and the need for more students to be placed in a remedial math course. Starting the 2019-2020 school year students at Pickerington High School North were enrolled in a three tier ALEKS program that consisted of High School Prep, Algebra Review, and then their content course. All juniors in the State of Ohio were given the ACT at the end of February. The results of the senior’s math ACT scores, administered when they were juniors without the use of the three tier ALEKS program, were compared to the results of the current junior’s math ACT scores with the use of the three tier ALEKS program for students at Pickerington High School North.

The results of this study indicated that the use of ALEKS did increase a student’s math ACT score, however a student’s initial exposure of algebra and geometry, as assessed by the end of course AIR assessments, played a significant role in a student’s<br>math ACT score and cannot solely be replaced with the use of ALEKS. The study also indicated the minutes a student spent in ALEKS has a positive moderate correlation to the student’s math ACT score. The linear model suggests that a student who works persistently in ALEKS for sixty minutes a week from the start of the school year to the administration of the ACT can raise their math ACT score by three points. While the study indicates that ALEKS does help in retention and an increase of mathematical knowledge additional studies will need to be conducted on a wider range of school districts and on other high stakes test such as state end of course assessments.