What is the difference between ALEKS Calculus and traditional calculus courses?
Using adaptive learning, ALEKS precisely identifies what math concepts students know and don’t, and then delivers personalized learning pathways to ensure they learn the skills they need to succeed. This approach minimizes frustration, accelerates momentum, and builds confidence, all while preparing students for the future of work in mathematics.
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Placement into Math Courses.
UT Dallas uses an online placement tool to ensure that all students are placed in a math course that best matches their abilities and interests. The tool is ALEKS (Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces) and is offered by McGraw Hill Education.
The ALEKS Placement Assessment is an online test that measures a student’s readiness for math courses. The ALEKS score reflects the level of math preparation that a student is likely to need to succeed in a math course at UT Dallas. The ALEKS result is used to determine which math course (MATH 150, MATH 120, MATH 1190, MATH 1210, or MATH 1310) a student is ready for.
MATH 150 is an introductory course in college algebra for students preparing to major in business, social sciences, or engineering. The course covers topics such as polynomial and rational functions; exponential and logarithmic functions; and trigonometric functions. The course also emphasizes problem-solving skills and the application of mathematical concepts to real-world problems.
Students who have already taken MATH 130 are not required to take this course, but many students do choose to do so as a way to improve their math skills and prepare for MATH 150. This is an excellent opportunity to review and rehash math content while building skills for a course in which you will need them most.
In addition to placing you in MATH 150, ALEKS provides a Prep and Learning Module that allows you to review and rehash math concepts, as well as practice questions in areas where you need additional support. ALEKS’s learning modules can be completed on your own or with the assistance of an advisor or an instructor, and are designed to build the foundational skills you will need to succeed in MATH 150.
If you are a UC incoming freshman who has not taken MATH 130 or have not had an AP or SAT Math score of at least 28 in high school, we recommend taking the ALEKS Pre-Calculus Assessment. The ALEKS Pre-Calculus Assessment is an online tool for students to assess their readiness for math courses and can be used to place them into a variety of courses across UT Dallas’s curriculum.
Upon completion of the ALEKS Pre-Calculus assessment, you will be able to register for MATH 150. This course is the first in a series of three courses that will introduce you to the principles of calculus.
This is a one-semester survey of the basic principles of calculus, including functions and graphs, limits and continuity, derivatives, definite integrals, and applications. It is not for students planning to study further in calculus or to pursue graduate work in the sciences.
In conclusion, ALEKS Calculus offers a distinct approach to learning calculus compared to traditional courses. Through adaptive learning, ALEKS provides personalized learning pathways tailored to individual students’ knowledge and skills. This adaptive approach helps minimize frustration, accelerate learning, and build confidence, ultimately preparing students for future success in mathematics.