It's hard to tell. He definitely learned it - and his SCAT score went up about 35 points b/n 2nd and 3rd grade spring. Maybe with more repetition he would have become faster, but then again, he'd tolerate the program less. I just wonder how much he got out of a program that took less than 2 mos. for 4th grade, when he didn't work on it everyday.
This has been my concern since starting with ALEKS. His completing 3rd, 4th & 5th grade levels in about four weeks each, and 6th in just over two weeks really bothered me.
I've tried to pin ALEKS down on the speed issue, but they are unwilling to answer anything other than to say that students are not allowed to move forward until ALEKS is satisfied that they've mastered a particular concept.
They won't say how much time the typical student requires to finish a level, and they don't have any information about long-term retention.
I've searched around quite a bit and the only parental feedback I find is from other giftie families -- and most seem to have the same concern about the speed, but so far nobody has outright said that ALEKS left their child unprepared for the next level outside of ALEKS. And given the parental penchant for complaining, if there were such experiences, they'd be publicized.
I'd love to know how ALEKS works for kids closer to the middle of the curve... do they go smokin' through as well? I've not seen anything like this, and ALEKS sure won't divulge.
But after I back up several steps from this concern, I know that my son learns things very rapidly, and once he learns something, it tends to stick. Considering also the GT-Ed info that reminds teachers & parents that gifties generally need less repetition -- and often MUCH less -- than is typical, his pacing does begin to make sense.
He's starting EPGY on 12/1, and I am eagerly awaiting a first-hand comparison.
