Initiatives

Adaptive Learning    

Call for Participation: ALT-Placement Project

The Kirwan Center is seeking institutional partners from across Maryland to participate in a Kresge Foundation funded project starting in Spring 2018 that will pilot the efficacy and feasibility of replacing the high-stakes mathematics placement exam process currently in use with a process that empowers students to assess and remediate their mathematics knowledge using adaptive learning tools instead. Our hypothesis is that these adaptive tools will deliver just-in-time skills remediation while also providing better diagnostics that will be a more reliable measure of students’ knowledge, thus enabling more accurate mathematics course placements that will increase persistence and lower costs.

If your institution is interested in participating in the 2018-19 pilot, please submit to cai@usmd.edu by Wednesday, November 22nd at 5:00 pm a 2-3-page overview outlining the intended use case that your institution would like to pilot.

Your overview should include:

  • A description of your current mathematics placement process and cut scores.
  • Which adaptive learning tool you intend to pilot (NROC EdReady or ALEKS)?
  • Which use case you intend to pilot?
  • The projected number of students you plan to engage in the project.
  • Plans for outreach and engagement to ensure student participation.
  • A timeline for implementation of the selected use case at your institution.
  • Project team names, role on project, and contact information (please indicate a project lead, at least one mathematics faculty member, and a research/data liaison to work with UMUC CILSS study team).
  • Any additional information that will help us to understand your institutional context.

Click here to download a PDF with more information.