Accelerated Math

Infobox Software
name = Accelerated Math



caption =
author =
developer = Renaissance Learning
latest release version = 2.42
latest release date =
latest preview version =
latest preview date =
operating system = Windows, Mac
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genre = Educational
license =
website = http://www.renlearn.com/am/

Accelerated Math is a daily, progress-monitoring software tool that monitors and manages mathematics skills practice, from first grade math through calculus. It is primarily used by primary and secondary schools, and it is published by Renaissance Learning, Inc. Currently, there are two versions: a desktop version and a web-based version in Renaissance Place, the company's web software for Accelerated Math and a number of other software products (e.g. Accelerated Reader). In Australia and the United Kingdom, the software is referred to as "Accelerated Maths."

Purpose

Accelerated Math monitors the progress of mathematical skills practice. It generates individualized assignments and tests, corrects assignments and tests, and records and reports results for immediate feedback. Each assignment or test is based on data from assignments. The student will be eligible to test on a math concept when he/she has correctly answered a set number of questions about that concept.

Students using Accelerated Math are responsible for completing assignments and tests, reviewing incorrect answers, setting appropriate goals based on their abilities (with teacher assistance), and discussing progress with the teacher. Teachers are responsible for planning instruction, instructing small groups and the whole class, motivating students by setting individualized goals and providing feedback, intervening when students are struggling and need additional assistance, and monitoring progress via reports and discussing assignments and tests with students.

Components

AccelScan

Answers to assignments and tests are recorded by the student on special forms. The forms are scored using optical mark recognition scanners, called AccelScan, whhhich are connected to a computer via serial port (AccelScan 1100 models and some 2100 models) or USB port (AccelScan 2100 models). [ [http://www.renlearn.com/store/storeitemlist.asp?id=1205&c=MP+62%3A04%3A5+6002%2F8%2F01 Renaissance Learning Store] page displaying USB and Serial Port.] Accelerated Math can now be used with the Renaissance Responder, bypassing the need for paper and AccelScan. [http://renlearn.com/mathrenaissance/overview/HowAMWorks.htm AM webpage] that notes compatibility with the Renaissance Responder in the left column.]

Reports

Accelerated Math reports are generated and help students, teachers, and parents monitor student progress. Two reports provide student-level data, and two reports provide classroom-level data. Other, customizable reports are available in the Renaissance Place edition. [http://renlearn.com/mathrenaissance/overview/SampleReports.htm Accelerated Math webpage regarding reports] ]

The TOPS Report (The Opportunity to Praise Students), printed automatically after scanning an assignment or test, reports results for each math objective and a list of correct and incorrect s. This allows students to immediately review specific concepts with which they had difficulty. Parent Information reports provide information for the parent or guardian. It reports mastered objectives, working objectives, and percent accuracy on assignments and tests. It can be used for parent-teacher conferences.

Diagnostic Reports report students that have a low number of objectives mastered, low percent correct on assignments and tests, low number of problems attempted, and those that need intervention. The Status of the Class Report can be used every day to monitor class progress. It lists students that need intervention, have assignments or test to be scanned, have no recent activity, or are ready to take a test. It also prints the dates of all practice assignments and tests that have not been scanned. For each objective, the report lists students who are working or about to start on the objective.

Research

Below is a sample of some of the most current research on Accelerated Math.

Sadusky and Brem (2002) [Sadusky, L. A., & Brem, S. K. (2002). "The use of Accelerated Math in an urban Title I elementary school." Tempe: Arizona State University.] studied the impact of first-year implementation of Accelerated Math in a K-6 urban elementary school during the 2001—2002 school year. The researchers found that teachers were able to immediately use data to make decisions about instruction in the classroom. The students in classrooms using Accelerated Math had twice the percentile gains when tested as compared to the control classrooms that did not use Accelerated Math.

Ysseldkyke and Tardrew (2003) [Ysseldyke, J., & Tardrew, S. (2003). "Differentiating Math Instruction: A Large Scale Study of Accelerated Math." Madison, WI: Renaissance Learning, Inc.] studied 2,202 students in 125 classrooms encompassing 24 states. The results showed that when students using Accelerated Math were compared to a control group, those students using the software made a significant gains on the STAR Math test. Students in grades 3 through 10 that were using Accelerated Math had more than twice the percentile gains on these tests than students in the control group.

Ysseldyke, Betts, Thill, and Hannigan (2004) [Ysseldyke, J. E., Betts, J., Thill, T., & Hanngian, E. (2004) Use of an instructional management system to improve mathematics skills for students in Title I programs. "Preventing School Failure, 48"(4), 10-14.] conducted a quasi-experimental study with third- through sixth-grade Title I students. They found that Title I students who used Accelerated Math outperformed students who did not. Springer, Pugalee, and Algozzine (2005) [Springer, R. M., Pugalee, D., & Algozzine, B. (2005). "Improving mathematics skills of high school students." Manuscript submitted for publication.] also discovered a similar pattern. They studied students that failed to pass the AIMS test in order to graduate. Over half of the students passed the test after taking a course in which Accelerated Math was used to improve their achievement.

For more research, see the link below.

References

ee also

*Renaissance Learning
*STAR (software) STAR Math, STAR Reading, and STAR Early Literacy
*Accelerated Reader

External links

* [http://www.renlearn.com/mathrenaissance/default.asp Accelerated Math] webpage
* [http://research.renlearn.com/research/pdfs/85.pdf Accelerated Math] research
* [http://research.renlearn.com/ Renaissance Learning] research
* [http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/surveys/editorial/rca/sms2005/pdf/RCAsms2005.pdf 2005] and [http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/surveys/editorial/rca/RCAAug06.pdf 2006] Readers’ Choice Awards from eSchool News

Alternate usage

For other uses of the term "accelerated math," please see:
* [http://digitalcommons.libraries.columbia.edu/dissertations/AAI3091233/ Burris (2003)] , an article on an accelerated mathematics curriculum
* [http://www.webreference.com/js/tips/000403.html Shiran (2000)] , an article on accelerated math operators in JavaScript programming