Math-Whizz has successfully been implemented throughout the Anchorage, Alaska School District and some 7,000 students are on their way to learning just what Happiness in Numbers really means!
“Our mission is to provide students with both the information and inspiration they need to succeed,” said Ben Keogh, CEO of Whizz Education in the United States. “We have no doubt that the Anchorage School District will see the same success from using Math-Whizz that schools all over the world have experienced.” You can read all about the implementation in Anchorage on eSchool News.
You can experience for yourself some of the content being delivered to students in Anchorage and throughout the world on our Math Topics pages complete with sample exercises. Are you a teacher or administer? You can quickly request a pilot for your students right here.
Hopefully by now your child or student has had an opportunity to utilize two of our main features - both Replay and the Topic Bank. Today we are going to add yet another great feature into the mix and look at Challenges. Located outside of the Tutor, the Challenges keep kids actively and excitedly engaged in learning with Math-Whizz. The Challenge feature allows students to create lesson challenges to other students worldwide or to specific buddies. A little healthy competition motivates and encourages students to Replay some of the lessons they’ve already completed in the Tutor. For those Math-Whizzers without a lot of buddies there is no need to worry, it’s easy to create a challenge to other Math-Whizzers around the world! Let’s learn how!
First have your child or student login and access the Console. Select “Replay” at the bottom of the screen and you will see “Challenge History” as well as “Challenges” buttons in the lower right. The summary board in the upper section of the screen will also notify your student of any pending challenges. Selecting the “Challenge History” button shows the 20 most recent challenges and the respective outcomes, whereas selecting “Challenges” will take you directly to any pending challenges. To create a new challenge have your child scroll through the lessons shown in the Replay box and click on one of their choosing. The option to “create a challenge” will pop up – select it. You will now see a screen like the picture above, allowing you select another Math-Whizzer to challenge or add as a buddy. They will then replay the lesson and their time and score will be sent off to the chosen Math-Whizzer to accept! We’re pretty sure your kids or students won’t even notice they are reinforcing mathematical concepts.
Do you have a question about Math-Whizz? Email me!
About the Author: Rita Rogers grew up in the PNW and despite her “low-tech” houseboat upbringing, went on to complete her Master’s of Communication in Digital Media at the University of Washington in 2010. She is passionate about the convergence of education and technology, educational gaming, and outer space.
Ginny will be exhibiting at 60th annual Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics. PCTM is an opportunity to network with colleagues from across the state, with the main focus on teaching and learning mathematics in Pennsylvania. Please stop by our booth November 10-11th to learn more about how Math-Whizz can raise achievement in your classroom. Our program is helping teachers deliver effective, individualized instruction for each student, whether struggling or advanced. Math-Whizz’s personalized, interactive and collaborative approach to teaching math is helping all students build the foundation they need to achieve proficiency in math. Math-Whizz can be beneficial in your classroom by:
- Providing differentiated instruction
- Allowing personalized learning for students at all levels
- Ability to login while in school or at home
To learn more about Math-Whizz content as well as to access sample exercises please visit our Math Pages.
Ginny Harbold is our Regional Sales Manager. She grew up in a small town in North Carolina and completed her B.A. in History and later Masters in Business Administration from Wake Forest University. Ginny’s career has always centered on education, from test preparation to higher education publishing to her current role with Math-Whizz. She lives in Maryland with a menagerie of animals and her 3 kids.
Yesterday we took a look at the benefits of the Topic Bank, and today we are going to look at similar feature, albeit one with it’s own unique benefits – Replay Mode. All of us here at Math-Whizz have our own favorite lessons and we know many of the students using our program do as well, which is precisely where Replay Mode comes into play. In order to access Replay Mode you will first need to enter the Console. Once there, at the bottom of the screen select “Replay.” You’ll then enter a screen that looks like the one below.
From this screen you can then select which lesson you would like to replay, view the medals you’ve earned as well as your best times and scores. Challenge yourself to beat your best time and score and you’ll be awarded new medals (go for the gold!) as well as ten credits. Hover over a lesson to see your past times – lessons most recently completed will load first, scroll to the left to access those previously assigned.
So, in a nutshell: students can replay lessons they’ve completed in the Tutor Mode, and improved scores and times are rewarded with credits and medals. The lessons completed in Replay will not affect their Math Age™ or lesson as delivered through the Tutor. If you are looking to target a specific topic for extra practice, be sure to read all about our Topic Bank.
About the Author: Rita Rogers grew up in the PNW and despite her “low-tech” houseboat upbringing, went on to complete her Master’s of Communication in Digital Media at the University of Washington in 2010. She is passionate about the convergence of education and technology, educational gaming, and outer space.
One of the many great things about Math-Whizz is the number of features packed into the program and today we are going to highlight one, the Topic Bank. Occasionally we get feedback from parents or teachers who say “I wish I could target a specific area and have my student focus on that subject.” We thought so too, which is why we include both Replay Mode (which we’ll cover soon) and the Topic Bank in Math-Whizz.
Let’s start with taking a look at the Topic Bank, which is accessible through the main screen of the Bedroom. Simply, the Topic Bank is a place where students can review foundational exercises for the topics that they have already completed using the Tutor.
The amount of content available in the Topic Bank depends on how much time your child or student has spent completing lessons in Tutor Mode. The most recent lesson tackled will appear at the top left side of the exercise list.
What’s great about the Topic Bank is that the lessons available aren’t all at the same Math Age™ – when you select a lesson it will tell you the level in relation to where you currently are. So, perhaps a student has been struggling with decimals and needs a bit of extra practice. Select the “Decimals” topic on the left side menu, the exercises in the bottom right hand corner will be the lessons with the lowest Math Age, and in some instances that is the best place to start. Some students might struggle with a bit of math anxiety, so it might be helpful for them to know that how they perform in the Topic Bank does not influence their Math Age – we like to think of it as our practice playground.
Be sure to check back in soon to learn about the another great feature, Replay Mode!
About the Author: Rita Rogers grew up in the PNW and despite her “low-tech” houseboat upbringing, went on to complete her Master’s of Communication in Digital Media at the University of Washington in 2010. She is passionate about the convergence of education and technology, educational gaming, and outer space.
A couple weeks ago our CEO Ben Keogh was invited by EduTalk host Larry Jacobs to join in a discussion regarding the current state of online education. Larry has hosted numerous talk shows for educational professionals on a variety of timely topics like Bullying Prevention and, of course, Online Math Education which you can hear below in its entirety.
During this particular episode Larry makes it clear that he thinks online learning is one of the most important topics in education today, and asks Ben to explain the differences between personalized learning and individualized testing. The two also discuss how content is paramount in an online learning environment, as well as providing some background information about the origins of Math-Whizz and some of the methodology behind it’s development.
About the Author: Rita Rogers grew up in the PNW and despite her “low-tech” houseboat upbringing, went on to complete her Master’s of Communication in Digital Media at the University of Washington in 2010. She is passionate about the convergence of education and technology, educational gaming, and outer space.
We understand that from time to time you may need to skip an exercise for one of your children or students. While the vast majority of users do not have to use this function it’s always good to know it’s out there and the reasoning behind it. That being said we do not recommend you use this feature unless there is a clear technical error or educational reason. Once a legitimate reason for skipping a lesson has been identified, go ahead and locate the tool.
Parents will find a link to skip an exercise by logging into their parent dashboard and selecting the “exercise preview” button next to their child’s account. You can then select the link at the bottom of the page and provide us with feedback regarding why you used the tool.
Similarly, teachers and administrators can access the feature by logging into their school account, click “manage students,” and launch the reporting feature. Select “student reports” and click the student who has encountered difficulty, then select the “edit” tab at the far right.
It is important to note that while an animated lesson can be skipped, the 5 question exam section cannot. In other words, be prepared to work with your student once this is delivered. If you are ever in doubt feel free to reach out to customer support either by email or phone. By providing information regarding the type of error that prompted skipping the lesson, you are helping us in our continual quest to keep Math-Whizz the leader in personalized learning!
About the Author: Rita Rogers grew up in the PNW and despite her “low-tech” houseboat upbringing, went on to complete her Master’s of Communication in Digital Media at the University of Washington in 2010. She is passionate about the convergence of education and technology, educational gaming, and outer space.
We will be attending the Northwest Math Conference Oct 13-15thin Portland, OR at the Red Lion on the River. Please stop by booth #12. Enter to win a free 30 day trial or 30 Math-Whizz licenses for 1 year!
Kevin Judd will demonstrate how teachers can gain new strategies for implementing Standard based lessons in ways students can better relate to the content, and thus achieve success in math.
If you would like to learn more Kevin will be hosting two speaker sessions:
Solving for X’s and Whys: Brain Research into Practice
Based on brain research of how students learn and process information, this session will engage participants in practical ways to embed research into their classrooms and help them engage their students in learning.
Saturday, 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM Session 173 Multnomah Room Kevin Judd, Whizz Education
Math Whizz: Learning from a Digital Tutor
Based on research around student learning and motivation, Math-Whizz engages kids with great Math instruction, hints, help, animations, games, rewards, and fun. It’s math, it’s fun, it’s addictive, and it works.
Congratulations on your purchase – we are thrilled you and your child are about to embark on your very own Math-Whizz adventure together! If this is your first time working with Math-Whizz this guide will get you acquainted with our program and suggestions for best practices. That in mind, let us first make sure we have a couple small but nonetheless important computer settings in order. Please turn off any pop-up blocker feature you might have enabled in your web browser. In most cases you can add our URL www.whizz.us as a trusted site you allow through your blocker. Easy, right? Next, go ahead and make sure you are running the latest version of Adobe Flash and, if you are using a Macintosh, check out a Safari alternative such as Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome.
Hopefully you’ve already received your initial welcome email detailing the date of your purchase and account information. As you may know, Math-Whizz is compromised of two distinct accounts – parent and student. Both have different log in credentials and this information is detailed in your initial email and confirmation of purchase. No email? Check your SPAM filter then contact us.
Log on! – let’s put those usernames to good use. Select the “parents” icon in the upper right of your screen and enter your parent account information.
Dashboard - this is your control center. You are able to see your child, their account(s), current Math Age™ and the next scheduled payment date. From this dashboard you have access to reports and exercise previews. If you ever forgot your child’s log in information you can always check it here.
Now it’s time for your kid to log in for the first time. Students log in from the same box in the upper right hand corner of our homepage - just click “students.” Usernames are not case sensitive, however passwords are.
In order to have a personalized learning plan established for your child, they will need to begin and complete the initial assessment. This is accessible through the Tutor Mode – which you can begin either through the Console or the Bedroom. I would recommend first reaching the Tutor through the Bedroom, it will give your child a glimpse of some cool Math-Whizz features we’ve created just for them as incentive to continue learning. Be sure to take a look at our post regarding the assessment before we begin and when your child is ready have them begin. And that’s it! You and your child are well on your way to happiness in numbers.
About the Author: Rita Rogers grew up in the PNW and despite her “low-tech” houseboat upbringing, went on to complete her Master’s of Communication in Digital Media at the University of Washington in 2010. She is passionate about the convergence of education and technology, educational gaming, and outer space.
Did you know Math-Whizz is helping teachers deliver effective, individualized instruction for each student, whether struggling or advanced? Aligned to the Alaska GLE’s, Math-Whizz’s personalized, interactive and collaborative approach to teaching math is helping all students build the foundation they need to achieve proficiency in math and see success in STEM subjects. Math-Whizz, quite simply, is changing the math education equation.
Participants will get an opportunity to explore Math-Whizz, the most advanced and engaging online math tutoring program for students in grades K-8.
Participants will observe the student experience, try sample lessons, see what it’s like to teach with the program and have an opportunity to try Math-Whizz out for themselves.
All participants will receive a free trial for their schools to extend the experience.
Kevin Judd, Whizz Education
PreK-2, 3-5, 6-8
Sunday 10:45-11:45
Solving for Xs and Whys: Teaching Math to Avoid the Blank Stares
Based on brain research of how students learn and process information, this session will provide participants with practical ways to embed research into their classroom.
Kevin Judd, Whizz Education
Monday 10:45-11:45
Using Math‐Whizz to improve Student Performance
This session will introduce participants to the newest and most advanced online math tutor in the world. Used in more than 50 countries, Math‐Whizz uses artificial intelligence combined with fun animation and games to teach and tutor students in K‐8 math. Students who spend 90 minutes per week on Math‐Whizz show 2 years of growth in just a year ‐ come see how to help your students succeed.
Kevin Judd, Whizz Education
Kevin Judd taught mathematics for 13 years before spending 5 years as a math specialist and curriculum administrator. He holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Policy Studies and has also consulted with schools on ways to reform mathematics curriculum and instruction for students. He is a frequent conference speaker on the topic of aligning math instruction to research on how students learn.
