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The Importance of Making Math Joyful, Rigorous, and Personalized

By Melody Locher, Math Content Architect for ALEKS Adventure

In the world of education, cultivating joy in learning is often set aside, as teachers must focus their attention on rigorous learning experiences and high-stakes testing. This seems especially true in the teaching of mathematics. Rote memorization can take the place of meaningful exploration, leaving students with little wonder about where math concepts could take them. However, it is in those explorative spaces that empowerment and joy can ignite.

Why Sparking Joy Matters

For students, joy in learning is not just about fun. Creating an environment that fosters curiosity and growth can turn math, a subject that many find intimidating, into an exciting world of patterns, puzzles, and possibilities. Choosing joy leads to richer and more productive mathematics (Parks, 2020). Research shows that students find joy in mathematics when they are given opportunities to create their own mathematical understandings and connections. This is especially powerful when it is done through experiences that are relevant to themselves and their communities (NCTM, 2020).

But What About Rigor?

As teachers seek to create the best math classroom environment possible, it can seem like a challenge to make math rigorous while also keeping it fun and engaging. When we think about joy and rigor in math, it’s easy to imagine them as opposites, but they are powerful partners in learning. Joy fuels curiosity and engagement, while rigor ensures that engagement leads to meaningful growth. When a student solves a tough problem or discovers a new strategy, the joy they feel is the result of deep, rigorous thinking. By designing experiences that invite exploration, persistence, and collaboration, we create learning experiences where students feel the excitement of problem-solving. A great digital math tool can further enhance this balance to make rigorous math learning an experience that kids genuinely enjoy.

How Can Digital Math Programs Spark Joy?

Students should experience rigorous, joyful mathematics learning in all modes of instruction — including whole group instruction, small group activities, and individual, digital learning moments. Digital math programs should strive to spark joy through thoughtful design and innovative features that resonate with both students and teachers. Some of these engaging characteristics include interactive learning, rich visuals and storytelling, celebrating progress, adaptive learning, and customizability.

Here are a few ways in which our personalized learning math solution, ALEKS Adventure, is designed to elicit joyful and rigorous learning moments:

• Interactive Learning: Incorporating game-like elements transforms math practice from rote repetition into an engaging experience. This not only motivates students to participate but also helps them associate math with positive experiences. ALEKS Adventure uses math tools common to elementary school classrooms, as well as a variety of representations and scaffolds to help students be active learners and inspire connections across their learning.

• Rich Visuals and Storytelling: For younger students especially, narrative frameworks make problem-solving feel exciting, while also sparking curiosity. Through vivid visuals and story-driven scenarios, ALEKS Adventure strives to make abstract math concepts more relatable and memorable.
• Celebrating Progress: Acknowledging achievements, whether big or small, helps students internalize the idea that effort leads to improvement, fostering a growth mindset. As students complete ALEKS Adventure lessons, they are rewarded with coins which can be spent in the avatar shop. Student progress is further celebrated through the unlocking of lands, each with its own charming characters and new, exciting stories.

• Adaptive Learning: Research shows that students best learn when practice is performed at a level of difficulty that is slightly beyond their current mastery (Tomlinson, 2001). ALEKS Adventure uses a dynamic AI engine to identify the topics each student is ready to learn, reducing frustration and increasing a sense of accomplishment.
• Customizability: When students can personalize aspects of their learning experience, it can boost their motivation. In ALEKS Adventure, students can create their own avatar and select from a variety of accessories. This can later be changed throughout their learning journey as they unlock more customizable features. This sense of ownership makes learning more enjoyable and encourages students to stay engaged.

Building a Joyful Experience for Teachers, Too

Teachers, on the other hand, face the daily challenge of balancing instruction, classroom management, and administrative duties. A digital tool that sparks joy not only helps keep students engaged but can also relieve some of the stress and pressure on educators. When teachers see their students excited about learning, it reignites their own love for teaching and builds a positive classroom culture.

A math product that sparks joy should be as user-friendly for teachers as it is engaging for students. Features that support teachers include:

• Adaptive and Aligned Learning: To truly support teachers, the product needs to fit seamlessly into their current lesson plans and curriculum. With its adaptive learning AI engine and alignment to state and national standards, teachers can trust that ALEKS Adventure lessons are constantly adjusted to meet students at their optimal level of learning.
• Ease of Integration: The ease of use of a new digital product is vital for teachers, especially those working with young learners, as it directly affects how smoothly they can incorporate it into their daily routines. ALEKS Adventure’s intuitive user interface minimizes the time spent learning a new tool so teachers can focus on creating impactful math experiences in the classroom.
• Insightful Data: Providing teachers with intuitive reports and data visualizations, ALEKS Adventure’s teacher interface takes the guesswork out of analyzing learning data and identifying trends. This empowers teachers to celebrate successes and address challenges effectively, reinforcing a culture of continuous growth.

Sparking Joy for a Brighter Math Future

At its core, sparking joy in a digital supplemental math product is about creating an experience where both students and teachers can thrive. It’s about bridging the gap between academic rigor and engaging, joyful learning. When students are eager to tackle math problems and teachers are energized by their students’ enthusiasm, the entire learning environment becomes more inspiring and effective.

The ways ALEKS Adventure accomplishes these goals show the real impact of these features in action, from a student’s smile after mastering a tough concept to a teacher’s relief at seeing their class engaged and motivated. By focusing on joy, we’re not only enhancing the educational experience but laying the groundwork for a future where math is seen not as a hurdle but as an opportunity for discovery and delight.

ALEKS Adventure is an engaging, personalized solution that invites students to learn math while they learn alongside animated sidekicks, connect with classmates, and discover new worlds. From a customizable avatar and spaceship to a powerful AI engine, ALEKS Adventure is a whole new way to learn math. To learn more, click here.

Melody holds both a Bachelor of Arts from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Collegiate Profession License in Elementary Education from the University of Richmond. She is currently completing a Master of Arts in K-8 Math Curriculum and Instruction at George Mason University. After more than a decade of working with elementary students and teachers, she transitioned to become a Math Content Architect for ALEKS Adventure in 2022. Melody leverages her expertise and experiences to design user experiences that are both meaningful and engaging.

References

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (2020). Catalyzing change in early childhood and elementary school mathematics: initiating critical conversations. NCTM.

Parks, Amy Noelle. (2020). Creating joy in PK–Grade 2 mathematics classrooms. Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK–12 113, no. 1 (January): 61–64.

Tomlinson, C.A. (2001). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms (2nd ed.). ASCD.