VT ALEKS Trigonometry Module

Students who see "Needs Trig Module" in the Transfer Credits Accepted by Institution section of their transcript are eligible for the ALEKS Trigonometry Module, an adaptive and personalized online learning tool that utilizes the ALEKS web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system. Trigonometry Module eligibility and a passing score (80% of topics learned) will convert "Needs Trig Module" into MATH 1014 transfer credit.

If the following shows in the Transfer Credit Accepted by Institution section of your transcript, then you are eligible for the ALEKS Trigonometry Module and you can earn MATH 1014 transfer credit by earning a passing score in the module. If your transcript shows credit for VT MATH 1014, you do NOT need the Trigonometry Module. Other ways to earn MATH 1014 credit are outlined HERE. Students are encouraged to discuss options with their academic advisor.

Eligible students can register for the ALEKS Trigonometry Module anytime by filling out the registration form. Once your eligibility is verified, you will receive an email confirmation of your registration with instructions to purchase the ALEKS Trigonometry Module. Registration is only valid if email confirmation is received.

There is a fee of $28.35 per student. A credit card is required for payment. This fee grants 6 weeks of access to the ALEKS Trigonometry Module.

Eligible students can register for the ALEKS Trigonometry Module a maximum of two times while enrolled at VT. A $28.35 fee is required for each registration.

Each subscription (registration) purchased is for a 6-week program. You are allowed unlimited hours to complete the ALEKS Trigonometry Module within a purchased 6-week subscription.

NOTE: When you register for the ALEKS Trigonometry Module, you will see “class dates” listed, but these are not your enrollment dates. After you have registered, you have 6 weeks to complete the Trigonometry Module.

You will be given an initial ALEKS assessment. The ALEKS system is fully automated and the ALEKS assessment is adaptive. The first questions on the initial assessment will be drawn from across the Trigonometry Module curriculum, and may be too easy or too hard. As the assessment proceeds, your answers will be used to give the system an idea of your knowledge, and it will gradually focus the questioning in an individually appropriate way. By the end of the assessment you should find the questions generally challenging, but reasonable, for your individual level of knowledge.

The length of the initial assessment runs from 20-35 questions. The exact number of questions will vary due to the adaptive mechanism described above. By the time you have completed the assessment, ALEKS has developed a precise picture of your knowledge of the Trigonometry Module, knowing which topics you mastered and which topics you haven't. Your knowledge is represented by a multicolor pie chart. The pie chart is also your entry into the Learning Mode.

In the Learning Mode, you are offered a choice of topics that you are ready to learn. When you choose a topic to learn, ALEKS offers practice problems that teach the topic. These problems have enough variability that you can only get them consistently correct by understanding the core principle defining the topic. If you don’t understand a particular problem, you can always access a complete explanation. Once you consistently answer the problems for a given topic correctly, ALEKS considers that you have learned the topic and you can select another topic to learn.

As you progress through your customized individual learning plan, the adaptive mechanism will continue to reassess your knowledge of the content from the Trigonometry Module. As you learn new topics and/or reassess through knowledge checks, ALEKS updates its map of your knowledge. You can monitor your progress at any time by viewing your ALEKS pie chart. Remember, once your pie chart shows 40, you have earned a passing score on the module.

Each time you log in to the ALEKS Trigonometry Module, you will see your “ALEKS Pie” with a number displayed (out of 50) in the center. This number displayed is the number of topics (out of 50) that you have mastered and/or learned.

Your ALEKS pie must show ≥ 40 (40/50 topics = 80%), to earn a passing score on the module. The number in your pie will be updated as you assess through knowledge checks, and progress within the learning mode. You will receive an email confirmation from ALEKS once you have obtained the required minimum score.

You can continue to use ALEKS throughout the six week period following your registration date. See flowchart at the top of the page. If you have exhausted your two allowable registrations and need to earn MATH 1014 credit, review this webpage about Earning MATH 1014 Credit and then schedule a meeting with your academic advisor.

While students are not required to report scores to academic advisors, it is wise to discuss scores with your academic advisor to help with future academic plans and decisions.

Passing scores will be reported to the VT Registrar’s office within one business week of earning the passing score. Allow at least two weeks processing once scores are reported. Once processed, the Transfer Credit Accepted by Institution section of your transcript will show MATH 1014, rather than VT TRIG.

IMPORTANT: Graduating students who intend to earn MATH 1014 credit through the ALEKS Trigonometry Module must earn a passing score by the last day of classes of the semester they plan to graduate.

• For support while using ALEKS, contact ALEKS Customer Support.
• For questions about earning VT MATH 1014 credit through the VT Trigonometry Module, email trig@math.vt.edu.
• For questions about earning MATH 1014 credit at VT, visit the Earning MATH 1014 credit webpage.