Enhancing the First-Year University Mathematics Practice through Adaptive Learning: A Conceptual Exploration of ALEKS in Blended Learning Environments

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-521-8_10How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Adaptive Learning; Blended Learning; ALEKS

Abstract

The integration of digital tools within blended learning environments has transformed pedagogical strategies in higher education, particularly in mathematics instruction. This conceptual paper explores the role of adaptive learning as a foundation for personalized education, focusing on the use of ALEKS (Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces) as a digital platform to support first-year university students in mathematics. Rooted in Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), adaptive learning tailors content to the learner’s evolving level of competence, ensuring that instruction remains within an optimal range of challenge and support. Personalized learning, as conceptualized by the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, emphasizes flexibility in how students access information, engage with content, and demonstrate understanding. ALEKS operationalizes these principles by offering non-linear, individualized learning trajectories, immediate feedback, and data-driven insights that guide both learners and instructors. In the context of a blended learning model, ALEKS complements traditional face-to-face instruction by providing a scalable and responsive platform for addressing diverse learner profiles. It enables continuous formative assessment and supports differentiated instruction, making it particularly effective in large, diverse cohorts typical of first-year university mathematics.

This paper proposes a conceptual framework for integrating ALEKS within blended mathematics instruction, grounded in adaptive learning theory and Mathematical Psychology. Central to this exploration is the research question: How can the integration of adaptive learning platforms such as ALEKS, grounded in personalized learning theories, enhance the teaching and learning of first-year university mathematics within blended learning environments? Based on the disciplinary foundations of Mathematical Psychology, the paper critically examines the pedagogical implications of ALEKS as an adaptive digital tool.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Syamala Krishnannair
AU  - Anilkumar Krishnannair
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/12/29
TI  - Enhancing the First-Year University Mathematics Practice through Adaptive Learning: A Conceptual Exploration of ALEKS in Blended Learning Environments
BT  - Proceedings of The Focus Conference (TFC 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 123
EP  - 143
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-521-8_10
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-521-8_10
ID  - Krishnannair2025
ER  -