Press Releases
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Al Renshaw
Phone: (800) 577-9040, Ext. 201
e-Mail: Al Renshaw
QUANTUM® DEVELOPS ADAPTIVE LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT SOFTWARE TO HELP ADULT LEARNERS MASTER BASIC MATH SKILLS
Funded by the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program at the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences, preliminary research findings indicate that Quantum’s breakthrough developmental mathematics software improved test scores two to three full letter grades and helped adults relearn and master critical math skills.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – February 5, 2014, Quantum Adaptive Learning, LLC., a leading researcher and developer of intelligent adaptive learning and assessment software, introduced new developmental mathematics software specifically designed for the unique needs of adult learners. Quantum® for Developmental Math covers essential skills that all adults need in order to succeed in daily life, continuing education, workforce training and career development such as fractions, percentages, probability and means, medians and modes. The software is also 508 compliant and fully accessible for learners with disabilities.
On October 8, 2013 the New York Times published, U.S. Adults Fare Poorly in a Study of Skills (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/08/us/us-adults-fare-poorly-in-a-study-of-skills.html?_r=0) which discussed the most recent study of adult mathematics, technology and literacy skills. Conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) the study referred to as PIAAC evaluated the skills of adults in 33 countries. PIAAC reinforces past research findings that effective, measurable interventions are needed in developmental mathematics for high school, college and adult learning (http://skills.oecd.org/skillsoutlook.html).
“We realized that existing K-12 software has been simply repurposed for adult, high school and college remediation and does not specifically address the unique learning needs of these populations. Quantum® is addressing critical national concerns regarding populations ages 16 years and older and their ability to perform essential mathematics skills encountered every day,” comments Quantum® CEO and Co-Founder, Rebecca Renshaw. “Quantum® directly supports key national initiatives to improve this fundamental skills gap.”
Quantum’s business model is to innovate and partner with key organizations in government, academia, industry and philanthropy. The company is actively seeking collaborators for large-scale field research and dissemination where software can be used stand-alone or integrated with other digital products and learning management and homework systems.
In an early study to evaluate Quantum’s software effectiveness in developmental mathematics, adults self-identified as historically struggling in math with an average age of 35 were given a pre-test to measure baseline knowledge, used Quantum® for intervention and completed a post-test to measure improvement. Results show significant gain in student mastery and performance from one to two full letter grades.
While additional studies are required, these results demonstrate a significant impact on student learning and provide opportunities for larger-scale evaluations and collaborations for dissemination at two- and four-year colleges, vocational schools, and workforce training, adult learning and GED centers.
“As the adult learner is confronted with explanations for concepts that have been misconstrued and deeply rooted over the years, he or she undergoes both a cognitive and emotional change process,” states Benny G. Johnson, Ph.D. and president at Quantum®. “It is not complex language that promotes complex mathematics learning, because of the added cognitive demands placed on language processing. It is using everyday language to successfully engage learners and help them understand concepts that have plagued them for a lifetime through personal and familiar language, and examples and concepts adults can easily understand.”
A key innovation in adaptive learning is that Quantum® can accept problems and real-world examples from any adult learning or remediation curriculum already in place, creating a solution that is specifically designed for adults and college students. One such important area is business mathematics, where there is substantial overlap in content with the developmental mathematics curriculum.
Quantum® scaffolds adult learners using real-world, everyday language to engage users by providing tutoring feedback on their own work and problem-solving strategies so students can learn from their mistakes and analyze whether their answers are correct through reasoning and understanding, rather than relying on rote and memorization which learners forget over time.
Rated as “the most helpful resource” by students when compared to textbooks, homework systems, tutoring labs, and other digital resources, Quantum’s scientific approach to instruction and tutoring engages students at a deeper, intellectual level where breakthrough learning takes place. Students Ask a QuestionSM, receive instant How Am I Doing?® progress dashboards and save study time with Targeted Practice®. Instructors monitor progress with Quantum’s real-time assessment reporting tools to identify struggling students as well as those who have achieved mastery for just-in-time lesson planning and remediation before students fall behind.
To learn more about Quantum’s adaptive learning and assessment software and research, please visit
http://www.quantumhelps.com
About Quantum®
Dedicated to its mission to improve education, Quantum Adaptive Learning, LLC. is a leading researcher and developer of intelligent adaptive learning, tutoring, assessment and professional development software for business, mathematics, and science subjects that empowers instructors and inspires students in high school, postsecondary, adult learning and distance education programs to achieve more. Quantum's software is available stand-alone or integrated with web-based homework products and learning management systems. Through funding from the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences, including the SBIR program, the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health and in collaboration with educators nationwide, Quantum® is realizing its vision of inquiry-based learning to teach students how to become better learners and independent thinkers.
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