Unlike most other similar tools, MATHTRAK is not an add-on to the Mathematics done daily in the classroom.

The school customises MATHTRAK to suit its Mathematics programme. Used effectively, MATHTRAK's data-rich, automated tools can make personalised instruction a visible, practical reality in the modern classroom. Many of the time-consuming steps in the learning cycle are completed automatically:- with a few clicks of the mouse a test is created; the students go online to complete the test which is immediately marked and feedback provided; the student views the lessons to remediate any missed questions; the teacher accesses the class results page to view a ranked table of results; students can regularly resit the test until mastery is achieved and for revision; the teacher (and parent) can monitor each students progress. MATHTRAK builds a snapshot of the student as a learner and gives individualised advice about effective classroom and study skills. In addition, the teacher can monitor the student's attempts to improve their automaticity with number skills on an online game and their progress on a comprehensive Problem Solving Tutorial from Year 5 to Year 12.

Tutors can customise their site as if they were a teacher with multiple classes containing multiple students.

Each class has access to one year's Key Concepts, so the tutor can administrate seven (5 - 10A) different classes. Tutors can use the supplied whole-year test or can create their own tests (weekly or term etc) and assign them to each class. Tests can be used as pretests to give the learner and tutor an idea about where to focus. Also a posttest can be created to test master of the Key Concepts or to allow for a value-added measure for parents/carers.

MATHTRAK provides Mathematics courses from Year 5 through to Year 10 that are typical of the courses found in Australian schools.

Learners register for a particular year level and work their way through the course for that year. MATHTRAK monitors the learner's progress automatically:- the learner goes online to complete a pre-test on the chapters to be completed which is immediately marked and feedback provided; the learner views the lessons to remediate any missed questions; learners can regularly resit the test (randomly generated questions ensure that the learner rarely sees the exact same question on any key concept) until mastery is achieved; care givers or supervisors can monitor the learner's progress at any time. In addition, the learner can improve their automaticity with number facts with an online game at MATHTRAK and can access a comprehensive Problem Solving Tutorial from Year 5 to Year 10.

One of the many useful features at MATHTRAK is the the direct link between the question that represents a key concept and the lesson that teaches that key concept. If a learner is having difficulty mastering the key concept then he/she can work backwards through lessons that teach the prerequisite concepts and skills needed to master that particular concept.

So that you can better appreciate MATHTRAK's approach, we are delighted to provide these Mathematics lessons and quizzes on Whole Numbers free for your use here.

 

The image below shows the dashboard or workbook where the learner can access all of MATHTRAK's features. Magnify the screen to view a description of the key features.

In addition to enhancing the mastery of the skills and procedures for each key concept in the National Curriculum, MATHTRAK also provides a comprehensive problem solving tutorial which has over 100 challenging mathematics problems ranging from upper primary level to upper secondary.

The tutorial is made up of six sets of problems ranging from SET F (Years 5/6) through to SET A (Years 11/12). Each of the six sets introduces 10 different types of problems often found in mathematics competitions. Each of the 10 types of problems is introduced with a "Training" problem where the learner is given considerable support in the form of HINTS, background THEORY, and suggested STRATEGIES. The learner is then provided with a "Challenge" problem that parallels the Training problem in style and strategy but where no support is provided.

The learner is encouraged to begin with SET F and may progress as far with the tutorial as he/she can manage. As new key concepts are learnt, the learner may revisit problems yet to be solved.

A major stumbling block when learning mathematics is a lack of automaticity with recalling and perfoming basic skills. This is no more evident than with number facts. Learners who have not got excellent proficiency with their basic number facts are like tennis players who can't serve - they can't get started.

MATHTRAK provides a fun arcade-style game that helps the learner to improve his/her number skills both with positive numbers in primary school and negative numbers in secondary school. The learner's score on the game can be saved allowing his/her progress to be followed. At the end of the game, the number facts that were missed are listed for the player and advice is provided on how to use the game to improve the learner's skills.

MATHTRAK delivers on over 50% of the general recommendations (and 100% of those relating to the online resource) in the "Through Growth to Achievement" (Gonski 2.0) report:

Recommendation 1 Embed a focus on individual student achievement through continuous learning progress in the policies and practices of all schools and systems, with the expectation that each student should achieve at least one year's growth throughout each year of schooling.

Recommendation 2 Develop and disseminate evidence-based tools and resources to assist early childhood education providers, primary, and secondary schools to implement best practice approaches to supporting parents and carers to engage in their children's learning throughout their education.

Recommendation 3 Ensure all students have the opportunity within schools to be partners in their own learning.

Recommendation 4 Introduce new reporting arrangements with a focus on both learning attainment and learning gain, to provide meaningful information to students and their parents and carers about individual achievement and learning growth.

Recommendation 5 Revise the structure of the Australian Curriculum progressively over the next five years to present the learning areas and general capabilities as learning progressions.

Recommendation 10 Accelerate the development of contemporary pedagogy through the use of collaboration, mentoring, observation and feedback, including from colleagues and students, by incorporating these practices into the core role of teachers and creating the conditions to enable teachers to engage in them.

Recommendation 11 Develop a new online and on demand student learning assessment tool based on the Australian Curriculum learning progressions.

Recommendation 12 Create the conditions necessary to enable teachers to effectively engage and benefit from professional learning in the use of the Australian Curriculum learning progressions, the new online formative assessment tool and tailored teaching practices to maximise student learning growth.

Recommendation 13 Create a continuously improving profession through the provision of high-quality professional learning for teachers; appropriate to their career stage, development needs and the changes rapidly occurring in society.

Recommendation 15 Create the conditions to enable teachers to engage in effective induction practices aligned with the nationally endorsed Graduate to Proficient: Australian guidelines for teacher induction and monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the practices implemented by schools.

Recommendation 21 Enhance school and system internal self-review and external quality assurance processes, for the purposes of monitoring and reviewing student learning gain and achievement.

Recommendation 22 Accelerate the introduction of a national Unique Student Identifier for all students to be used throughout schooling.

MATHTRAK offers much more than the proposed online resource - especially with its unique use of analytics to determine the student's engagement with the learning process so as to provide individualised, targeted advice about improving skills and habits.

Please Note:

• MATHTRAK is best viewed on a 1000×800 screen and requires using Firefox, Safari and Chrome browsers. Click here to test your browser set up.
   
  
• MATHTRAK makes extensive use of frames, javascript, cookies, java, ogg or mp4 and pop-up windows.
   
  
• MATHTRAK is fully functional on Microsoft Windows (XP +), Apple Mac (OS version 10.4 +), many Android devices (mobile phone, tablet) and Apple mobile devices (iPhone, iPad). MATHTRAK recommends that you access the free quizzes and lessons to test if MATHTRAK functions on your device.
  
  
• MATHTRAK makes use of the 'beautiful mathematics' rendering site MathJax. You may need to make MathJax http://www.mathjax.com a 'trusted site' or enable your firewall or other blocks to the site.