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Learning Loop 2.0 makes web debut After more than three years of development and testing, MESA’s innovative web- Learning Loop, the product of a joint effort by MESA, the University of Southern California’s Viterbi School of Engineering, and Texas Instruments, is an online, self-guided, interactive program for grades 6–12 that diagnoses how well students understand basic math concepts in a more meaningful and detailed way than was previously possible. “What makes this learning system unique is that it’s able to distinguish a student who doesn’t know something from one who knows something incorrectly,” said USC MESA Center Director Larry Lim, who has been managing Learning Loop’s development. “Knowing this allows teachers to tailor their lesson plans to meet student needs.” Instead of the typical multiple choice test, the problem set is not graded or counted for credit and includes options such as “A or B,” “B or C,” or “I don’t know.” Teachers whose students are honest about their knowledge and avoid guessing are able to quickly identify full, partial, or incorrect knowledge about a math concept. The Learning Loop addresses pre-algebra and algebra, geometry, algebra II, and trigonometry. Based on the California Math Framework, Learning Loop works to improve students’ proficiency in arithmetic computation as well as expertise in reasoning. The program is developed to identify students’ confidence levels in math concepts as well as their level of understanding so teachers can fill in the gaps. Learning Loop helps prevent students from falling farther behind each year due to an incomplete or inaccurate math foundation. The system was developed by a computer scientist (a MESA alum) and populated with math problems developed by several MESA teachers, including 13-year educator Ruth Eklund, who teaches in the Los Angeles Unified School District. “It helped me do a better job as a teacher,” said Eklund. “One of the biggest challenges in schools right now is the wide variety of math competency among different students. Math is like a house of cards—without the foundation cards, you have nothing to build on and the whole thing collapses. With this program, I could automatically see which cards were missing for which students.” The system also allows students to review what they know, provides explanations for what they do not, as well as opportunities for improvement with practice problems. Lim is now spearheading a promotional campaign to introduce teachers to the program and encourage them to try it out in their classes. Future upgrades to the Learning Loop will include surveys in other disciplines such as physics and chemistry. More information is available online at learningloop.org.
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