By identifying strengths and areas for improvement in real time, it ensures that every learner gets the right level of challenge and support. In maths, this approach is particularly impactful, helping students build confidence and skills at their own pace.
This blog delves into how adaptive learning works in practice, with a focus on how Education Perfect’s (EP) Learning Cycle can transform your maths classroom.
Understanding the Problem: A Decline in Maths Outcomes
Recent global PISA scores reveal a significant drop in students’ mathematical reasoning and application skills. At the same time, equity gaps are widening, leaving many students behind. Alarmingly, traditional teaching methods often fail to address the unique needs of each student in a class, resulting in disengagement and underachievement.
For example, according to the 2024 Education Perfect (EP) survey of over 400 ANZ teachers:
- Less than 30% of teachers strongly agree that they can use data from formative assessment tasks to plan effective teaching.
- Over 50% say that the time required to create and manage formative assessments is their biggest challenge.
- More than 70% agree that technology-enabled tools could greatly assist in implementing formative assessment practices.
Read more about the survey results in the blog here.
This paints a clear picture of a disconnect between what traditional methods achieve and what students and teachers need. To bridge this gap, we must focus on personalised, actionable insights and adaptable teaching approaches.
Enter adaptive learning.
What is Adaptive Learning in Maths?
Adaptive learning is a student-centred approach that tailors instruction to meet individual needs. Using advanced technology, it adjusts the path, pace, and level of teaching based on real-time feedback and student performance.
Here’s what adaptive learning looks like in a maths classroom:
Diagnosing gaps and strengths early
Understanding where learners excel and where they struggle is crucial for success. Early diagnosis allows educators to pinpoint specific areas that need improvement, ensuring no time is wasted on concepts already mastered. This targeted approach helps create a strong foundation for future learning.
Offering tailored content
No two learners are the same, which is why personalised content is so effective. By providing materials tailored to individual needs, interests, and learning styles, students can engage more deeply and progress at their own pace. Tailored content ensures that every learner receives the support they need to thrive.
Providing real-time feedback
Feedback is most effective when it’s immediate. Real-time feedback helps learners correct mistakes, reinforce understanding, and stay motivated. This dynamic approach keeps the learning process interactive and ensures continuous improvement, empowering students to achieve their goals.
Unlike the “one-size-fits-all” approach, adaptive learning understands that every student learns differently. It meets them where they are and helps them grow confidently, while still achieving key curriculum goals.
Key Features of Adaptive Maths Learning
Real-Time Diagnostic Assessment
A core feature of adaptive learning is accurately identifying what students know and where their gaps are before instruction starts. Frequent, low-stakes assessments help monitor progress and inform teaching methods, enabling an ongoing understanding of student needs.
Personalised Content Pathways
Rather than assigning the same tasks to an entire class, adaptive tools assign level-appropriate tasks to match a student’s pace and ability.
For advanced learners
Advanced learners have the opportunity to work ahead, explore more challenging material, and deepen their understanding of key concepts. They can engage with enrichment activities, tackle complex problems, and apply their knowledge in creative, real-world scenarios to further enhance their learning experience.
Students who need additional support
Students who need extra help can revisit foundational concepts with tailored scaffolding strategies. This might include breaking down complex ideas into manageable steps, offering hands-on examples, or providing guided practice to reinforce understanding. These supports ensure every student can build confidence and achieve their learning goals at their own pace.
This personalised learning pathway keeps students motivated by ensuring tasks are challenging but achievable.
Continuous Feedback and Adjustment
Learners receive instant feedback to reflect and improve
With instant feedback, learners can quickly identify their strengths and areas for growth. This timely response helps them stay engaged and motivated, as they can immediately apply what they’ve learned to improve their understanding. Whether it’s correcting a mistake or reinforcing a concept, learners have the opportunity to actively reflect on their progress and continuously build their skills.
Teachers receive data to guide intervention and enrichment
Detailed data empowers teachers to make informed decisions about their students’ learning journeys. By identifying patterns, skill gaps, and areas of mastery, teachers can provide targeted interventions for struggling learners while offering enrichment opportunities for advanced students. This data-driven approach ensures every student receives the personalised support they need to thrive.
The Education Perfect Learning Cycle in Action
Education Perfect (EP) offers a structured yet flexible adaptive learning solution for maths through its learning cycle, and it works in these three phases:
Phase 1: Actionable Assessment
EP’s assessment capabilities make it easy for educators to understand where a student is at in their learning journey and identify and fill learning gaps.
EP tracks all student progress against specific curriculum outcomes and provides individual next-step recommendations based on timely data. This helps educators effectively target their interventions and plan for future learning.
Phase 2: Individualised Instruction
EP supports day-to-day teaching practices by providing educators with a deep library of curriculum-aligned learning and assessment content, planning tools, and analytics designed to amplify their impact in the classroom.
All content can be tailored to suit different teaching and learning needs. Educators can guide students through EP lessons or assign tasks directly to a whole class, small groups, or specific students to personalise instruction.
Phase 3: Purposeful Practice
EP can be accessed by students in class or at home to practice the skills they have been taught. Students stay engaged with games, multimedia activities, and a variety of ways to represent their learning.
Teacher insights and tracking tools help educators guide students on their learning journey, while instant feedback and marking tools support independent learning.
Supporting Differentiation and Engagement at Scale
The EP Learning cycle is designed to handle the complexities of mixed-ability classrooms while addressing individual learning needs. From improving learner confidence to closing skill gaps, it’s a complete system for adaptive maths learning.
Case Study Testimonials:
At Moorefield Girls High School
Education Perfect has inspired students to reach beyond their perceived mathematical capabilities. “Global Competitions have brought our students together to work as a collective,” says Nycel Pascua.
Richard Irvine, Crusoe College
“EP in both Science and Math is fantastic… Ongoing extension tasks mean I can get the very best out of my students.”
Quick summary of why adaptive learning is beneficial for maths learning
The benefits of adaptive learning extend far beyond the individual student:
- It caters to large, diverse groups by bridging equity gaps and addressing different learning needs.
- Automated insights and progress tracking reduce teacher workloads, freeing up their time to focus on deeper instruction.
- With tailored pathways and immediate feedback, students take ownership of their learning, building confidence and independence.
- Over time, this approach helps lift achievement levels, ultimately reversing trends in declining maths outcomes.
Adaptive Learning in Maths is the Way Forward
Adaptive learning isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a revolution in how we teach and learn maths. By combining real-time diagnostic tools, personalised pathways, and actionable insights, it offers a way to meet diverse students’ needs without adding to teacher workloads.
With Education Perfect, schools can implement adaptive learning at scale while sticking to curriculum goals. It’s not just about teaching maths; it’s about empowering students to rediscover their potential.
Are you ready to transform maths learning in your classrooms? Explore how Education Perfect Maths can help your school deliver adaptive learning and achieve real growth today. Feel free to book a demo or start your free trial today.
