Graduate Level Adjustments

Each MathFactLab learning mode (Addition/Subtraction and Multiplication/Division) ends with a Graduate Level. This level does not introduce new material; its purpose is to help students review and maintain the skills they have already developed.

When students reach the Graduate Level, teachers can make several adjustments to provide additional challenge:

Enable Challenge Stage Level Lifters - By default, Challenge Stage Level Lifters are turned off. Teachers can turn them on and reassign the Placement Test so that the student is reassessed and works through the levels again - this time with Level Lifters required at every level.
Adjust Fluency Rate and Passing Percentage
To make the program more demanding, teachers can adjust the required fluency rate and/or the passing percentage. After adjusting these settings, they can reassign the Placement Test, giving the student another chance to progress through the levels with this additional challenge.

On the teacher dashboard, the graduate level is represented by a graduation cap.

When a student reaches the graduate level, the following adjustments can be made:

For an individual student, you can turn on the Challenge-Stage Level Lifters by following these steps.

Start on the Students tab. You can use the informative or performance screen.
Click on the Edit Student icon.

Use the Challenge Stage Level Lifter toggle button to turn this feature on.
Remember to click on the Save button.

You can also turn this feature on for multiple students at the same time:

Start on the Students tab. Use either the Informative or Performance side.
Use the filter tool to select a particular class or grade level if you wish.
Select the students you wish to change.
Click on the 'Group Edit' button.

Use the Challenge-Stage Level Lifters drop-down menu to turn this feature on.
Make sure you click on the Save button.

After turning on the Challenge-Stage Level Lifters, you will want to have these students take the placement test again.

Here are the steps for requiring a single student to take the placement test again:

Have the student work through the program again, this time taking Level Lifters to pass super-advanced levels.
When the student graduates again, reduce their fluency rate by a second and consider changing their Passing Percentage. We find the few students who reach this high level like the challenge of having to work through the program with more difficult requirements.
If a student successfully completes the program again you can reassess, increase the challenge by reducing the Required Fluency Rate and/or increasing their Passing Percentage, and then have the student go through the program again.

This article was written by Mike Kenny, fifth-grade teacher and founder of MathFactLab.