Anonymous wrote:Mathspace, an online mathematics platform, has been criticized for its rigid input system, which often requires answers to be formatted in a specific way. This can lead to correct answers being marked wrong, causing frustration among students. Additionally, the platform's insistence on a particular problem-solving method can hinder students' understanding, especially when it doesn't align with their teacher's instruction. The immediate feedback feature, while intended to aid learning, may encourage superficial understanding, as students might focus on getting the "right" answer rather than grasping underlying concepts. Furthermore, the platform's cost—approximately $20 per student annually—raises questions about its value, especially when its effectiveness is debated. Given these issues, many argue that Mathspace may not be the most effective tool for mathematics education in schools.

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Anonymous wrote:What my son doesn't like in the higher level math is first that being done on a screen is different than using a paper and pencil. And second having to show each individual step in mathspace's opinion of how to do a problem, doesn't always leave room in higher level math for individual approaches. This is the bigger problem to me. It sometimes didn't even align with the steps his teacher taught them.

He does not have to show each individual step. He can solve the problem on scratch paper and then just input the answer.

That was not true for algebra 1. I even watched him do it because he was so frustrated and he absolutely had to show every step. Maybe it’s a teacher setting?

I am a teacher in FCPS. You do not have to enter in each individual step to solve a problem. For example, if the problem is 4x + 3 = 5(x - 2), he can solve it on paper or in his head and enter x = 13 into the box.

Well, that's interesting, because (unprompted) my son's high school honors geometry teacher told parents at BTSN that what she likes about mathspace is that the student has to enter every step along the way to solving a problem and mathspace stops them if they make a misstep so they have to fix it.

Exactly. Which is exactly why many parents (like me) hate it.

But are reading the responses from math teachers explaining that your child does not have to enter every step along the way? They can solve the problem on paper or in their head and then just type the answer into the first box.

Again - this was not the case when MathSpace was first rolled out, which is when my own kids had to deal with it. Every step was required to be inputted and only in very specific ways. Glad to hear they’ve changed that (no doubt due to hundreds of complaints), but the experiences described here were NOT at all what my kids had.

You didn’t take the time to watch the instructional videos from the company itself, did you?

How do you know they were even given the instructional videos?

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Anonymous wrote:What my son doesn't like in the higher level math is first that being done on a screen is different than using a paper and pencil. And second having to show each individual step in mathspace's opinion of how to do a problem, doesn't always leave room in higher level math for individual approaches. This is the bigger problem to me. It sometimes didn't even align with the steps his teacher taught them.

He does not have to show each individual step. He can solve the problem on scratch paper and then just input the answer.

That was not true for algebra 1. I even watched him do it because he was so frustrated and he absolutely had to show every step. Maybe it’s a teacher setting?

I am a teacher in FCPS. You do not have to enter in each individual step to solve a problem. For example, if the problem is 4x + 3 = 5(x - 2), he can solve it on paper or in his head and enter x = 13 into the box.

Well, that's interesting, because (unprompted) my son's high school honors geometry teacher told parents at BTSN that what she likes about mathspace is that the student has to enter every step along the way to solving a problem and mathspace stops them if they make a misstep so they have to fix it.

Exactly. Which is exactly why many parents (like me) hate it.

But are reading the responses from math teachers explaining that your child does not have to enter every step along the way? They can solve the problem on paper or in their head and then just type the answer into the first box.

Again - this was not the case when MathSpace was first rolled out, which is when my own kids had to deal with it. Every step was required to be inputted and only in very specific ways. Glad to hear they’ve changed that (no doubt due to hundreds of complaints), but the experiences described here were NOT at all what my kids had.

You didn’t take the time to watch the instructional videos from the company itself, did you?

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Anonymous wrote:What my son doesn't like in the higher level math is first that being done on a screen is different than using a paper and pencil. And second having to show each individual step in mathspace's opinion of how to do a problem, doesn't always leave room in higher level math for individual approaches. This is the bigger problem to me. It sometimes didn't even align with the steps his teacher taught them.

He does not have to show each individual step. He can solve the problem on scratch paper and then just input the answer.

That was not true for algebra 1. I even watched him do it because he was so frustrated and he absolutely had to show every step. Maybe it’s a teacher setting?

I am a teacher in FCPS. You do not have to enter in each individual step to solve a problem. For example, if the problem is 4x + 3 = 5(x - 2), he can solve it on paper or in his head and enter x = 13 into the box.

Well, that's interesting, because (unprompted) my son's high school honors geometry teacher told parents at BTSN that what she likes about mathspace is that the student has to enter every step along the way to solving a problem and mathspace stops them if they make a misstep so they have to fix it.

Exactly. Which is exactly why many parents (like me) hate it.

But are reading the responses from math teachers explaining that your child does not have to enter every step along the way? They can solve the problem on paper or in their head and then just type the answer into the first box.

Again - this was not the case when MathSpace was first rolled out, which is when my own kids had to deal with it. Every step was required to be inputted and only in very specific ways. Glad to hear they’ve changed that (no doubt due to hundreds of complaints), but the experiences described here were NOT at all what my kids had.

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Anonymous wrote:What my son doesn't like in the higher level math is first that being done on a screen is different than using a paper and pencil. And second having to show each individual step in mathspace's opinion of how to do a problem, doesn't always leave room in higher level math for individual approaches. This is the bigger problem to me. It sometimes didn't even align with the steps his teacher taught them.

He does not have to show each individual step. He can solve the problem on scratch paper and then just input the answer.

That was not true for algebra 1. I even watched him do it because he was so frustrated and he absolutely had to show every step. Maybe it’s a teacher setting?

I am a teacher in FCPS. You do not have to enter in each individual step to solve a problem. For example, if the problem is 4x + 3 = 5(x - 2), he can solve it on paper or in his head and enter x = 13 into the box.

Well, that's interesting, because (unprompted) my son's high school honors geometry teacher told parents at BTSN that what she likes about mathspace is that the student has to enter every step along the way to solving a problem and mathspace stops them if they make a misstep so they have to fix it.

Exactly. Which is exactly why many parents (like me) hate it.

But are reading the responses from math teachers explaining that your child does not have to enter every step along the way? They can solve the problem on paper or in their head and then just type the answer into the first box.

Again - this was not the case when MathSpace was first rolled out, which is when my own kids had to deal with it. Every step was required to be inputted and only in very specific ways. Glad to hear they’ve changed that (no doubt due to hundreds of complaints), but the experiences described here were NOT at all what my kids had.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:What my son doesn't like in the higher level math is first that being done on a screen is different than using a paper and pencil. And second having to show each individual step in mathspace's opinion of how to do a problem, doesn't always leave room in higher level math for individual approaches. This is the bigger problem to me. It sometimes didn't even align with the steps his teacher taught them.

He does not have to show each individual step. He can solve the problem on scratch paper and then just input the answer.

That was not true for algebra 1. I even watched him do it because he was so frustrated and he absolutely had to show every step. Maybe it’s a teacher setting?

I am a teacher in FCPS. You do not have to enter in each individual step to solve a problem. For example, if the problem is 4x + 3 = 5(x - 2), he can solve it on paper or in his head and enter x = 13 into the box.

Well, that's interesting, because (unprompted) my son's high school honors geometry teacher told parents at BTSN that what she likes about mathspace is that the student has to enter every step along the way to solving a problem and mathspace stops them if they make a misstep so they have to fix it.

Exactly. Which is exactly why many parents (like me) hate it.

But are reading the responses from math teachers explaining that your child does not have to enter every step along the way? They can solve the problem on paper or in their head and then just type the answer into the first box.

Again - this was not the case when MathSpace was first rolled out, which is when my own kids had to deal with it. Every step was required to be inputted and only in very specific ways. Glad to hear they’ve changed that (no doubt due to hundreds of complaints), but the experiences described here were NOT at all what my kids had.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:What my son doesn't like in the higher level math is first that being done on a screen is different than using a paper and pencil. And second having to show each individual step in mathspace's opinion of how to do a problem, doesn't always leave room in higher level math for individual approaches. This is the bigger problem to me. It sometimes didn't even align with the steps his teacher taught them.

He does not have to show each individual step. He can solve the problem on scratch paper and then just input the answer.

That was not true for algebra 1. I even watched him do it because he was so frustrated and he absolutely had to show every step. Maybe it’s a teacher setting?

I am a teacher in FCPS. You do not have to enter in each individual step to solve a problem. For example, if the problem is 4x + 3 = 5(x - 2), he can solve it on paper or in his head and enter x = 13 into the box.

Well, that's interesting, because (unprompted) my son's high school honors geometry teacher told parents at BTSN that what she likes about mathspace is that the student has to enter every step along the way to solving a problem and mathspace stops them if they make a misstep so they have to fix it.

Exactly. Which is exactly why many parents (like me) hate it.

But are reading the responses from math teachers explaining that your child does not have to enter every step along the way? They can solve the problem on paper or in their head and then just type the answer into the first box.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:What my son doesn't like in the higher level math is first that being done on a screen is different than using a paper and pencil. And second having to show each individual step in mathspace's opinion of how to do a problem, doesn't always leave room in higher level math for individual approaches. This is the bigger problem to me. It sometimes didn't even align with the steps his teacher taught them.

He does not have to show each individual step. He can solve the problem on scratch paper and then just input the answer.

That was not true for algebra 1. I even watched him do it because he was so frustrated and he absolutely had to show every step. Maybe it’s a teacher setting?

I am a teacher in FCPS. You do not have to enter in each individual step to solve a problem. For example, if the problem is 4x + 3 = 5(x - 2), he can solve it on paper or in his head and enter x = 13 into the box.

Well, that's interesting, because (unprompted) my son's high school honors geometry teacher told parents at BTSN that what she likes about mathspace is that the student has to enter every step along the way to solving a problem and mathspace stops them if they make a misstep so they have to fix it.

Exactly. Which is exactly why many parents (like me) hate it.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:What my son doesn't like in the higher level math is first that being done on a screen is different than using a paper and pencil. And second having to show each individual step in mathspace's opinion of how to do a problem, doesn't always leave room in higher level math for individual approaches. This is the bigger problem to me. It sometimes didn't even align with the steps his teacher taught them.

He does not have to show each individual step. He can solve the problem on scratch paper and then just input the answer.

That was not true for algebra 1. I even watched him do it because he was so frustrated and he absolutely had to show every step. Maybe it’s a teacher setting?

I am a teacher in FCPS. You do not have to enter in each individual step to solve a problem. For example, if the problem is 4x + 3 = 5(x - 2), he can solve it on paper or in his head and enter x = 13 into the box.

Well, that's interesting, because (unprompted) my son's high school honors geometry teacher told parents at BTSN that what she likes about mathspace is that the student has to enter every step along the way to solving a problem and mathspace stops them if they make a misstep so they have to fix it.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:What my son doesn't like in the higher level math is first that being done on a screen is different than using a paper and pencil. And second having to show each individual step in mathspace's opinion of how to do a problem, doesn't always leave room in higher level math for individual approaches. This is the bigger problem to me. It sometimes didn't even align with the steps his teacher taught them.

He does not have to show each individual step. He can solve the problem on scratch paper and then just input the answer.

That was not true for algebra 1. I even watched him do it because he was so frustrated and he absolutely had to show every step. Maybe it’s a teacher setting?

I am a teacher in FCPS. You do not have to enter in each individual step to solve a problem. For example, if the problem is 4x + 3 = 5(x - 2), he can solve it on paper or in his head and enter x = 13 into the box.

+1 my son pointed that out to me as well and made the point that it is safer to do it on paper and just enter the final answer. Less room for error on all the inputs. Math space will accept any equivalent equation as you are solving it fyi.

Well they have changed it in the past few years then. When my kids were in high school, every step of a problem had to be entered *exactly* how the program wanted it - no deviations. It was maddening and beyond upsetting, especially when they had the right answer but it wasn't accepted. Ridiculous.
DP

This is not true.

I am the FCPS math tescher.and have been using mathspace since they introduced it. You have never had to enter in all of your steps; you have always been able to solve the problem on paper and just enter the answer. Perhaps your child was making the common mistake of entering in "10" instead of "x = 10." Or some other inputting error?

With that said, I do think that mathspace has improved over the years.Geometry, in particular, has much better questions now. I also really appreciate that students can "try again" for full credit.

But what she said is true for them. If you don’t enter the steps correctly it will be marked wrong. They didn’t know you could just write the answer. Math space will accept any equivalent equations, fyi.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:What my son doesn't like in the higher level math is first that being done on a screen is different than using a paper and pencil. And second having to show each individual step in mathspace's opinion of how to do a problem, doesn't always leave room in higher level math for individual approaches. This is the bigger problem to me. It sometimes didn't even align with the steps his teacher taught them.

He does not have to show each individual step. He can solve the problem on scratch paper and then just input the answer.

That was not true for algebra 1. I even watched him do it because he was so frustrated and he absolutely had to show every step. Maybe it’s a teacher setting?

I am a teacher in FCPS. You do not have to enter in each individual step to solve a problem. For example, if the problem is 4x + 3 = 5(x - 2), he can solve it on paper or in his head and enter x = 13 into the box.

Well, that's interesting, because (unprompted) my son's high school honors geometry teacher told parents at BTSN that what she likes about mathspace is that the student has to enter every step along the way to solving a problem and mathspace stops them if they make a misstep so they have to fix it.

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:What my son doesn't like in the higher level math is first that being done on a screen is different than using a paper and pencil. And second having to show each individual step in mathspace's opinion of how to do a problem, doesn't always leave room in higher level math for individual approaches. This is the bigger problem to me. It sometimes didn't even align with the steps his teacher taught them.

He does not have to show each individual step. He can solve the problem on scratch paper and then just input the answer.

That was not true for algebra 1. I even watched him do it because he was so frustrated and he absolutely had to show every step. Maybe it’s a teacher setting?

I am a teacher in FCPS. You do not have to enter in each individual step to solve a problem. For example, if the problem is 4x + 3 = 5(x - 2), he can solve it on paper or in his head and enter x = 13 into the box.

Well, that's interesting, because (unprompted) my son's high school honors geometry teacher told parents at BTSN that what she likes about mathspace is that the student has to enter every step along the way to solving a problem and mathspace stops them if they make a misstep so they have to fix it.

Students can enter in every step if they wish to do so. I would not recommend it.