Arizona State Adopts AI-Powered Calculus Learning Platform

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 05/02/19
Gradarius

Image: Stevens Institute of Technology/Jan Cannizzo

Arizona State University is expanding its use of an online calculus application with built-in artificial intelligence. Currently, two courses — Calculus for Business and Calculus for Engineering — are using Gradarius from Castle Point Learning Systems, which personalizes the learning based on topics already understood and those still to be learned. The university expects to deploy the learning platform in additional courses in the coming semesters.

The software offers interactive functionality, including step-by-step feedback and guided problem-solving, to help users master calculus concepts. As they step through problems, the program points out mistakes and offers hints. When students make mistakes, the program pinpoints what part of the solution was wrong and offers guidance on how to correct it.

"As part of our mission at ASU, we look to provide our students with the educational tools they need in order to be successful in their academic journey. We look forward to working with Castle Point Learning Systems in incorporating the Gradarius platform into our courses," said Sean Hobson, chief design officer for EdPlus at ASU, in a statement.

Gradarius — Latin for "going step-by-step" — was created at Stevens Institute of Technology by math professors who were concerned that students with an interest in STEM were struggling with calculus, and therefore changing majors or dropping out of their calculus courses to avoid failure. According to the company, the Institute has used the program for the past five years. In 2017 Stevens calculus classes dropped their textbooks; now students use lecture notes provided by faculty online and chat with their instructors through the software, which issues the problems for them to solve.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • two businessmen shaking hands

    What I Learned Working with an OPM

    At a time when higher education is being asked to do more with less, online program management partnerships can be the difference between simply surviving and truly thriving.

  • young man in a denim jacket scans his phone at a card reader outside a modern glass building

    Colleges Roll Out Mobile Credential Technology

    Allegion US has announced a partnership with Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) and Denison College, in conjunction with Transact + CBORD, to install mobile credential technologies campuswide. Implementing Mobile Student ID into Apple Wallet and Google Wallet will allow students access to campus facilities, amenities, and residence halls using just their phones.

  • glowing blue AI sphere connected by fine light lines, positioned next to a red-orange shield with a checkmark

    Cloud Security Alliance Offers Playbook for Red Teaming Agentic AI Systems

    The Cloud Security Alliance has introduced a guide for red teaming Agentic AI systems, targeting the security and testing challenges posed by increasingly autonomous artificial intelligence.

  • Hand holding a stylus over a tablet with futuristic risk management icons

    Why Universities Are Ransomware's Easy Target: Lessons from the 23% Surge

    Academic environments face heightened risk because their collaboration-driven environments are inherently open, making them more susceptible to attack, while the high-value research data they hold makes them an especially attractive target. The question is not if this data will be targeted, but whether universities can defend it swiftly enough against increasingly AI-powered threats.