SplashLearn – How It Works, Features, And More

SplashLearn can be an effective review resource after students have already learned the material in class. Utilizing this game-based platform can increase student motivation during practice sessions. The program provides immediate feedback, allowing students to identify and correct errors quickly. Additionally, the website version can be beneficial for monitoring homework, as it allows for easy tracking of student engagement and progress. Although it is not intended to function as a standalone resource, SplashLearn can offer valuable formative assessment insights, assisting teachers in tracking their students’ development.

Transitioning between the parent and student dashboards can feel somewhat clumsy, as each can be reached from the other. Additionally, students can easily access the paid subscription page directly from their account, which could pose a risk if credit card information is saved for auto-filling on the computer. However, this may be less of a concern when using the available apps.

Is SplashLearn Good For Learning?

SplashLearn provides vibrant, interactive games designed to captivate younger students. Particularly for those in the early grades, the games and lessons can effectively assist children in honing their math abilities and achieving proficiency. While the repetitive nature of the questions may become tedious for older students, younger children are likely to find it more engaging. Nonetheless, the exercises offer a diverse range of question formats that align with the Common Core standards, and teachers can access comprehensive Common Core mapping information through a detailed teacher dashboard.

There is a section featuring flashcard-style math facts that is great for enhancing operational skills. Teachers can either assign questions directly or allow students to explore them at their own pace. Although the majority of the questions are in text form, a few include audio support. Students receive immediate feedback after responding, and if they answer incorrectly, only the correct answer along with a brief explanation is provided.

How SplashLearn Works?

SplashLearn is a versatile application that works on computers as well as Android and iOS tablets and smartphones. Once the program is downloaded and set up, children can choose a name and their grade level. After selecting their grade, the program automatically tailors the content, offering math activities up to fifth grade and reading resources up to second grade.

Game-Based Learning System And Rewards

SplashLearn is fundamentally a program centered on game-based learning. It primarily focuses on reinforcing math and reading abilities through its extensive collection of subject-specific games and activities. Each game is tailored to a particular concept or topic in math or language arts, requiring children to apply different math or reading skills to advance through the games.

Students earn coins by winning games or correctly answering questions, allowing them to buy new characters and animals for their personalized jungle zoo and aquarium, which adds an element of fun. However, compared to more comprehensive math and language arts programs like Mathseeds and ABCMouse, this program doesn’t incorporate as much gamification. Although it might not be as entertaining for the children, the limited distractions help them stay more concentrated on practicing and playing instead of solely focusing on collecting coins and rewards.

SplashLearn Features

Adaptive Learning

SplashLearn features an adaptive algorithm integrated into its games and activities. This algorithm adjusts the game’s difficulty according to the students’ performance, tailoring the challenge level to their understanding and proficiency with various concepts. Consequently, the program can offer a more personalized learning experience, which is a desirable quality in skill-building apps. It ensures rigorous practice for advanced students while remaining accessible and supportive for those who may be struggling.

Calendar

The app includes a versatile calendar feature that allows parents and students to arrange lessons. Parents can opt for lessons on a daily basis or only on certain days, and they can choose from a variety of predefined times or customize their own down to the minute. While it may not be the most advanced scheduling tool available, it is quite practical and beneficial, especially for those managing a busy homeschool environment or for parents aiming to promote more independent learning, as it serves as a useful reminder for students when needed.

Progress Tracking

Monitoring progress is a crucial aspect of independent learning programs. It’s essential to ensure that students are actively engaging with the program and aren’t facing difficulties or frustration in specific areas or with certain skills. SplashLearn, for instance, offers strong progress tracking features. Parents and teachers can monitor various factors such as the time spent on the program, the skills students are focusing on, the number of problems attempted versus those answered correctly (accuracy), and their overall progress. Notably, since the program is skill-oriented, it provides parents with detailed insights into the specific skills students are tackling, including how many skills they have practiced, how many they have mastered, and importantly, which areas they are finding challenging. This information can be instrumental in adjusting their learning approaches more effectively.

Online Courses

Along with its game-based practice features, SplashLearn provides students with the option to enroll in courses, thereby expanding its offerings into online learning and group tutoring, which enhances the overall review and practice experience. These classes are conducted by real teachers in the US through live sessions on Zoom, focusing on both math and reading. Generally, the courses aim to complement classroom learning and resemble small group sessions found in programs like Outschool, with a maximum of three students per class and each lesson lasting around 45 minutes. In general, SplashLearn provides two types of courses.

There are shorter courses focused on specific skills, such as two-digit addition and subtraction, three-digit multiplication, and grade-level fraction work. Additionally, there are longer courses that encompass entire grades or concepts, including the “How to Become a Reading Wizard” series, various refresher courses for earlier grades, and complete courses that align with a year’s curriculum, providing extra support for those who need it. In general, SplashLearn effectively maintains the quality of its teachers by requiring a minimum of one year of teaching experience in the US, passing background checks, and conducting mock lessons to ensure standards are met. The courses also offer a good degree of flexibility in terms of duration and subject matter coverage.

Some courses last a few months, while others span the entire school year, and students typically have the option to choose how many lessons per week they want to attend. However, these courses can become quite pricey. At $20 per class, shorter courses might not seem too costly, but the expenses can accumulate for longer courses, such as those for the highest grade levels, which can total several hundred or even over a thousand dollars. It’s also crucial to understand that these are group classes rather than tutoring, meaning that personalized assistance is generally not provided. For homeschoolers, skill-based classes might be more beneficial for students needing support in specific skills or concepts, as longer, full-grade classes might not align with a homeschool curriculum’s pace or structure, potentially causing confusion for both the student and the parent.

FAQs:

How Much Does SplashLearn Cost?