BlueStreak: Student Progress

Progressing through the game

Students complete the BlueStreak Math curriculum by progressing through the BlueStreak Math tracks.

Currently, BSM has a Whole Numbers track and a Fractions track, and will soon have Decimals track, with more tracks to follow.

Teachers and School Administrators can determine per class which tracks are available to students. Students can switch between available tracks in the game at any time.

Tracks and Levels

In each track, there are a number of modules, each of which has a number of levels.

In the Whole Numbers track, there is the Addition module with levels 1-3, Subtraction module with levels 1-3, Multiplication module with levels 1-2, and Division module with levels 1-3.

In the Fractions track, there are no separate modules, just levels 1 and 2.

The levels are in order, and the Whole Numbers track starts with the Addition module. For example, when the student begins the Whole Numbers track, they will start with Addition module level 1, and then move through levels 2 and 3. (Note: a teacher or administrator can move the student out of a given module, for example, from Addition to Subtraction, etc. See this article for details on how to do that.)

Passing a level

To pass a level, the student must “master” each of the 66 problems in the level.

Students work towards mastering problems in rounds called “sprints”.

There are 4 types of sprints: Pretest, Learning, Game, Arcade, and Posttest.

When the student first begins a level, they receive a Pretest sprint.

Pretest Sprint

A Pretest sprint contains 24 problems from the level that the student is beginning.

The student has 4 minutes to complete these problems. There is no gaming element to this.

Any problem that the student gets correct in a Pretest becomes instantly mastered. If the student gets all 24 problems correct in under 4 minutes, the student will skip the game round and go directly to the level’s Posttest, with the opportunity to test out of the level (more on that below).

If the student does not get all 24 problems correct in under 4 minutes, the student will be directed to a Learning Sprint.

Learning Sprint

In a Learning sprint, there is also no gaming element. A learning sprint consists of 2 unlearned problems from the student’s current level.

The Learning sprint consists of a 5-step process of “See It, Hear It, Say It, Type It, and Solve It”, in addition to visual cues, to teach the student how to solve the given math problem.

After each Learning sprint, the student will continue on to a Game sprint to practice and master what they have learned.

Game Sprint

In a Game sprint, the student will select a game of their choice, during which they will be prompted to answer one or more problems at a time at given intervals.

These problems consist of 30% of the problems they have already mastered for practice, and 70% problems that they have seen in Learning sprints but have not yet mastered. They will be working towards mastering those problems, with the end goal of testing out of the level.

In a Game sprint, if the student gets a problem correct in less than 1.5 seconds, that problem’s mastery rating will increase by 43% (+3/7). If they get the problem right in 1.5 to 3 seconds, its mastery rating will increase by 28% (+2/7). If they get it right in 3-10 seconds, its mastery rating will increase by 15% (+1/7).

When the student gets a problem correct such that the problem’s mastery gets set to 100% (+7/7) or more, they have now mastered another of the 66 problems in the level. 

When the student masters a problem within a Game sprint, if there are still problems on the level that the student has not yet seen within a Learning sprint, then they will be directed to a Learning sprint in order to get exposure to those new problems, which will then be introduced into the Game sprints.

Students will generally find themselves in cycles of Learning sprints and Game sprints for the majority of their time on a level.

If they do not master any problems within a Game sprint, then they will continue to play Game sprints until they do master one.

Likewise, if there are no problems left on the level that they have not seen in a Learning sprint, then they will continue to play Game sprints until they have mastered all 66 problems on the level.

Once they have mastered all 66 problems on the level, then they will be directed to a Posttest sprint for a final check of their mastery of the level’s problems.

Posttest Sprint

In a Posttest sprint, the student is given 24 problems from the level (these problems are always different problems than the ones shown on the Pretest). They have arrived here for one of 2 reasons:

1. They got 100% on the Pretest sprint in under 4 minutes, in which case they skip directly to the Posttest without playing games, with the goal being to identify the gap in their learning as quickly as possible in order to teach and provide deliberate practice for mastery.
2. They mastered all problems in the level through cycles of Game sprints and Learning sprints.

If the student gets 100% on the Posttest in under 4 minutes, the student graduates to the next level, which will start with a Pretest sprint.

If the student gets less than 100%, the problems that were correct will be mastered, while the problems that were incorrect will become unmastered. 

In that case, the student will be directed back to a Learning sprint where BSM will reteach the problems that they got incorrect, 2 at a time. They will continue to cycle through Learning sprints and Game sprints until they are back at the Posttest. 

If the student gets 100% on the Posttest, but in over 4 minutes, all 24 problems will become unmastered, but not unlearned (i.e. no more Learning sprints with those problems). Those problems will revert back to 85% mastery (+6/7), such that the student will only need to get each of those problems correct 1 more time in a Game sprint in order to master it again. In this case, students will continue playing Game sprints until all problems are mastered in the level.

Students will have multiple opportunities to master the posttest.

Arcade Sprint

Arcade sprints are special sprints that do not progress the student through the game, but do contribute towards time statistics.

An Arcade sprint will be provided if the student has mastered an operation, but decides to go back to that operation to practice. They are made up of equations that they have already mastered.

Students will also get an Arcade Sprint if it is time for a Pretest or Posttest sprint, but they are playing outside of school hours (with the goal being to prevent parents or older siblings from helping them).

Summary

In sum, there are 5 types of sprints that students will find themselves in:

1. Pretests, which give the student an opportunity to test out of a level and/or to immediately master some problems from the level.
2. Learning sprints, which teach the student how a problem is constructed.
3. Game sprints, which give the student the opportunity to practice what they have learned while working towards mastery of the problems they have learned in an engaging game-based environment.
4. Posttest sprints, which give the student the opportunity to graduate out of a level.
5. Arcade sprints, which are a type of Game sprint that provides the student the opportunity to continually practice a level that they have mastered or been advanced to.

If you have any questions, ideas, concerns, or other comments, please do not hesitate to reach out to us by emailing [e-mail]! 

From our galaxy to yours,

The BlueStreak Education Team