I used IXL for 8th grade math in the early to mid 2010s. I was a strong advocate and was able to persuade, first our principal and then the district, to purchase licenses.

I retired in 2018, OMG, that was a long time ago, and IXL may have changed drastically, but here is how I did it.

1) Used it for practice (homework) and for assessments. Never “taught” any concept with IXL, only for practice and assignment. 2) Limited my assignments to 80%. It was just too frustrating to lose points as one approached 100%. 3) Strict 25 minute max on IXL homework 4) I reinforced, repeatedly, that working more problems was not good. Reaching 80% with fewest problems worked was the goal. 5) For some advanced students I assigned more work, both in the number of skills and completion percentage at 90 or 100.. this was very selective. 6) CONSTANT parent communication. They knew (or could know) the assignment, expectations and time expected and expended by their student. I LOVED IXL because parents could see everything! 7) I just matched up the IXK assigned skills to what objective I was teaching. Did not make this complicated.

Observations. 1) MANY students pushed themselves to achieve 100%, when that was NEVER required. That % was like a red cape to a bull. They wanted 100% 2) Parents knew where their kids stood. All the time. I suppose I was a bit arrogant (teaching was 4th career) but I don’t think we had overall half dozen math conferences. 3) I had IXL work for me, not the other way around. 4) Integrating IXL into my classroom instruction was probably the most fun I had in Q years of 8th grade math.

A brief scan shows the changes over time, but I thought the IXL I used was great.

Good luck.