Ways we could help Homeschoolers

[NancyC]

We know a lot of homeschoolers use HippoCampus. How important would it be for our homeschool users if our content was correlated to state standards?

[TimeTogether]

Thank you for your concern for homeschoolers. The need for correlation with state standards may differ from state to state, and family to family. So, I can't speak for any other family. The state guidelines are minimums that we exceed. State minimums come into play in those with learning disabilities, where meeting one or more of the requirements may be a problem. Our main concern is what colleges expect students to know.

My concern is how well the course content helps to prepare for AP tests and CLEP tests (collegeboard.com), and DANTE tests (getcollegecredit.com). This is information that would be helpful to any independent learner.

A big challenge for homeschoolers is science lab skills. I would love to see units reviewing / testing students on this. AP tests assume that students have completed labs in an 'collegeboard approved AP' lab course. For example, even a middle-school lab would teach students why "a graduated cylinder is better suited for measuring volume than a flask." Many homeschoolers attend college-level science courses while still in high school. Writing a lab report, trouble-shooting experiments that go awry, knowing safety rules and understanding how and when to use lab equipment are all challenging for those new to a real lab. You can't duplicate a lab, but you can help fill gaps and increase confidence for those who miss out on AP classes in high school. Non-traditional students shouldn't be condemned to take only 'science courses for the non-science major.'

Thanks,

S.C.

[jeverton]

We have done research to identify some very good wet lab resources for virtual schools that could also be used successfully by homeschoolers. Here are a few of the top options:

Smart Science, http://www.smartscience.net/
Smart Science® virtual labs are a complete science learning system with online assessments and reports, delivery of all course activities and student and curriculum tracking for current and prior terms. In 2007 the College Board approved AP science courses that incorporate Smart Science® AP labs as their lab components. Full sets of labs (20-30 labs per course) are offered for only 15$ a student at the AP level and 10$ a student at the non AP level.

LabPaq, http://www.LabPaq.com
The science lab kits and products offered by LabPaq (formerly Hands-On Labs, Inc.) were specifically designed and selected by practicing distance educators to serve the "At Home" science study markets. These kits are used with web courses, telecommunication courses, home-schooling programs, and all other forms of independent study. http://www.LabPaq.com

And to address your question about how well the courses prepare students for AP tests, the “AP” identified courses at HippoCampus were designed to address the AP College Board criteria. However, as with any teaching resource, they should not be considered a singular solution, but can be used as a good foundation for an AP teaching curriculum. The courses at HippoCampus have not currently been mapped to the CLEP and DANTE tests.

[afchai]

We are thrilled to have the AP content available online. It would be nice to set up "discussion forums" for students using the material to get feedback from their peers. It would also help to have sample graded papers like they have in the AP released exam booklets, so we can compare OUR grading to the grading that will likely occur on the actual AP test. Another help would be a "suggested 32 week guide" that could be used over any theoretical 32 week period (allowing the last two weeks of the usual 34 weeks to study for the AP). That would help set progress milestones for the teacher (me) since I might not know what will take more time on average until I have taught it (and then it is too late!)
I would also like links for testing or quizzes that would help me give a grade and prepare my student for the AP.
It would help to have parent forums also, particularly for those subjects that might not be our strength...to get advice from other parents. It would be a teacher forum type of set-up.
Anyway, thanks so much for the site, I appreciate the variety of materials available.

[jeverton]

We appreciate the feedback and are glad you find the AP content useful! We will look in your suggestions.

You might find some suggested course schedules at the AP College Board Web site. They have a section of sample syllabi here: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/p ... index.html

[Hekeller]

I'd like to thank jeverton for mentioning the Smart Science(R) learning system (http://www.smartscience.net). We have the unique privilege of being the primary lab component in many AP science curricula that have passed the College Board audit, including all three laboratory sciences covered by the College Board.

Each integrated instructional lab unit provides a complete learning experience centered around real experiments. Most are presented virtually, some are at-home, and some combine real virtual experiments with at-home experiments. Over 140 of these lab units are available at content levels from sixth grade through college and across all major science disciplines taught in grades 6-12.

We developed these onilne labs in order to provide authentic lab experience to students who do not have adequate laboratory facilities available. These lab units meet the definition of laboratory experience from America's Lab Report and also meet all seven goals for laboratory experience.

The price mentioned by jeverton is misleading, however, as it represents our price to online middle and high schools and fails to mention the $600 minimum purchase required to receive this price. Colleges pay at a higher rate as do homeschoolers who must meet a $100 minimum at this time.

We welcome inquiries at labs@paracompusa.com or by phone at 310-773-4293.

Harry Keller, Ph.D.
President
Paracomp, Inc.