On another thread, a couple of mom's were asking how someone like the Apologia CD rom. I am curious also. I have used Apologia science on the 7-8th grade levels and I'm wondering what the CD is like. Please post what the CD is like and how you like using it. I would be very interested in more information on this.
This year we have used the CD with the 7th grade book. The person reads the text and you can follow along in the textbook or just listen. Truthfully if all you have is the audio CD you still need the textbook for the illustrations and the experiments. Next year we are going the to DVD that will eliminate the need for a physical textbook. I would recommend either way especially if you have a child with reading comprehension issues. Ann
I believe Roda is talking about: the entire course which can be purchased on Cd-Rom for $45 aprox. Which we have never used. I hear it is is like a book on the computer and also shows things the companion cd would show. I don't think it reads it to you on the computer though. So your child would actually read it while at the computer.
You're right. We're using the MP3 CD that does read the text to you. The CD that has the entire course does not narrate. If you want the narration you would need to also purchase the MP3 CD of the course. Personally, I really like the MP3 CD cause Aaron has dyslexia and it works well for him. I'm thinking though that to get all you can out of it you would be better off using the MP3 along with the textbook rather than the MP3 and the full-course CD. I'm guessing though that the full-course CD would work well for someone who didn't get more out of listening to the text being read to them. Ann
We like it! DD does the work on the computer, I check it as she does it or go back over her work when I can. This way I ask her what Moduel she is on and keep track that way as well. We are computer geeks here so it was perfect for dd to have something other than a book for her science. We had been using the SOS science prior to this and this years was a change for us, but still hands off! I loved that part!
We did the entire course on computer for Physical Science. My dd and ds did it together. Ds loved it on the computer and dd likes a book. Since two year old ds (at that time) later decided to cram 10 cd's in to the drive and the Apologia one was the ONLY one that cracked, I then decided to stay with the books and purchase the companion cd's. Blessings, Trishy kriagirl.blogspot.com Trishy
So when you have the program on the computer, the student answers the questions on the computer? Do they also take the tests on the computer? Do they have more illustrations than the companion CD to the book? Thanks for the information.
Well for us, I print out the study sheets and the tests and she does them in print form. but teh daily questions she does on the computer....
We only started with apologia this year. I have purchased the CD ROM, and the audio CD. We haven't used the audio one yet, I got it primarily for ds who is dyslexic and reminds me frequently "I learn better through my ears mum", lol. He won't start the course until next year. dd loves the CD ROM. I have never actually seen the text, so don't really have a basis for comparison. We chose the CD because we have to mail order it, so postage is way less. Also b/c I thought the kids would probably respond better to a computer based course than an enormous text book. The way it works is that it looks like and navigates like an internet explorer type program, so if the kids are internet savvy, they already know how to get around it. It has the complete text from the book, plus everything the companion CD has (another reason we bought it this way). So it is reading mostly, with pictures and video clips explaining things along the way. A feature that is great for my dd is that you can click on hard words, and it pronounces them for you (you would not believe the amount of words she mispronounces, but can spell and knows the meaning of!) Every so often it asks the student a question, and they can type the answer in a box. They then click on reveal answer, and the correct answer is displayed so they can compare their own answer with the right one. It doesn't save their answer though, so you can't retrieve it later unless they also write it down somewhere. When we get to an experiment, we print that section so she can have the instructions in front of her while she's doing the work. We then glue those instructions in her book, and she writes a report about the experiment (results, conclusion, discussion, that sort of thing). So she works through the module in that way, mostly independently. Mine came with a separate CD that contains the study guides, answers to the study guides, tests and answer to tests. So at the end of each module, I print out the study guide, and she writes the answers in her book. Then I print the answers, and she checks her own work - I figure it's more important that she knows where she went wrong than for me to. Then I print the test. Again, she writes the answers. This time I check it, and record the result. So far marks have been 77%-95%, so I'm happy that she's learning. dd really likes it - the format, the content and the practical work. And I love that it's hassle free, hardly any effort on my part, she's learning well and it's Christian based so it fits with our world view. Well that was really long.....any other questions?
Karen you are doing it pretty much like we are, I just have missed a few modules here and there because she gets so into doing it she goes on to the next one and forgets to tell me ( ya right, but thats her story and she's sticking to it!) So I am working at focusing more on watching her and asking questions while she is reading too.... I think she has not been using the read a word part of it for her, I will ask but I know she did in the begining but she likes to listen to K-Love while she studies, it keeps her happy and not bugging her lil brother so he can stay focused. He needs quiet to focus. or to discuss his work with me since he is 5th grade. She is 9/10th. She gets her music and we get her earphones lol. I love that there are Study Guides and such, that was impressive to me, we try to get to each one the same way you did it. Print it let her work on it , then check the answers, see how far off it was, then I wait a day or so to let it sink in and do the test. I notice she has gotten a lot of it, her scores were in about the same range as yours. She told me next year though if she stays home she wants to go all SOS... and that includes science
We like that SOS has the assignments set up where they are readable out loud via computer, also there are games to play and even the older ages have changed this year I read. I like that I can hold off or block lessons that I don't want them to do, for instance for dd I can keep her from just testing out of a unit or I can remove the unit and allow her to test out. If you save to computer you can cut classes that your child does not need. And the cool part! It keeps attendace, keeps grades automatically and allows you to send back what needs to be redone. You can delete the answers or "erase" them. They have mini teachers or Mini Professors that do experiments for you , plus they do assign optional experiments for you to do. Its all on the computer though if you want it to be, or you can print lessons, and tests to do away from computer. If you have a lap top its the only way to go! Cause you can bring school with you and your child can sit and work. The Sos is done up very independant study format and so there is less stress for the teacher. You set up the dates and it will allow you to change them if things are getting behind and it will reset all lessons at a click to reach whatever goal you have set. I cant explain the whole thing but its really great.
