OnTheBrink Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 My ex (who was a lousy dh, but can program in his sleep) is interested in creating a homeschool planner/scheduling program just for the Mac. So, what do you want in a planner? Dream big. Dream small. Just let me know what you want it to do. Also, tell me what you see yourself paying for such a program. Ready, set, GO!:willy_nilly: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frontier Mom Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 I just want Home School Tracker Plus for the Mac. Currently I run mine on Parallel so I would probably say a cost of $50, one time charge similar to what they have to be competitive. Wonder if you could partner with them somehow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTMCassandra Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 I want to do my own planning and in return spit out assignment sheets for the children. Since we only have Macs, I have never been able to run HS Tracker and don't even know what it can do, but I agree that trying to get as much of that functionality as possible would be very helpful. Don't I also remember another conversation 6-8 weeks ago that someone else's DH was working on this kind of project? I know it wasn't you, but I can't remember who it was . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trivium Academy Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 To be able to: - keep track of attendance as how many days left of the year, how many days have been accomplished - something that would create sequential lesson plans would be great! To be able to put in the first lesson # and have the program schedule it out for you based on: • what days of week the lessons will be on (for example if Tues and Thursday is Science and M/W/F is History at the same time) • skip designated days/weeks off and continue with the last lesson # • able to be edited, allow a skip day/subject feature -To be able to print out a checklist for students without too many extra steps -budget and purchasing help -lesson plan creation: including being able to list extracurricular resources, links, things to purchase, supply lists, plan out book pages by inputing the total # of pages divided by # of days -optional progress reports and report cards - to embed links into schedule - an integrated teacher grader - books read for the year accounting (to be able to enter book titles at the beginning of the year and put a check by those finished and have a list at the end of the year) - goals for each subject - to be able to plan out a year in different increments: quarters, semesters, months, even weeks - transcripts - to be able to create custom forms - print out monthly calendar view, weekly view, daily view with capabilities to see all students at one time or just a single student's work I think that's it. I would pay $100 for a program that has a clear, easy to use interface, customer support and updates for bugs on a consistent basis. Without customer support or bug fixes, I'd only be willing to pay $30-$40. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdWTMer Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 I think that too, it would have to work well with iCal. To be able to add certain dates to iCal, like with an add to iCal option. I think that color coding would be nice. Also, to be able to see graphically (visually) how much we've accomplished and how much we have left to go perhaps? I don't know how you'd show that though. And, I don't know if any of this even makes sense, except in my brain! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendi Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 I want it to be able to rearrange things if we get off track (i.e., if we don't get our math lesson done on Tuesday, it can move all the math lessons back a day. It should look nice, and print out reports (assignment sheets, grades, other reports) that actually look good. Customizable would be great, with different fonts or printing different subjects in different colors. (Color coding in the actual program would rock, too.) Year-at-a-glance, monthly, weekly, quarterly, or any other type of view you want. I like to be able to see the whole week or quarter as I enter info, not just the day I'm working on. Ability to embed links and files (pdfs, docs) would be great! And a place to keep lists (books to be read, books read, helpful resources, whatever you want) would be handy. Wendi Wendi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 I see myself paying up to $75 for a program that meets all of my specs, up to $40 for a program that does most of what I want, and up to $20 for a so-so program. I want to: Enter the number of pages (or chapters or lessons or units) in a book, and what days I want to cover that book on, and have it do the division and place it on my calendar for me. I want to be able to generate independent study checklists (that I can print) for each of my kids. I want it to function forwards or backwards, as a planner or a journal. I want to be able to enter a grade for each day for each subject, how many minutes we spent that day in that subject, and a topic for each day for each subject, and have it 1) average these into a grade at the end of the quarter or year (or week, or whatever), 2) list all of the topics and page numbers (or chapters or whatnot) covered in that period, and 3) total up the hours spent in each subject. I want to be able to store materials (with page numbers and brief descriptions) in it, so that I can reassign these to other kids later. I want to be able to generate a list of the books a kid has used that year or that I have assigned for the year, with their summaries and ISBN and publisher info. I want it to learn from other planners. That is, I'd like it to access other people's planners if they've enabled that feature and let it absorb their entered book information. (Hey, you said to dream big.) I need a place to attach journal entries or pictures to days so that I can generate a portfolio along with reports of topics, page numbers, hours and grades. I want it to interface with my dishwasher and turn it on at a certain time everyday. I want a component that can be placed in a child's ear, that will receive messages from the planner repeating the current assignment at five minute intervals until the parent marks that assignment done. Rather than a parent password, it scan my retina to be sure it's really me marking off the assignment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda in WA Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 I want it to be able to rearrange things if we get off track (i.e., if we don't get our math lesson done on Tuesday, it can move all the math lessons back a day. It should look nice, and print out reports (assignment sheets, grades, other reports) that actually look good. Customizable would be great, with different fonts or printing different subjects in different colors. (Color coding in the actual program would rock, too.) Year-at-a-glance, monthly, weekly, quarterly, or any other type of view you want. I like to be able to see the whole week or quarter as I enter info, not just the day I'm working on. Ability to embed links and files (pdfs, docs) would be great! And a place to keep lists (books to be read, books read, helpful resources, whatever you want) would be handy. Wendi Wendi I agree! I need to see year-at-a-glance, monthly, and weekly. I have always created my own, but would love to put it all in and see it in all pages. Oh, I would only want to pay around $30. We homeschool and money is an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 Ok, I'll pass these ideas on and see what he comes up with. Thanks, and keep the ideas coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty Social Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Jessica, Julie and Wendy pretty much covered all the bases. As far as what I would pay....to have a fully compatible, all the bells and whistles, offline planner....one where I could take my laptop and do work without internet access....like the playground or pool or car?? Do you accept arms? How about legs? Seriously, for a fully loaded Mac program that is NOT online (although the capability to link to stuff would be fine, I just want to be able to use it without internet) I'd pay up to $100. For one that is just so-so, maybe up to $40. ETA: I forgot to mention Rose. Jessica, Julie, Wendy, and Rose (I like the ear piece and dishwasher features:D) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 The features i really like in Homeschool Tracker (who, by the way, has professed in the past to wanting to find a Mac programmer to work with, the program can't be converted - but working WITH them to "borrow" some of the features would be nice) are: • flexible start/end dates to my school year. IF i sign up with an umbrella school Oct 10 - my 180 days start Oct 10. • Lesson Planner vs Assignments. HST allows you to created a plan, and then submit it to the assignment grid. Those Lesson Plans can be reused in the future (or exported and shared). • Assigning to a schedule (timed) or not There are others, but right now those are jumping out at me. I"d like something i could send to the kids computers so they could use their iCal to have their list (less paper?), and/or an iPhone/iTouch component for them (no, they don't have them). Edu-Track offered the Palm portion and well, i really wanted to get it for that. I'd like that portable portion available for ME too, so if i'm in the school room i can pull out my "_____" (because, i have a palm treo right now :P) and see what everyone is supposed to be doing. LOTS and LOTS of flexibility in reports - let me pick the fields that show up on the ones for the kids. I have a child that MUST have hers on 1 page for the week...... I"m sure i can spew a lot of stuff when asked! LOL!! As for what i'd pay, i can't say at the moment - but i'm willing to pay more for a developed product with the promise of a future. A one time attempt, if it worked 1/2 way for me at that time, then in the $15-25 range. My Dad is a programmer - i'm used to getting exactly what i want over the years! LOL!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetbaby Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 To be able to:- keep track of attendance as how many days left of the year, how many days have been accomplished - something that would create sequential lesson plans would be great! To be able to put in the first lesson # and have the program schedule it out for you based on: • what days of week the lessons will be on (for example if Tues and Thursday is Science and M/W/F is History at the same time) • skip designated days/weeks off and continue with the last lesson # • able to be edited, allow a skip day/subject feature -To be able to print out a checklist for students without too many extra steps -budget and purchasing help -lesson plan creation: including being able to list extracurricular resources, links, things to purchase, supply lists, plan out book pages by inputing the total # of pages divided by # of days -optional progress reports and report cards - to embed links into schedule - an integrated teacher grader - books read for the year accounting (to be able to enter book titles at the beginning of the year and put a check by those finished and have a list at the end of the year) - goals for each subject - to be able to plan out a year in different increments: quarters, semesters, months, even weeks - transcripts - to be able to create custom forms - print out monthly calendar view, weekly view, daily view with capabilities to see all students at one time or just a single student's work I think that's it. I would pay $100 for a program that has a clear, easy to use interface, customer support and updates for bugs on a consistent basis. Without customer support or bug fixes, I'd only be willing to pay $30-$40. You just described Homeschool Tracker. I wish they made it for MAC users. It's a great software. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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