AoPS online - what's the discussion like?

[dauphin]

 

For the record, I'm looking at Algebra I.

 

How does it play out? Can it be competitive? But friendly?

 

DD has been telling me that she wants to be around people that push/challenge her in math. But she's 11 and I don't want her eaten alive in her first online course.

 

I'm wondering if the pacing also might be gentler with he WTM course, although it still requires participation as part of the grade so there should be some engagement?

 

And what is up with the AoPS classes only being offered at night?

[quark]

For the record, I'm looking at Algebra I.

 

How does it play out? Can it be competitive? But friendly?

 

DD has been telling me that she wants to be around people that push/challenge her in math. But she's 11 and I don't want her eaten alive in her first online course.

 

I'm wondering if the pacing also might be gentler with he WTM course, although it still requires participation as part of the grade so there should be some engagement?

 

And what is up with the AoPS classes only being offered at night?

 

It depends a lot on the type of students who sign up. Son has taken two classes so far (not algebra) and generally there is some friendly chatting (text based) before class starts, and some very mild competitiveness also before and during class. There is no reason to mention her age or for her to engage in the chat before class starts.

 

If she types her answers correctly and very quickly there is a chance they might be chosen to be featured in the chatroom during class. But no one comments rudely on those answers. If she submitted a few wrong answers in a row there is a chance that an assistant will "whisper" (live chat) with her in a window that others cannot see. This will help address any possible misunderstanding she might have.

 

I guess the classes are offered so that students from most time zones can make it to class. 7.30pm eastern time is 4.30pm for us west coasters. I guess it makes it possible for kids to take classes after school etc. And do note that there might be non-US students in the class too so I guess they might also be trying to reach out to those international students.

[kiwik]

It works out 11.30 am to 1.30 pm depending on time of year in NZ which is a nice change from 4 to 6 am although my kids aren't old enough.

[Julie of KY]

 

And what is up with the AoPS classes only being offered at night?

 

The majority of AoPS students are public/private school students that take their classes afterschool. In the past homeschool students have only been 5% of the AoPS student population, I'm not sure if that has changed. I wouldn't be surprised if more homeschoolers were in the introductory classes.

[wapiti]

I'm wondering if the pacing also might be gentler with he WTM course, although it still requires participation as part of the grade so there should be some engagement?

 

The pacing of Algebra 1 - now "Intro to Alg, A" - is not gentle considering the amount of work involved between the book, Alcumus and the weekly on-line homework.  My recommendation would be to get started with the book before the start of the course if possible.  (It's a little confusing, but Intro to Alg B also contains topics typically taught in a traditional algebra 1, but way deeper; while some of that is algebra 2, some is also just extra depth.  Ideally, I'd like my ds to have both A and B, as in the entire Intro to Algebra text, for "algebra 1"; he will take algebra 2 at school)

 

There is chatting among students before and after class, mostly silly stuff, though a few years ago my dd ended up with some online friends from a class.  There is also a class message board and the kids can use that to arrange to meet in the classroom any time.  While we were checking out the new website last night, ds peeked into his algebra 1 classroom last and a student was testing out his use of LaTeX.  (Ds doesn't know much LaTeX.)  The message board can also be used for asking or answering questions of other students and getting help on the homework.

 

During the class, only a small portion of the answers to an instructor's question are posted for the rest of the class to see.  Usually, wrong answers are not posted unless helpful for the instructor in making a point or straightening everyone out, if you know what I mean.  When an instructor suspects (based on a student's answers) that a student may need clarification, they use the whisper chat feature, so that the student and instructor can have a side discussion that no one else sees.  There are several instructors online during a class (the main teacher plus assistants) and IIRC, there's a class-size limit of around 50(?).

 

My kids attend B&M school, so the class time is perfect - we are in the mountain time zone, so that's during dinner, which I serve up while they're having class or sometimes a little while before class starts.  I currently have three kids in classes.

[dauphin]

The majority of AoPS students are public/private school students that take their classes afterschool. In the past homeschool students have only been 5% of the AoPS student population, I'm not sure if that has changed. I wouldn't be surprised if more homeschoolers were in the introductory classes.

 

That's blowing my mind! I think I made an incorrect inference since this forum (WTM) was the first and only place I had heard of it. Well it certainly doesn't fit into the traditional scope/sequence (as a 3-4 month class) - how do they normally use it, then? What does it look like on transcripts, KWIM? Or is it primarily enrichment/competition prep??