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Another question about Derek Owens Math


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I got my hands on a Derek Owens workbook to look at to try and confirm that this is the program I want to use next year.  I have a question about the way the program works.  I see that student have pages to take notes while watching videos.  The workbook also has practice pages with answers in the back of book.  Is the practice problems the homework or are there other pages to download for homework, and do you download tests from website also?  I am a concrete thinker, and I need to know how the program works in my head before I can commit.  I am planning on using the half price option next year.  Please explain any parts of this program I am not understanding.  

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The homework and tests are downloaded from the website. If you look at a syllabus, you can see his schedule. The homework pages are generally one page each. The tests are several pages long, but not too many problems per page.

 

With the half price option, he sends you a file with all the solutions to the homework and tests.

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Yes, there are homework sheets and tests to download from the website. Those are the things that Derek grades if you have him do the grading. You can look at the syllabus he has posted online for whatever level you are considering and see exactly how many homework sheets there are per section. There is a test at the end of each chapter and then there is a midterm and a final exam.

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The homework and tests are downloaded from the website. If you look at a syllabus, you can see his schedule. The homework pages are generally one page each. The tests are several pages long, but not too many problems per page.

 

With the half price option, he sends you a file with all the solutions to the homework and tests.

Thank you!  This is what I was thinking from reading the website, and looking at the syllabus.  I just wanted to ask before I went forward.  I tend to spend too much time deciding what to use, but this year I have no funds to make a mistake.  

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The practice problems are what people usually think of as homework.  They are assigned for just about every lesson.  The sheets DO calls "homework" are graded and could be considered open-book/note quizzes.  These are assigned after every two or three lessons.  Tests are assigned at the end of just about all chapters (occasionally, like maybe once a year, there will be a chapter without a test).  There are no review problems for the tests (at least there haven't been in the courses we've used--it is perhaps the only weakness of the program)  Then there are two cumulative exams, the first after a short (about 12 week) semester and the second after a longer (maybe 15-16 week) semester.  The exams we've done have a large review set to work beforehand. 

Edited by EKS
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The practice problems are what people usually think of as homework. They are assigned for just about every lesson. The sheets DO calls "homework" are graded and could be considered open-book/note quizzes. These are assigned after every two or three lessons. Tests are assigned at the end of just about all chapters (occasionally, like maybe once a year, there will be a chapter without a test). There are no review problems for the tests (at least there haven't been in the courses we've used--it is perhaps the only weakness of the program) Then there are two cumulative exams, the first after a short (about 12 week) semester and the second after a longer (maybe 15-16 week) semester. The exams we've done have a large review set to work beforehand.

A few times, when my dd has wanted a bit of review before a test, she has used one of the extra tests for this purpose. (OP, there are two versions of the test for each chapter.). We've also used those extra tests to build in a bit of cumulative review.

Edited by OnMyOwn
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A few times, when my dd has wanted a bit of review before a test, she has used one of the extra tests for this purpose. (OP, there are two versions of the test for each chapter.). We've also used those extra tests to build in a bit of cumulative review.

 

I was always afraid to use the extra tests in case my son needed a retake.  Though I expect he'd be less likely to need a retake if he used them to study.

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I don't see the half-price, check-it-yourself option on the website. How does that work? Do you just email and request it?

Yes, you can just email and make the request. Or, when you go to pay, you can also put it in the comment box.

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Can I piggyback with a further question? Can this program be done in a paperless manner?

We will be on the road and I'm trying to see what we can do for alg 2. So far I have thinkwell and that's it. Thinkwell is fine for my purposes but gets no love here so I'm nervous. The years of taking a year or two to master whatever math, and using 4 different curricula in the process, are over...

Edited by madteaparty
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Can I piggyback with a further question? Can this program be done in a paperless manner?

We will be on the road and I'm trying to see what we can do for alg 2. So far I have thinkwell and that's it. Thinkwell is fine for my purposes but gets no love here so I'm nervous. The years of taking a year or two to master whatever math, and using 4 different curricula in the process, are over...

You'd need the printed student workbook that contains the daily guided note lessons & practice problems with answers in the back. Then you print off the home works & tests for each chapter. Just the instructional videos are online.

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We always use the version two test as the practice test. We have never needed to retest - problably as a result of having worked out the kinks using the version two test.

So, do you submit version 2 for grading before you submit version one for real? Or do you grade version 2 yourself as practice

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Can I piggyback with a further question? Can this program be done in a paperless manner?

We will be on the road and I'm trying to see what we can do for alg 2. 

 

You need to buy the workbook from lulu.com. This is where the student takes notes on the lectures and does the practice homework. 

 

A few of the courses use a textbook (I thnik geometry and precalc), but I don't think alg. 2 does - I haven't done that one so I can't say for sure.

 

The tests and homework need to be printed out. This is about a dozen pages per unit over about 3 weeks, so it is not very many pages per week. You can print all of these months ahead of time and just have them.

 

If you have DO do the grading, then you need the capability to scan.

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