PAH AP Comp Sci

[Roadrunner]

In light of PAH HUG thread, I want to ask if anybody has experience with this class. DS needs a teacher, so Edhesive is out of question. If you have any experience with PAH course, can you tell me how well prepared your Child was for the exam? Is it worth the money? Is there an alternative other than IMACs and Edhesive?

[mirabillis]

Why don't you like Edhesive? We really liked it and out of all my son's AP classes last year, it was the one he scored a 4. While there is no teacher, Mrs. Dovi does provide constant lectures - and you are kept on a very tight schedule to keep up with videos, related assignments, longer assignments, quizzes and tests. Whenever he got stuck on an assignment and some code, he'd post on the message boards and get an answer usually same day. Even my self-study averse kid loved the course and excelled. And it's really cheap - even if you go with the homeschool teacher package which was something like $150...

[Roadrunner]

It's not that I don't like, but I prefer a real teacher if I can find and pay for one. A live component is a huge deal for DS and PAH supposedly provides one. I am hoping it's at least as good as Edhesive class.

[Gratia271]

I don't remember the thread, but if I recall correctly, the reviews for PaH comp sci are mixed.  Some students liked it and did well.  Others were not too keen.

[Julie of KY]

Well, I have mixed opinions on the PAH Computer Science class. My son just took the class this year and scored a 5 as well as more than half the class.

The assignments were good - both the readings and videos as well as the coding. The teacher did a live class each week and frequently appeared unprepared. Each student was assigned a TA (high school student). My son's TA was very good at answering any questions privately, but if my son posted the question on the class discussion board he got poor answers. "I" did not like that the grading was done by the TA. The teacher did not give any feedback, it was a high school student. When his TA got more than a month behind on grading and I contacted the teacher, she had no idea he had not been keeping up on the grading. 

 

Edited to add that my second son will try CS through Edhesive though he is a much more motivated self-learner.

 

 

Edited July 13, 2017 by Julie of KY

[Roadrunner]

Well, I have mixed opinions on the PAH Computer Science class. My son just took the class this year and scored a 5 as well as more than half the class.

The assignments were good - both the readings and videos as well as the coding. The teacher did a live class each week and frequently appeared unprepared. Each student was assigned a TA (high school student). My son's TA was very good at answering any questions privately, but if my son posted the question on the class discussion board he got poor answers. "I" did not like that the grading was done by the TA. The teacher did not give any feedback, it was a high school student. When his TA got more than a month behind on grading and I contacted the teacher, she had no idea he had not been keeping up on the grading.

 

Edited to add that my second son will try CS through Edhesive though he is a much more motivated self-learner.

This isn't encouraging.

This will be for a kid with good familiarity with Java. I was hoping the class was going to provide specific test prep and feedback on FRQs. Without good feedback, it's worthless to us. The reason I am looking for a live teacher is for the feedback.

[snowbeltmom]

We did not have a good experience with the PAH class.  I don't remember all of the issues now, but it was a disaster, and I ended up dropping the class. Unfortunately, it was too late to find a replacement.  We ended up taking it this year with CTY.  That was a great experience.  Not only did the instructor answer every single question promptly, but she also provided detailed comments for every assignment.

 

We had a family conflict with the date of the AP exam, so the exam wasn't taken.  

[daijobu]

Another thumbs up for Edhesive.  Two daughters, two edhesive AP CS A online courses, and two 5's.  

[Roadrunner]

Another thumbs up for Edhesive. Two daughters, two edhesive AP CS A online courses, and two 5's.

Did you do extra prep? Did you help out on occasion?

 

We have nobody to help this kid at home, so while the board was helpful (he took Python), there were few times I wished I had a real person to answer his questions or improve on his code.

[mirabillis]

Did you do extra prep? Did you help out on occasion?

 

We have nobody to help this kid at home, so while the board was helpful (he took Python), there were few times I wished I had a real person to answer his questions or improve on his code.

 

Not who you asked, but I'll answer.

I know nothing about code. And my ds had very little programming experience going in. The real-time responses on Edhesive's board were great. My ds had to query them nearly every big assignment once, when he got stuck. While I had the homeschool teacher account, I was not a part of it all. I really only used it to print out a written test ahead of his real test to help him prep for studying for the tests. He practice for exam prep with real past FRQs on his own, and was able to easily decipher the rubric to score himself. He loved the format - worked great, completely hands-off for me.

[Roadrunner]

And I just realized TPS also offers a "live" course for AP Science? Has anybody taken their course?

[daijobu]

Not who you asked, but I'll answer.

I know nothing about code. And my ds had very little programming experience going in. The real-time responses on Edhesive's board were great. My ds had to query them nearly every big assignment once, when he got stuck. While I had the homeschool teacher account, I was not a part of it all. I really only used it to print out a written test ahead of his real test to help him prep for studying for the tests. He practice for exam prep with real past FRQs on his own, and was able to easily decipher the rubric to score himself. He loved the format - worked great, completely hands-off for me.

 

What she said.  

 

My kids had pretty decent python skills before taking the class.  Java mystifies me, so I was hands off, except for printing extra practice worksheets and quizzes from the teacher account every week.  There is an answer key as well, so they can check their work.  

[Grantmom]

DS took the PAHS class as a sophomore, and he seemed to like it.  Though he seemed to pretty much teach himself the material.  He had very little interaction with the teacher or the TA, but that was not their fault.  He just never asked questions.  He got a very high A in the class and a 4 on the exam.  He should have done more test prep.  She said to get a certain book for test prep, and I think they were expected to do a bit more with that book on their own.  Unfortunately, we didn't get to the book until just before the test, so he probably could have gotten more out of it than he did.