TracyP Posted December 12, 2017 Share Posted December 12, 2017 I'm trying to compare providers and have narrowed it down to these 3. (Though I'm happy to explore other options if anyone has suggestions.) I have a pretty good feel for WTMA and FundaFunda from reading old threads, but I'm still unclear about the workload. I read that some kids are spending 15-20 hrs per week on WTM Bio. Is that typical? Roughly how many hours are kids spending on FundaFunda Bio? Has anyone used Homeschool Connections Biology? I'd like to compare it, too, since it has a live option. I haven't heard much about it, so please share your thoughts if you have any experience with it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted December 12, 2017 Share Posted December 12, 2017 (edited) I think some of the students that spent 15-20 hours per week on WTMA bio were on the younger side (middle school age). I don't remember how long my teen spent on it, but it was definitely not that long. It really depends on the student, though. Edited December 12, 2017 by Woodland Mist Academy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyP Posted December 12, 2017 Author Share Posted December 12, 2017 That's good to hear. My dd will be 15 next year, and she is a motivated, fast worker. I hoped 15-20 hrs wasn't the norm. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimomma Posted December 12, 2017 Share Posted December 12, 2017 My Dd is in WTMA Biology this year and it has been nowhere near 15-20 hours per week. I'd say 10 on the heaviest weeks and as little as 5 on the lighter weeks. The labs are usually the biggest contributor to the heavy weeks. My dd is usually a slower worker in general. However, there is a different teacher this year so that may not be typical. My understanding is that the regular teacher will be back next year. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAR Posted December 12, 2017 Share Posted December 12, 2017 FundaFunda Bio is much lighter than I anticipated. It may take DD14 3 hours a week - watch the video lectures, take notes, rewrite notes, complete 6 to 8 questions and take a quiz. Add in a few extra hours to study for a test. Plus, there are three writing assignments each semester which took about 2 hours for each. She also reads additional materials and watches supplemental videos on her own. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted December 12, 2017 Share Posted December 12, 2017 (edited) Memoria Press Online Academy uses Holt Biology. There are two live hour long lectures per week. Usually one chapter is assigned for reading and students have an open book computerized worksheet to fill out. These are trickier than straight retrieval, you need to have understood the topic to answer. There is one lab per month, they're usually virtual but they're not bad. The last one was looking at actual slides of mitosis in plant cells (so not something you could do with an affordable microscope anyway) and describing the process in an essay. Unit tests are worth less than the homework but they cover a lot of material so you need to study a lot to recover everything you've done over the last 4 or 5 weeks and have it fresh. They go into less detail than the homework but more than you'd recall without studying. There is also a midterm and final but T hasn't done them yet. MPOA is a Christian school but it uses a secular textbook and covers evolution. There is a prayer to start the class but that's about it as far as religious content. So it takes a similar approach to Kolbe but doesn't include papal encyclicals. Trinqueta spends 2 hours in class and about 3-4 hours on reading, assignments or studying per week. There are 34 weeks of class so about 180 hours total for the credit. Edited December 12, 2017 by chiguirre 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyP Posted December 13, 2017 Author Share Posted December 13, 2017 I took sometime to look at it, and Memoria Press looks like another good option. Thanks for that recommendation! Thanks, everybody, for the responses so far. I'd love to hear more if anybody would like to add their experience with these providers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teachermom2834 Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 My ds has two classes with Memoria Press this year (American History and Logic). Although we have not used them before this year we have had experience with several online providers. MPOA seems to be a good fit and the courses appear to be solid yet manageable in workload. I am also interested in any feedback on MPOA going forward. I asked about the chemistry class here a few days ago. One thing I have noticed is that there are not many reviews (at least that i have found) out there. Yet, they have been around a long time and they have a large selection of classes that seem to fill up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotSoObvious Posted December 25, 2017 Share Posted December 25, 2017 I have twins in Funda Funda. It's a lighter workload than expected, BUT it seems to be just enough. Although, we are used to Lukeion, so I'm not sure anything could measure up to their organization and rigor. One twin is advanced and doing the honors option and the other twin is happily getting a 94% in the regular option. They both report liking the class and my advanced daughter says, "Well, I'm learning, I'm enjoying it, and it's getting done." Getting done in the sense that she isn't waiting for me to dictate it. :) She loves science. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clear Creek Posted December 27, 2017 Share Posted December 27, 2017 My daughter spends 5-7 hours/week on biology with FundaFunda. I think it is a solid college-prep course. The instructor is fantastic, and has really gone above and beyond to help my daughter succeed in the course - my daughter would learn the material, but forget it by the time the test came around (I tried to help her with her study skills, but I am her mom, what do I know, lol). The instructor gave her a long list of ideas for studying and maintaining what she had learned throughout the unit, and by the end of the first semester my daughter had tried several things, figured out what worked, and raised her test grades significantly. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 (edited) My ds has two classes with Memoria Press this year (American History and Logic). Although we have not used them before this year we have had experience with several online providers. MPOA seems to be a good fit and the courses appear to be solid yet manageable in workload. I am also interested in any feedback on MPOA going forward. I asked about the chemistry class here a few days ago. One thing I have noticed is that there are not many reviews (at least that i have found) out there. Yet, they have been around a long time and they have a large selection of classes that seem to fill up. I think one reason for fewer reviews may be that so many of the folks using MPOA are Memoria Press users generally, and they tend to focus their energies at the MP forums. Here is a link to the forum at Memoria Press for things related to the Online Academy. Naturally, the MP forums tend to be on the more-positive side (ie, if MP things don't work for a person, that person is unlikely to be spending much time on a MP forum) but I find the threads very useful. We've only used the online component in middle school so far, and I see that high school science classes are only open to students grade 9 and above, so that element seems less flexible than other providers. On the other hand, the customer service is terrific and they have helped us with an unusual situation (we transferred into a Latin class mid-year last year) very gracefully so it would be worth contacting them for special situations. We do not line up with MP theologically: MP instructors are required, I believe, to affirm their belief in the statements of the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds. However, MP Online Academy "warmly welcomes" students of all faiths, commits to respect all faiths and has provided a wonderful environment for my child. Edited January 3, 2018 by serendipitous journey 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 I briefly talked to a friend today & remembered this request. So, this IRL friend's daughter took it live last year. My friend's daughter (10th grade this year) is pretty independent, so friend wasn't sure how much time she spent, but it didn't sound like a huge time suck. I believe they did dissections at home from what she said. The daughter enjoyed the class so much that she's now taking anatomy & physiology and looking into a vet. sciences major. Sorry I can't be of more help. Has anyone used Homeschool Connections Biology? I'd like to compare it, too, since it has a live option. I haven't heard much about it, so please share your thoughts if you have any experience with it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 (edited) Oops. Wrong thread. Edited January 13, 2018 by sbgrace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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