Switched On Schoolhouse Algebra 1

[Dennis In Va]

Hello,

Am I the only one who has found to the Switched On Schoolhouse (SOS) Algebra 1 program to be the absolute worst Algebra 1 program in existence and an absolute nightmare to work with?

I am a math tutor who has 3 students trying to plow through this monstrosity of a program, and it is driving me bananas as well.

This program counts answers wrong for the most ridiculous reasons.
For example:

Let's suppose the answer to a problem is a+b and you answer it with the following:

a + b

It will be counted wrong because of the spacing between the variables and the plus sign. That's a no-no.

If you answer with b+a, it will count it wrong as well, as the variables are supposed to be in alphabetical order, unless:

If the answer is B+a, that is okay and counted right, because capital letter variables go first (a+B will be counted wrong!), regardless of alphabetical order, unless:

If the answer is a-B, that is okay, and -B+a will be counted wrong, because negative variables are not supposed to go first, even if they are capital letters.

Do you see how confusing this gets?

Another maddening aspect to this problem are the answer space boxes. They can often be extremely confusing and counter-intuitive.

Another thing I don't like about the problem is that the program will actually insult you with the following comment if you repeatedly get an answer wrong.

"You can do better than that!"

The other day this program blurted out this comment to one of my students several times, after submitting what I regarded as perfectly correct and legitimate answers, but they were not the exact answers which were programmed into their system. I felt like this program was insulting me as well.

This is only a sample of the many frustrations my students and I have experienced with this program.

The parents of the students I am tutoring with this program are also frustrated with it, and they have sworn they will never order another SOS math program again.

Has anybody else experienced similar frustrations with this program?

Thanks for letting me vent.

Dennis In Va

[Kim in TN]

The program is correct, "You can do better than that!" :)

I tried SOS 3rd grade one year. I had such high hopes. It seemed like the perfect program. My daughter loved to use the computer and I thought the automatic grading would be wonderful. It was bad! We had the same problems as you are having. Sometimes the answer wouldn't even be covered in the lesson.

Very frustrating for students and parents! :thumbdown:

[Dennis In Va]

The program is correct, "You can do better than that!" :)

I tried SOS 3rd grade one year. I had such high hopes. It seemed like the perfect program. My daughter loved to use the computer and I thought the automatic grading would be wonderful. It was bad! We had the same problems as you are having. Sometimes the answer wouldn't even be covered in the lesson.

Very frustrating for students and parents! :thumbdown:

Hello Kim,

Thank you very much for validating my frustrations with this program with your very own.

For some reason, a lot of homeschooling parents in my area get talked into buying this program, even after doing a lot of research.

One parent told me after doing his research.

"Switched On Schoolhouse is supposed to be the best."

Right now, after going through all the frustrations he is also experiencing with its Algebra 1 program with his daughter, he is singing a different tune.

If there is a worse Algebra 1 program in existence, I would hate to see it.

Best Wishes,

Dennis In VA

[Ame E.]

As a math tutor, is there an algebra I program you particularly like that is good for a child who tends to have difficulty in math.

Thanks

Ame E.

[Chipper]

I know this post is from '08 but I have been looking into possibly using SOS to supplement and have heard the same frustrations about the program in general not just with Algebra. I'm so glad you took the time to type out exactly what the frustration was (i.e. you 've got to type it perfectly the way they want it) and probably won't use it. Our son is liking Video Text Algebra and doing well with it.

[LuvingLife]

Hello,

Am I the only one who has found to the Switched On Schoolhouse (SOS) Algebra 1 program to be the absolute worst Algebra 1 program in existence and an absolute nightmare to work with?

I am a math tutor who has 3 students trying to plow through this monstrosity of a program, and it is driving me bananas as well.

This program counts answers wrong for the most ridiculous reasons.
For example:

Let's suppose the answer to a problem is a+b and you answer it with the following:

a + b

It will be counted wrong because of the spacing between the variables and the plus sign. That's a no-no.

If you answer with b+a, it will count it wrong as well, as the variables are supposed to be in alphabetical order, unless:

If the answer is B+a, that is okay and counted right, because capital letter variables go first (a+B will be counted wrong!), regardless of alphabetical order, unless:

If the answer is a-B, that is okay, and -B+a will be counted wrong, because negative variables are not supposed to go first, even if they are capital letters.

Do you see how confusing this gets?

Another maddening aspect to this problem are the answer space boxes. They can often be extremely confusing and counter-intuitive.

Another thing I don't like about the problem is that the program will actually insult you with the following comment if you repeatedly get an answer wrong.

"You can do better than that!"

The other day this program blurted out this comment to one of my students several times, after submitting what I regarded as perfectly correct and legitimate answers, but they were not the exact answers which were programmed into their system. I felt like this program was insulting me as well.

This is only a sample of the many frustrations my students and I have experienced with this program.

The parents of the students I am tutoring with this program are also frustrated with it, and they have sworn they will never order another SOS math program again.

Has anybody else experienced similar frustrations with this program?

Thanks for letting me vent.

Dennis In Va

I was in the same boat as you were! SOS Algebra 1 made me hate algebra, and I have never hated math before! I don't like it and I will never order another math, science, or english program again from them!:angry: