Any experience with Kinetic Books Physics?

[Dawn in MI]

Specifically, I'm looking at the Conceptual Physics course (which they claim is a little more rigourous than Hewitt's Conceptural Physics.) I'm wondering how the computer grading works, since I can't teach it or grade it myself. If you have any knowledge or advice about Kinetic's Conceptual Physics, I'd love to hear it!

--Dawn

[Anne/Ankara]

Dawn, we're using it now. Of course, I don't grade the exercises, but the main thing I like about the program (which is an inexpensive disk for $35) is the fantastic short video tutorials about the physics concepts, with animated exercises. So the student can put in various parameters and see the difference that those would make... hard to describe, but fun and informative. We have used it as a supplement to Hewitt's Conceptual Physics. I think it is often helpful to hear the lesson out loud, if you are an audio learner, rather than just read it from a textbook. The two methods together are effective for us.

[Dawn in MI]

I appreciated your taking the time to tell me about how you are using it as a supplement. What I'm looking for is a complete program, including the grading aspect. I'm not sure Kinetic Physics is it, although their website does make it sound like it could be?? I know Apologia Physics could be done at home, but perhaps it will work out that my son can do it as dual enrollment at a local university. I'm not a science person & "teaching" physics makes me a bit queasy, I guess. :)

Thanks again!
Dawn

[Bev in B'ville]

Dawn, Have you looked at Thinkwell applications (www.thinkwell.com (http://www.thinkwell.com))? They have a physics online type of class (pre-recorded lectures, quizzes, exams, etc). I've been told this is college level (think AP), but my dd is not doing AP, just a strong Chemistry course. I'm using Thinkwell's Chemistry next year for my dd. She'll use a textbook and Teaching Co. DVDs, too. The part I like about Thinkwell is that they provide lectures, quizzes, and exams, all online. This way, I (who remembers next to nothing about my two quarters of Chemistry as an undergrad) can confidently test my dd and have it graded.

[Anne/Ankara]

And, Dawn, the Thinkwell Physics is done by Stephen Pollack, who is the same professor who does the Teaching Company "Great Ideas of Classical Phyics," which we have watched and enjoyed. We have sporadically watched the Thinkwell lectures, which are very complete, but did watch all the Teaching Company series. Recommended.

[Dawn in MI]

:)