Looking for web based calculus course

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Shawn Ambrose, Sep 14, 2007.

Loading...
  1. Shawn Ambrose

    Shawn Ambrose New Member

    I am looking for a web-based college calculus course for my daughter (who is 14). She is ripping through her college math course at Clovis Community College, but alas, they don't offer Calculus online.

    And BTW, less expensive is a good thing for Dad :)

    Shawn
     
  2. AV8R

    AV8R Active Member

  3. galizur

    galizur New Member

    Many community colleges offer calculus, so I'd check the usual suspects in New Mexico and Arizona. If you're in California, community colleges are very inexpensive for residents and many offer calculus online.

    Berkeley's always an option, but it'll run you $700.

    http://www.unex.berkeley.edu/cat/course597.html

    You can take Calculus self-study through Penn Foster for less than $200, including books, but Penn Foster is NA not RA. It is, however, ACE evaluated for 4 college credits.

    -Chris
     
  4. Shawn Ambrose

    Shawn Ambrose New Member

    Thanks for the advice. Alas, none of the CC's in New Mexico offer Calc I online. The search continues...

    Shawn
     
  5. raristud2

    raristud2 New Member

    - Louisiana State University has a courses titled " Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 " at a cost of $375

    http://www.is.lsu.edu/coursefactsheet.asp?nid=301&Rubric=MATH&CourseNr=1550&Version=R

    - Brigham Young University offers an " Introduction to Calculus " course at a cost of $548

    http://ce.byu.edu/is/site/courses/description.cfm?subject=75&course=MATH119Introduction%2520to%2520Calculus

    - Taking a Clep calculus exam may be an option. There is no minimum age required to take the exams.

    http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/ex_calc.html
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 15, 2007
  6. Shawn Ambrose

    Shawn Ambrose New Member

    Thanks for those options - but alas, those are independent study. My daughter likes having the web based course (so far.) If I can't find one at a reasonable price, then we're looking the LSU or University of Wyoming route.

    Shawn
     
  7. RKanarek

    RKanarek Member

    Greetings,

    Were it not for your daughter's unaccountable preference for ghastly online learning rather than "proper" <g> study by correspondence, and if her interest were strictly for personal development (and not for college credit), "MTH 320 - College Calculus I" from the totally unaccredited www.calcampus.com wouldn't be a bad choice. While the cost has gotten somewhat high ($390 + a one time registration fee of $50) over the decades it's been available, the assigned text is as merciful a calculus book as she could hope for, and help from a real (former high school) teacher (with unassailable qualifications and a kindly demeanor) is only an e-mail away.

    Again, this probably isn't of use to you, but I thought I'd mention it in case it should prove useful to someone.

    Cordially,
    Richard Kanarek


    P.S. Calcampus.com also has several other calculus courses available, including a lower priced ($195) "High School" course. Unfortunately, the other courses (both HS & "College" level) use the same text book, and the book is quite simply awful. Perhaps they are flexible on which textbook is used where?

    P.P.S. If she's keen on studying math on her own, I could suggest a few books.
     
  8. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    In theory she could combine this approach with taking the CLEP afterward to ensure she gets credit later.

    -=Steve=-
     
  9. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    RKanarek: "...the totally unaccredited www.calcampus.com wouldn't be a bad choice..."

    Ray Chasse used to offer diplomas from one of his other enterprises, American Coastline University, to people who had completed enough CalCampus courses . . . but he is no longer with us.

    What got me through introductory calculus with an A was a superb book, Calculus Made Easy, by Silvanus Thompson . . . which I am delighted to see is still in print, after more than 100 years. Here's the first page,which gives a good taste of it: http://tinyurl.com/29bl4f
     
  10. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Fascinating. John, do you know where I could find an edition of this that's old enough to be in the public domain? I work with people who could make it available to lots of people that way, click on the WikiEducator link in my sig for more info.

    Thanks,

    -=Steve=-
     
  11. AV8R

    AV8R Active Member

    That looks like a great book! I think I learned something just by reading the first page.
     
  12. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    Steve -- Looks like there have been only 4 editions in 98 years: 1910, 1914, 1946, and the one Martin Gardner annotated in 1998. The 1948 one would seem to meet the 56-year-old requirement for expired copyright. Here's one for ten bucks: http://tinyurl.com/2kcfcy

    John
     
  13. Shawn Ambrose

    Shawn Ambrose New Member

    I wrote a letter today to the President of Clovis Community College asking if there has been any consideration given to offering Calculus I, II, or III online? I believe that if CCC offered Calculus online with their reasonable tuition that there would be plenty of students for the class. We'll see what happens.

    Shawn
     
  14. Shawn Ambrose

    Shawn Ambrose New Member

  15. Tom57

    Tom57 Member

    Johns Hopkins and Stanford both have online calculus courses for high schoolers. Stanford's is under the acronym EPGY (Education Program for Gifted Youth).

    Here's the calculus course: http://epgy.stanford.edu/courses/math/M040/

    There is an application process and it costs about $500.
     
  16. Shawn Ambrose

    Shawn Ambrose New Member

    Back to the drawing board...according to AWC Calc I will be offered in the fall, but not Spring, when my daughter would be in sequence to take it... :eek:

    Shawn
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 13, 2008
  17. BlackBird

    BlackBird Member

    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 13, 2008
  18. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    A former colleague of mine took calculus through LSU independent study. The courses simply worked through the textbook (which was quite good), one chapter at a time. LSU also provided a set of lecture notes to accompany each chapter in the text.

    There were assigned homework problems for each chapter, which were submitted using special envelopes/labels that LSU provided. The LSU instructor graded the homework and mailed it back with comments. There were two or three exams per course, which were proctored at the local community college.

    The homework problems were rigorous (I know, because I helped with some of them), and I understand that the exams were tough as well. They were definitely "real" calculus courses, and the cost was quite reasonable.

    However, there was no interaction with other students, and relatively little interaction with the instructor. I think the instructor was available for questions via email; however, my colleague found he could get free help from the engineers in the office instead. So he rarely, if ever, bothered to consult with the instructor.

    The LSU approach worked well for my colleague, but I think it was partly because he had "calculus mentors" close at hand to assist when necessary. It might not work as well for someone who lacked such mentors, or who preferred a more structured learning environment and/or a closer relationship with an instructor.
     
  19. Shawn Ambrose

    Shawn Ambrose New Member

    Don't know if I am ready to spend over $3,000 for the course though

    Shawn
     
  20. Shawn Ambrose

    Shawn Ambrose New Member

    If we end up going through the Independent Study route, we will probably use the University of Wyoming. LSU does not permit the use of graphing calculators in their courses, while the University of Wyoming does. Costs are comparable, since LSU Calc I is 5 credits, while UW Calc I is 4 credits.

    Shawn
     

Share This Page