Study.com pros & cons

[Lacedonia4]

I just enrolled on study.com and completed my first course and it is taking time for me to adjust to this  platform. I am used to more traditional courses, that generally have a textbook and I take a ton of notes. 

Already this last course I took on SL was Acrobatiq without textbook and found it a little frustrating.

But being completely new to study.com I found this platform most frustrating, to start with when you unenroll the course won't restart from zero, I wish there was an option. 

The best of 3 on quizzes is not viewable, the score is hidden from the student. Unless I am missing where to view the real time score. Otherwise it says all 5/5 100% 
I am used to have a real time idea of my progress. Do not need a feel good score that is not the real final one.

Third and last frustration is the quizzes that are shared among different courses and show already completed when I haven't even started a course, not giving me the chance to better my score nor giving me the option to say no I want to start this course from scratch.

Is there a reset time from unenrollment that makes the course go back from start ?

I know the price is good, the app is user friendly, and the courses are rather easy, especially since it has all the last UL courses I need to graduate and I am studying and doing my best but for some reason I am not happy with the platform and almost want to take the rest of courses with TESU since I can use finaid for a few more terms.

Am I the only one feeling like this about SDC? 

I have had zero problems with all the other platforms, sophia, Straighterline, TESU, TECEP, CLEP, etc.

I was surprised at my own frustration with SDC as I was expecting an easy transition to a different platform. And SDC support is zero help. 

I contacted them and they said the 5/5 I see is the final quiz score but that is not what the syllabus says. 
Have they changed some rules? Are they giving unlimited tries to the quizzes? Or the scoring is different for the $60 plan?

[tallpilot]

I just enrolled on sudy.com and completed my first course and it is taking time for me to adjust to this  platform. I am used to more traditional courses, that generally have a textbook and I take a ton of notes. 

Already this last course I took on SL was Acrobatiq without textbook and found it a little frustrating.

But being completely new to study.com I found this platform most frustrating, to start with when you unenroll the course won't restart from zero, I wish there was an option. 

The best of 3 on quizzes is not viewable, the score is hidden from the student. Unless I am missing where to view the real time score. Otherwise it says all 5/5 100% 
I am used to have a real time idea of my progress. Do not need a feel good score that is not the real final one.

Third and last frustration is the quizzes that are shared among different courses and show already completed when I haven't even started a course, not giving me the chance to better my score nor giving me the option to say no I want to start this course from scratch.

Is there a reset time from unenrollment that makes the course go back from start ?

I know the price is good, the app is user friendly, and the courses are rather easy, especially since it has all the last UL courses I need to graduate and I am studying and doing my best but for some reason I am not happy with the platform and almost want to take the rest of courses with TESU since I can use finaid for a few more terms.

Am I the only one feeling like this about SDC? 

I have had zero problems with all the other platforms, sophia, Straighterline, TESU, TECEP, CLEP, etc.

I was surprised at my own frustration with SDC as I was expecting an easy transition to a different platform. And SDC support is zero help. 

I contacted them and they said the 5/5 I see is the final quiz score but that is not what the syllabus says. 
Have they changed some rules? Are they giving unlimited tries to the quizzes? Or the scoring is different for the $60 plan?

I'm sorry you are frustrated.  I was reading your other thread and I am somewhat curious if there is either a bug in the app or if you are correct and only the college accelerator plan enforces the three try limit.  If it says 5/5 I can't see how anything different is going to come up when you finish them all.  But if you aren't on the accelerator plan yet probably nothing is going to come up so we won't know until you upgrade.  I don't know because I've only been on the accelerator plan but I thought I read you don't get the dashboard without it.

The fact that you don't get to try the quizzes again when you start a different course or when you unenroll is a dual edged sword.  But I like the system because it makes subsequent courses in the same subject matter faster.  From my perspective that is its best feature.  It was faster than Sophia from the beginning and the more I did the faster it got. I seriously doubt I could do 5 Sophia courses in a month but I could on SDC and upper level to boot.

The platform isn't without its problems.  The way courses are pieced together with modules from other courses written by multiple authors leads to a fair amount of redundancy and sometimes outright contradiction.

Take a deep breath though and think about the nightmare of a TESU course with weekly written assignments requiring a laundry list of APA citations, ProctorU, mentors who ignore rubrics and grade capriciously if they even bother to grade in a timely manner at all, etc.

[Lacedonia4]

Thank you for your reply, I do have a dashboard but it doesn't show the detailed scores for each quiz.
Does it show it on the college accelerator version?

I will have to just take a deep breath and take the courses I need and move on, making sure I keep track of my own progress.

As for the 5/5 scoring I don't think it is a glitch as SDC support also confirmed when I wrote to them.


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I don't see what the platform gains at not giving the real time score when one is enrolled on a different plan, other that making the student believe they are doing ok and then 'surprise' them once they upgrade but then to reset the course one is forced to take the exam?



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[CableGuy98]

I just enrolled on sudy.com and completed my first course and it is taking time for me to adjust to this  platform. I am used to more traditional courses, that generally have a textbook and I take a ton of notes. 

Already this last course I took on SL was Acrobatiq without textbook and found it a little frustrating.

But being completely new to study.com I found this platform most frustrating, to start with when you unenroll the course won't restart from zero, I wish there was an option. 

The best of 3 on quizzes is not viewable, the score is hidden from the student. Unless I am missing where to view the real time score. Otherwise it says all 5/5 100% 
I am used to have a real time idea of my progress. Do not need a feel good score that is not the real final one.

Third and last frustration is the quizzes that are shared among different courses and show already completed when I haven't even started a course, not giving me the chance to better my score nor giving me the option to say no I want to start this course from scratch.

Is there a reset time from unenrollment that makes the course go back from start ?

I know the price is good, the app is user friendly, and the courses are rather easy, especially since it has all the last UL courses I need to graduate and I am studying and doing my best but for some reason I am not happy with the platform and almost want to take the rest of courses with TESU since I can use finaid for a few more terms.

Am I the only one feeling like this about SDC? 

I have had zero problems with all the other platforms, sophia, Straighterline, TESU, TECEP, CLEP, etc.

I was surprised at my own frustration with SDC as I was expecting an easy transition to a different platform. And SDC support is zero help. 

I contacted them and they said the 5/5 I see is the final quiz score but that is not what the syllabus says. 
Have they changed some rules? Are they giving unlimited tries to the quizzes? Or the scoring is different for the $60 plan?

Concur w/Tallpilot...

I'm in week 11 of 12 with my TESU course as we speak- until TESU adds video content or changes their format, your interaction is even more limited in my opinion... throw in a full time job+ life, it's easy to wind up just as frustrated with TESU courses.. wont even mention the TESU App and lack of functionality.

I just completed BUS-311 with Study.com and I'm working on physics & computer science courses- its a huge relief knowing the intro quizzes (lectures) I'm completing now will eliminate having to watch them all over again as I progress through other science courses- that works to the benefit of the student.

I do think you need to take a moment to exhale and learn the Study.com format... If there's ever anything you don't fully understand, don't take the quiz... rewatch the video or, youtube search that topic for videos at length. The only advantage Sophia has over SDC is the built-in proctor option... Other than that, SDC is a win-win for those who have a target amount of time, and a target number of courses to complete- They'd probably make more money if they made students watch the exact same video(s) repeatedly, but instead they are crediting you for what you've demonstrated competency in.

SDC/alternative learning platforms never replace a brick & mortar class, BUT... they have thinned out a lot of the fluff along with question & answer exchange you would get with brick & mortar- they are telling you exactly what you need to know (the same outcomes of brick & mortar)... 

SDC definitely isn't for everyone, I read that you like to take tons of notes- with 5-9 minute videos, there's not a ton of time for note taking, but you also have the option of reading the lessons vice watching the videos... perhaps that may be more helpful? I'm on the accelerator program, so I assume I can see/access everything they offer, but regardless, hang in there and get done what you need to get done!

[Lacedonia4]

Thanks, yes I totally agree, yes I do have the option to read the video transcript.

My problem is with the fact they won't show the real time scoring. That makes it difficult for me to decide to upgrade. I believe students should have the option to drop a course, losing money even, and have a right to real time score so one has a good idea of how they are going to fare in the final exam.

These should be valid concerns for students when taking a course, no matter if they're spending one dollar or one thousand dollars.

I already completed a course and all quizzes say 5/5. I confirmed with support that is the final score, they confirmed it, so I will go with that.



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[Merlin]

I just enrolled on study.com and completed my first course and it is taking time for me to adjust to this  platform. I am used to more traditional courses, that generally have a textbook and I take a ton of notes. 

Already this last course I took on SL was Acrobatiq without textbook and found it a little frustrating.

I find your perspective interesting since most of the things you point out I see as plusses, not negatives.

One of the big things I hate about traditional college courses (and SL to some extent) is that they make you read a textbook where only like 25-50% of the material is relevant to the course and the rest feels like fluff added by the author to pad their word count to drive up the price of the text. So you're forced to read and take copious notes and try to make an educated guess on what is or is not important.

SDC, on the other hand, focuses only on material that is directly relevant to the courses and covers what you will be tested on. While you may not learn a subject as broadly as you might from reading a textbook, you are likely to remember more of what you learn because of the teaching style and there is less material to focus on so you should retain more. At least in my opinion.

But being completely new to study.com I found this platform most frustrating, to start with when you unenroll the course won't restart from zero, I wish there was an option.

Why would you want this? One of the big reasons you can accelerate with SDC is because once you take the quizzes you don't have to take them again when you find courses that overlap with ones you've taken before. This means you only have to focus on the new information. You can go back to review old work, but you don't have to unless you want to. Not having to review things you already know and take quizzes on them again saves SOOO much time.

In fact, this is one of the acceleration tips we give people. For your GenEd's take a bunch of courses that overlap so each course after the first one ends up with less and less new material to lean. I ended up taking most of the Psychology courses on SDC for this reason. I also happen to enjoy Psychology, but it worked out well for me.

The best of 3 on quizzes is not viewable, the score is hidden from the student. Unless I am missing where to view the real time score. Otherwise it says all 5/5 100% 
I am used to have a real time idea of my progress. Do not need a feel good score that is not the real final one.

If it says 5/5 that means 5/5. I don't think the 3 test limit is actually in place. But then again I am pretty sure I never had to take an exam more than twice so I don't think I ever hit that limit.

Third and last frustration is the quizzes that are shared among different courses and show already completed when I haven't even started a course, not giving me the chance to better my score nor giving me the option to say no I want to start this course from scratch.

Is there a reset time from unenrollment that makes the course go back from start ?

See my point above about why this is a good thing. This means you can come back after having taken courses and complete related courses and not be stuck having to retake material you already learned.

[Lacedonia4]

Thank you, technically they are not entirely bad things as long as the score I see is the final one.

Also the restart of a course from scratch gives you the option to improve your score if you don't feel like you scored high enough.

I am a little too old school when it comes to my learning style but I have read others too on the forum prefer to have a textbook for a variety of reasons, to study offline if internet is not that great is often one of the many reasons, and, for instance, Acrobatiq from SL doesn't come with Vitalsource textbook and haven't seen many fans of this version of SL course either, specifically for the lack of textbook.

SDC makes too many decisions for the student and makes me feel I don't have control on the course. Have seen others complaining about all these limitations on the amount of exams per month but I think that is more a financial strategy so they get more money that way.

I will complete the rest of these courses for this month and then I will let you guys know if I decided to upgrade to submit the work and take the exams.

Don't get me wrong, I like the idea, and I need only 5 courses so fits perfect in the 5 per month limit.
It was a surprise to myself that I found all these little things extremely frustrating.

That is why I was looking for some input from anyone that went from the $60 plan to the $199 if they encountered any changes on the scores.

Scores shouldn't change, otherwise it is just an enticement to make money off the students, some kind of bait and switch, that should not be allowed in a honest business.

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[LevelUP]

One of the big things I hate about traditional college courses (and SL to some extent) is that they make you read a textbook where only like 25-50% of the material is relevant to the course and the rest feels like fluff added by the author to pad their word count to drive up the price of the text. So you're forced to read and take copious notes and try to make an educated guess on what is or is not important.

Agree that a typical college and SL course gives you a 1000+ page textbook, then acts like you are supposed to read and memorize the whole thing which is physically impossible. What you are actually tested on is a small percentage of the material.

With Sophia/Study/Instantcert their content combined is around 300 pages or less which is much more manageable. If you study the quizzes/practice tests you will always pass the final.

People new to online learning don't realize this is like going from a bike to a car. Way easier way to get to point A to B.

I seriously doubt I could do 5 Sophia courses in a month but I could on SDC and upper level to boot.

Sophia I have found to be quicker but Study.com is fast too once you get the hang of it.

2 windows open side by side, one window for the course lesson, the other for the quizzes. Works fast that way. Knowing how to search for specific text helps too. Getting 100% on quizzes is easy. If you are not getting 100% then you are doing it wrong.

Once you average 100% the quizzes, you give yourself an easy layup on the exam having to only score 50%.

[Lacedonia4]

Agree that it is hard to get it wrong on SDC but would like the option to see all my scores to make sure.

Especially with app is easy to click on wrong answer and then it moves on without option to review all answers before submitting.

Asking to be able to view all the scores is not asking too much.
Especially if the 100% is let's say on the 4th try, it won't show you how you scored on the first three.

I am surprised that no one has mentioned this particular issue.

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[jsh1138]

The two biggest pro's to Study.com are 1) they have an app, and 2) coursework carries over from course to course so you can finish courses faster