Sophia Quality... Questionable?

[CableGuy98]

Hey everyone! It's been a long time since I've posted on the forums but I just can't help but bring this up. 

I was taking some Sophia courses to test them out during the free period and I couldn't believe how easy they are. I took Sociology in just a day (just over 2 hours) and that's one of the longer ones! 

The most disappointing thing to me was the practice final. It's only 25 questions long, open book and not proctored. They of course have that typing test to verify that it's you, but you could have 10 people in the room helping you, or you could type the sentence and walk away to have someone else take the test. Not to mention, just opening other tabs on your computer, which it didn't seem to specifically say not to do. Although I didn't do that because it seemed like cheating and I wasn't sure of the rules, and it was so stupid easy I didn't need to. I didn't even need to use the open book material they prompt you to check during the test. Additionally, I went through it as quickly as I could so I didn't read one line of text from the transcripts, I only went through and took the quizzes and milestones. I don't say this to brag - rather to point out that I think anyone would do just fine with that method. Especially on the final, since some of the questions were so blatantly obvious a 10 year old could answer them. 

I understand that people shouldn't cheat even if they won't get caught, but it all just seems a little ridiculous. I know it's nice to have courses that are easy - I'd be lying if I said I didn't always look for the easiest CLEP, DSST, Straighterline and Study.com courses to meet my requirements. But something that easy (and easy to cheat on) seems like it really lowers the integrity of what it means for a course to be ACE approved. 

I'm honestly pretty disappointed to see this. But I'm curious to hear other opinions on it!

Typically I don't do a ton of posting here.. but I had to entertain this one..

Not trying to ridicule you, but you're not making a ton of sense my friend.   For starters, you simply can't beat FREE... $FREE.99 is what that course costed you- thankfully, the folks at Sophia are trying to do their part in helping those who are out of work, out of school, or out of luck do something to better themselves, one class at a time. 

As someone who has experienced the big campus environment, seminar courses with 100+ students and the rigors of trying to workaround nearly impossible instructor office hours to meet one-on-one with an instructor- alternative education sources such as Sophia, Study.com (SDC), Straighterline etc have proven to be invaluable not only in content, but also in accessibility to material you just don't get from most classroom environments at other institutions, not to mention a lifeline for working adults, military learners, and those who are balancing a career, family, and the ever changing educational demands to remain competitive in the workforce. To be able to engage this type of learning on ones own schedule from start to finish wherever you are is beyond convenient and further contributes to extending education to those who might live in the rural areas or simply not have the means to attend brick & mortar learning where that 10 year-old isn't allowed to answer questions, but you still have those other 10 people in the room who could help you with enough coercion.

Do remember these are 100-200 level courses- by no means is anyone a subject matter expert (SME) upon completing these courses or ANY college course for that matter, the same can be said for students at a traditional institutions... the goal is to introduce you to a new concept, something to add to your toolbox, something you can speak to understanding fundamentally without expert level knowledge. That said, if you find these courses too easy or beneath your study habits- Congratulations, 10 year-olds throughout the world likely idolize your abilities.. I offer you the typical undergrad process where in most cases you're a number in any given class, and best of luck getting that question you have about a formula/concept/theory answered, there is no rewind or pause button during lectures (at least not in the pre-COVID 19 world there weren't)... 

The fact that these alternative learning methods have been approved by ACE/NCCRS/Other accrediting bodies confirms the material itself meets the threshold for academic suitability- student integrity on the other hand rests soley on the student- You get out of the experience, what you put into it- having 10 people in the room or opening other tabs is your own personal integrity issue- the same students that choose to "go through it as quickly as I could so I didn't read one line of text from the transcripts" are generally the same ones that complain the material is "too difficult" or "not clearly explained" at a traditional university- so the pendulum swings in both directions.. 

As you said, "I'm curious to hear other opinions on it!".. well, you have my $0.02 the remaining $0.98 would have taken too much space on the page- 
I'm honestly pretty disappointed to see your post, I couldn't help but reply to it.