Review of CompuScholar, Inc.

We have used several of CompuScholar, Inc.'s products in the past (most recently Digital Savvy last summer), so I was very happy for the chance to be able to review them again. This time, Nicholas got to try out Web Design. (N.B. in the past, Therese learned Visual Basic with CompuScholar, Inc. back when they were still known as Homeschool Programming. You can that review here. She was 11 back then - she's 15 now!). We have always loved both the process and the result with this company, so I knew that we would not be disappointed with Web Design!
Recommended for grades 6-12, Web Design covers many elements of basic web design, including web site layout, HTML5 symbols and elements, CSS effects spacing and positioning, graphics and image editing, JavaScript and jQuery, and more. The course syllabus will tell you exactly what is covered.

Nicholas (13) had this to say about Web Design: the lessons go very slowly. They teach you one small thing per lesson. I like that the teacher tells you what to do and then she opens the notepad either on Mac or Windows to demonstrate. I like the quizzes and tests. I think they are a good feature. Overall, I think the course is too little-kiddish for me. 

Nicholas has had the advantage of doing other web design classes before (from Chris Yust of Homeschool Programming (CompuScholar, Inc.), actually), that he feels moved at a much brisker pace than this one, which is where his "constructive criticism" comes from. I think that if he hadn't had any exposure to any kind of web design before, he would have loved this course. It's only because the information in it wasn't new that he felt that it moved too slowly for him. In spite of that feeling, though, he had no problem sitting down to the course every day. In fact, I often found him at his computer with his headphones on during school time. I would be ready to rebuke him for playing games or chatting with his friends only to realize that he was actually working on this course.

So how exactly does the course work? Each lesson proceeds in the same way: the lesson begins with a short video, followed by text. The text is supplemental to the video. It is not a verbatim transcription. You really need both for a complete lesson. After the text, you take a five-question quiz. Each chapter is comprised of multiple lessons and culminates in an exam. All along the way, the student is building a web page! The instructor is building a web page on raptors and birds of prey. Nicholas's web page is on games and gaming.

If you or your child is looking for a beginning course on web design, this one would be perfect. CompuScholar, Inc. always puts out quality computer courses, and this one is no exception. If you're looking for a more general course on computer skills, check out Digital Savvy. I think Java Programming is next up for Nicholas. He has dabbled in various computer programming courses long enough that I think he is ready for a real challenge! Crew members reviewed all three of these courses, so be sure to click the banner below to read all of their reviews!