Study.com vs. Straighterline Microbiology +

[JohnnyHeck]

Both Study.com and Straighterline are subscription course credit granting offerings. What are the comparative advantages of each approach? Will it vary by specific course? I am most interested in Microbiology. Thanks

[cookderosa]

Both Study.com and Straighterline are subscription course credit granting offerings. What are the comparative advantages of each approach? Will it vary by specific course? I am most interested in Microbiology. Thanks

They are both ACE credit, so equal in that regard.
Study dot com is video lesson based - watch the videos, take a quiz, take practice tests, take proctored exam. One price, all included.
Straighterline is reading based - read the material, take a quiz, do homework, take a proctored exam. Subscription price plus course price. E-book has to be purchased.

If it takes you 1 month - Study dot com is $200 all in.
Straighterline would be $99 + $59 + (lab supplies fee?) = ?

[adavis84]

...Study dot com is video lesson based ...
...Straighterline is reading based ...

+1

One thing, though: price comparison including lab supplies isn't really apples to apples. SL w/ lab isn't a direct comparison to study.com, the 3cr microbio by itself is. The SL ebook (if purchased through them) is nearly $150. Of course, you're not bound to purchase from them at that price.

I was all set to take SL microbio, but at last minute went the Study.com route because I strongly prefer/benefit from videos rather than reading. However, from what I can gather, the Study.com course has more "busy work." Still a better route for me because of my learning style.

[JohnnyHeck]

Yes, I don't need the lab either. When I read the Saylor/Straighterline syllabus, it looked by a bear of a course. The video's with quizzes seems so much easier. Let me know how it finally comes out for you: expended hours, difficulty of course final, etc. Thanks

[sanantone]

You can take SL Microbiology without the lab. As a matter of fact, the lab can only be purchased separately. Also, the lecture course is only $25 plus the subscription fee and uses Saylor materials. There may or may not be a mix of videos in the Saylor course. I haven't checked.

[adavis84]

I started the Saylor course first, and it does indeed have a mix of reading and videos (heavily weighted toward reading).

I felt I wanted a little more hand-holding and smaller incremental checks of what I'd learned. Study.com is just that.

[CM1999]

I switched from SL to Study.com. I like the format ---short videos and then 5 quiz questions. You can read a transcript of the video if you want/need to. I think I like the fact that I can be sure that what I'm absorbing IS what they want me to be learning. It also works really well on my phone..I can play the videos while I'm doing other things (cooking, cleaning, driving, etc).

[txnicole]

Also pretty sure that the Study.com $200 monthly fee will cover you doing 2 courses in a month, not just one.

[JohnnyHeck]

the Study.com $200 monthly fee will cover you doing 2 courses in a month.

The independent user's subscription fee is $100/month.
Subscribe to Study.com Scroll to bottom of web page.

For $50 you get unlimited access to all the videos in any course but no quizzes or CBE's for courses that have them. One of my students is using this option now to supplement his OhioU correspondence course in Stats.

[cookderosa]

If you need the lab, obviously the SL is more expensive, but it's also the only one -of the two you are choosing from- that has a lab.