CompuScholar Web Design Course: Is It a Good Fit For Your Homeschooler?

As part of the Timberdoodle Blog Team, I have received complimentary access to this product. I have not been compensated for my time reviewing the product and producing this review. I have not been influenced in any way and my opinions on this product are my own.

Choosing an online tech class can feel like making your best guess. You want your child to learn real skills that they’ll actually retain and use in the future…not busywork.

If you’re eyeing the CompuScholar Web Design course from Timberdoodle, the main question is simple: will it teach website design in a way your child can handle at home? Here’s the quick, homeschool parent-focused take on this online web design course.

What the CompuScholar Web Design Course Teaches

At its core, this CompuScholar course teaches students how websites are built and styled with complete customization. Within the online dashboard, the CompuScholar Web Design course teaches 28 “chapters” worth of lessons plus 15 supplemental lessons & projects on topics such as:

• Basic web site layout
• HTML5 symbols and elements
• Text styles
• Hyperlinks and navigation bars
• CSS effects, spacing and positioning
• Graphics and image editing
• Tables
• Page design principles
• Dynamic menus
• Embedded audio and video
• JavaScript and jQuery

Do many of those topics seem foreign to you, too? Even as a content creator (and someone that’s built this very website), many of the “behind the scenes” parts of building a website are overwhelming to me!

Luckily for our kids, though, CompuScholar does a great job of mixing tech skill lessons with clear, step-by-step lessons including:

• Instructional Videos
• Informational Text
• Quizzes and Exams (automatically graded by the platform)
• Chapter Activities (hands-on projects, submitted for a grade)

By the end of the year-long course, students should be able to create clean, multi-page websites utilizing the skills they’ve acquired!

Why CompuScholar is Great for Homeschooling Families

One of my favorite perks about homeschooling is that we, as parents, get to provide our kids with a completely customized education. If we want to be a worldschooling family, we can do that. If my kids want to take all their classes online, they can do that. If they want to complete their lessons on Saturday & Sunday in addition to Monday-Friday (or instead of a few days during the week), they can do that.

All of those examples I gave? CompuScholar would fit into all of those schedules and then some! How?

• One Year Access: Even though the Web Design course is designed to be completed within 168 days (split between 2 semesters), users actually get one full year worth of access starting from the date the course is activated. So, no matter which schedule your student follows (if they even follow a schedule…we “get” being eclectic homeschoolers!), they’ll have plenty of time to complete all their lessons.
• Flexible: Since the course videos have already been pre-recorded, and there’s no live instructional time, students can complete the lessons on their own schedule. This is one of my favorite parts of the course since sometimes our schedules can vary from week to week!

• Three to Five Hours: Some curriculum schedules will have students in this grade level range (grades 6-12) allotting an hour or so per subject per day. With the CompuScholar Web Design course, the weekly lessons should only take 3-5 hours.
• Provided Timeline: Making lesson plans was not my favorite part of being a teacher, so I love that CompuScholar has included a 2-semester timeline parents (and students) can use as a guide when completing the course.

Our CompuScholar Experience

At this point, my 14 year old son has been taking his CompuScholar Web Design course for a few weeks. Here are three of our favorite parts:

• The Videos: The instructional videos are easy to follow and easy to pause in case portions need to be re-watched. As a person with hearing loss, I especially like that the videos come with an option for closed captioning (why isn’t this an option with instructional videos from all companies?!), making them accessible for all.
• The Instant Grading: I love that the platform takes care of the grading for me while my son likes the instant feedback – win-win!
• The Content: Even from the first lesson, my son (and I!) was learning new information. We both love that he’s been able to learn the basics of web design and has been learning skills that he can use immediately and could use in future careers.

Including the CompuScholar Web Design Course in Your Homeschool

If you’re looking for an online course so your child can learn web design, the CompuScholar course, included in the 9th grade Timberdoodle curriculum pack, is a solid choice. It’s a great option for kids that are motived to learn, can complete their lessons independently, and thrive with a pre-recorded, online setting.

I’m excited to see how my son progresses with this web design course. Who knows, maybe he’ll be the one redesigning my website in the future?!

Until next time, stay safe & enjoy quality time with your family,