Quick Study Labs

A friend told me about this website/company called Quick Study Labs; her son is taking one course right now and he really enjoys it. The mother is impressed by the course and her son loves doing the course work also. My older son will be taking it in the next session, later this month.

This is an online distance class also labeled as a “teacher assisted Internet class” for homeschooled children in the field of electronics. The teacher is a college professor of engineering and his children are homeschooled.

My friend’s son is taking the course for children aged 8-11 which is called “The Edison Project”. If your child is gifted in this area the teacher may grant permission to do the class at an earlier age than 8. The company also offers other classes for children aged 12 and up (see the site for details).

Lessons are posted to the site each week of the class and you view them on the site after entering your password. The child works on their own (or I guess a parent could help out if needed). There is also correspondence with the teacher via email.

This “Edison Project” class is a first electronics class for homeschooled children who appear to be gifted in this field or are at least very self-motivated to learn about it. My friend explains that after an assignment is finished, certain information must be emailed to the professor and then he writes back (very promptly, she adds).

There are two materials for the “Edison Project” course. One is a snap circuit kit which costs $53 at Radio Shack. They also need a certain digital multimeter which you have the option to buy from the instructor for $18.

The next session of course one in the “Edison Project” begins on October 23, 2006, so there is still time to sign up. This is the first of a series of classes, they can go on to do more and more classes as time goes on, they build upon each other.

The site also has a long article about what “The Edison Trait” is which I found very interesting. A book has been written on this topic by Lucy Jo Pallidino PhD and the book is now on my 'to read' list.



I have been thinking that this format of an online correspondence class for young homeschoolers opens yet another window of opportunity for homeschooled students to learn from adults who are experienced in a certain field that they are passionate about. It is also a possible part-time job for adults or homeschooling parents who may feel they have expertise in a certain area that they can share in the form of a class for homeschooled students. Of course this is also yet another way that the Internet can open new doors for learners.

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