Foundations of Technology or AP Computer Science Principles? Which would you recommend?

[Anonymous]

My DC is trying to decide whether to take Foundations of Technology or AP Computer Science Principles to fulfill the tech requirement. Is the AP Computer Science Principles as hard as a typical AP class? This would be for 10th grade.

DC is currently 9th grader in Honors Physics and Honors Algebra II. Middle School and High School Grades have been mostly A's with a couple of B's. Is the Foundations of Technology super easy that DC will be frustrated? Will AP Computer Science Principles be too hard? DC is more Humanities oriented (Humanities at Eastern and CAP at Blair).

Any helpful input and sharing of experience would be welcome!

[Anonymous]

My sophomore is in AP Computer Science Principles and it seems to be going well. It's not a hard class compared to other APs (though of course is too early to know how the AP test will go). FWIW, it's basically an online course so teachers may not have a lot of leeway to make the course their own. One of DC's teachers seemed less excited about this aspect of the course, but DC hasn't minded.

[Anonymous]

OP My DD is a 10th grader at PHS GE magnet. She found AP CS Principles class easy (took in 9th). She’s also more humanities kid not the math/ science kid. The AP test she found hard. Based on her experience, I’d say go with AP class but either have your DC study independently for the test or realize getting a good score on the AP exam will be tough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP My DD is a 10th grader at PHS GE magnet. She found AP CS Principles class easy (took in 9th). She’s also more humanities kid not the math/ science kid. The AP test she found hard. Based on her experience, I’d say go with AP class but either have your DC study independently for the test or realize getting a good score on the AP exam will be tough.

Something doesn't match up if your child found the class easy and the AP exam hard. Anyone with a child signing up for AP CS should make sure that the teacher is qualified to teach the class. We've had experiences in MCPS where they couldn't find a teacher who was a content specialist and moved another teacher to teach certain AP classes. The course content should align with the AP exam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP My DD is a 10th grader at PHS GE magnet. She found AP CS Principles class easy (took in 9th). She’s also more humanities kid not the math/ science kid. The AP test she found hard. Based on her experience, I’d say go with AP class but either have your DC study independently for the test or realize getting a good score on the AP exam will be tough.

Something doesn't match up if your child found the class easy and the AP exam hard. Anyone with a child signing up for AP CS should make sure that the teacher is qualified to teach the class. We've had experiences in MCPS where they couldn't find a teacher who was a content specialist and moved another teacher to teach certain AP classes. The course content should align with the AP exam.

In this case it doesn't matter. Take the class for the tech credit with weighted grade, don't take the exam it would never apply to a meaningful college credit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP My DD is a 10th grader at PHS GE magnet. She found AP CS Principles class easy (took in 9th). She’s also more humanities kid not the math/ science kid. The AP test she found hard. Based on her experience, I’d say go with AP class but either have your DC study independently for the test or realize getting a good score on the AP exam will be tough.

Something doesn't match up if your child found the class easy and the AP exam hard. Anyone with a child signing up for AP CS should make sure that the teacher is qualified to teach the class. We've had experiences in MCPS where they couldn't find a teacher who was a content specialist and moved another teacher to teach certain AP classes. The course content should align with the AP exam.

I'm glad that you are able to choose teachers for your kids. Most of us don't have the clout.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP My DD is a 10th grader at PHS GE magnet. She found AP CS Principles class easy (took in 9th). She’s also more humanities kid not the math/ science kid. The AP test she found hard. Based on her experience, I’d say go with AP class but either have your DC study independently for the test or realize getting a good score on the AP exam will be tough.

Something doesn't match up if your child found the class easy and the AP exam hard. Anyone with a child signing up for AP CS should make sure that the teacher is qualified to teach the class. We've had experiences in MCPS where they couldn't find a teacher who was a content specialist and moved another teacher to teach certain AP classes. The course content should align with the AP exam.

In this case it doesn't matter. Take the class for the tech credit with weighted grade, don't take the exam it would never apply to a meaningful college credit.

That's also true- but not getting a 5 on a test can also be a good wake up call too. My DD is studying her heart out for her AP's this year because she wants all 5's and knows she has to work for them.

[Anonymous]

AP Comp Sci Principles was designed to be a great intro for non-tech people. It shouldn't be a problem for a smart humanities kid. Everyone I know says that Intro to Tech kills brain cells. Another choice at some schools is Intro to Comp Science.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP My DD is a 10th grader at PHS GE magnet. She found AP CS Principles class easy (took in 9th). She’s also more humanities kid not the math/ science kid. The AP test she found hard. Based on her experience, I’d say go with AP class but either have your DC study independently for the test or realize getting a good score on the AP exam will be tough.

Something doesn't match up if your child found the class easy and the AP exam hard. Anyone with a child signing up for AP CS should make sure that the teacher is qualified to teach the class. We've had experiences in MCPS where they couldn't find a teacher who was a content specialist and moved another teacher to teach certain AP classes. The course content should align with the AP exam.

In this case it doesn't matter. Take the class for the tech credit with weighted grade, don't take the exam it would never apply to a meaningful college credit.

That's also true- but not getting a 5 on a test can also be a good wake up call too. My DD is studying her heart out for her AP's this year because she wants all 5's and knows she has to work for them.

It is a concern if doing well in the class isn't sufficient to do the same on the exam, but if ever there was a case to be made for not waisting money on the AP exam, it's this one.

[Anonymous]

OP here


Thank you everyone for your responses. It seems like the AP Computer Science Principles is getting the most recommendations by a long shot. Has anyone had a good/okay experience with the Foundations of Technology class?

I would rather DC took the AP CS Principles because I had heard pretty much what a previous poster had said -- CS for non-techy smart kids. DC is just worried about being overstressed during 10th grade year (which is rather tough in CAP at Blair) and thinking maybe taking a super easy class would be good. In other words, DC was thinking maybe F of Tech was what we used to call a GUT class. But if it is mind-numbing busy work, that doesn't seem like a good choice....

So if anyone had experience with Foundations of Technology -- Good or Bad -- would appreciate the data so we can make an informed choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here


Thank you everyone for your responses. It seems like the AP Computer Science Principles is getting the most recommendations by a long shot. Has anyone had a good/okay experience with the Foundations of Technology class?

I would rather DC took the AP CS Principles because I had heard pretty much what a previous poster had said -- CS for non-techy smart kids. DC is just worried about being overstressed during 10th grade year (which is rather tough in CAP at Blair) and thinking maybe taking a super easy class would be good. In other words, DC was thinking maybe F of Tech was what we used to call a GUT class. But if it is mind-numbing busy work, that doesn't seem like a good choice....

So if anyone had experience with Foundations of Technology -- Good or Bad -- would appreciate the data so we can make an informed choice.

My DC, also CAP, waited until the last minute and took FoT online, and that was a slog, but her impression is that during the school year, it would be a borderline fun class--a soft period where nearly all work is completed in school. But I'm guessing the other two courses aren't that different, there's plenty of course time to finish modules. FoT is just a little more hands on, egg drops, solar oven, things like that. The quizzes are hokey, multiple choice identifying stages of the engineering design process, etc.

[Anonymous]

OP- I'm the parent with the GE magnet kid whose kid took AP Computer Science Principles in 9th.

Here's my advice. You know your child better than anyone. If you think your child needs a super "easy" class because of the other classes DC is taking, then have your DC take FoT. Don't worry about what others think. Do what's best for your child.

In the grand scheme of life- it really doesn't matter. I doubt your child will be accepted or rejected to a particular college due to this one decision. What matters the most is that your DC is happy and engaged in the classes that DC is taking.

[Anonymous]

My kid took 3 APs soph year and 4APs jr year (now) took foundations of tech as a sophomore. He liked it, did fun stuff (create something to put an egg in so that when you drop it, it doesn't break, woodworking projects like a catapult, etc.) and was an easier class for him (he had the 3 APs and the rest honors plus tech...

Not sure why it's a technology class (seemed more like a shop class), but it was fun, met the requirement, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP- I'm the parent with the GE magnet kid whose kid took AP Computer Science Principles in 9th.

Here's my advice. You know your child better than anyone. If you think your child needs a super "easy" class because of the other classes DC is taking, then have your DC take FoT. Don't worry about what others think. Do what's best for your child.

In the grand scheme of life- it really doesn't matter. I doubt your child will be accepted or rejected to a particular college due to this one decision. What matters the most is that your DC is happy and engaged in the classes that DC is taking.

OP here:

Thanks for this. I'm not at all concerned about the whole compete to get into college thing. I just want to make sure DC isn't bored. It's always a tricky line to walk between challenging enough to be interesting and so challenging it is overwhelming!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP- I'm the parent with the GE magnet kid whose kid took AP Computer Science Principles in 9th.

Here's my advice. You know your child better than anyone. If you think your child needs a super "easy" class because of the other classes DC is taking, then have your DC take FoT. Don't worry about what others think. Do what's best for your child.

In the grand scheme of life- it really doesn't matter. I doubt your child will be accepted or rejected to a particular college due to this one decision. What matters the most is that your DC is happy and engaged in the classes that DC is taking.

OP here:

Thanks for this. I'm not at all concerned about the whole compete to get into college thing. I just want to make sure DC isn't bored. It's always a tricky line to walk between challenging enough to be interesting and so challenging it is overwhelming!

OP, you really need to do more reconnaissance at Blair. My DC is in another DCC school, and he was extremely stressed out taking one class (a lower level language class) that had non-serious students in it. Yes, it was easy and he moved on, but it was not at all enjoyable. There were many 18 year old students in the class who had previously failed and needed the class for graduation. So, let's hope this isn't the situation at Blair, but if it is, it could really change the tenor of the class.

This is why I hang out at PTSA meetings, to chat up the parents of older students so that I can get a feel for different classes. I also recommend posting a question on the Blair parent listserv. Ask for personal replies, rather than listserv replies, so that parents will be honest.