Hillsdale On-line Courses

The curriculum extensively uses primary source documents and excerpts from foundational texts. Readings include original historical documents, constitutional texts, and classical literature.

Courses use 'excerpts from books, articles, or primary source documents' including Bible readings, Herodotus, Aristotle's Politics, Pericles' Funeral Oration, and courses specifically on The Federalist Papers and Constitution

The curriculum provides traditional direct instruction through 40-minute expert lectures filmed with multiple cameras. Each course features established scholars presenting content in a structured format.

Lectures are 'presented by experts in their fields' in 'traditional format' running about 40 minutes each, with additional Q&A sessions between lecturer and interviewer

The curriculum builds chronological knowledge systematically through recommended sequencing from ancient to modern periods. The History 101 and 102 sequence moves from Genesis to John Locke, then from colonial settlement to the Reagan Revolution.

Reviewer notes a recommended sequence starting with History 101: Western Heritage (Genesis to Locke) followed by History 102: American Heritage (Colonial to Reagan), and courses like Great Books 101 (Ancient to Medieval) and 102 (Renaissance to Modern)

No teacher training or professional development materials are mentioned, as these are designed as direct-to-student courses.

Review describes courses as supplements for homeschoolers with parents assigning credits, but provides no indication of teacher support materials or training components

Geographic knowledge appears limited, with courses focusing primarily on Western civilization and American history rather than systematic geography instruction.

Course offerings concentrate on 'western civilization' and U.S. history/government, with mentions of Athens and Sparta but no evidence of comprehensive geographic content

Limited evidence of systematic retrieval practice, though weekly quizzes are available for students who create accounts.

Courses include 'weekly quizzes' that students can access with free accounts, but no mention of cumulative review or spaced practice across units

Academic vocabulary development is likely embedded in the classical liberal arts approach but not explicitly addressed as a systematic component.

Courses cover complex texts and constitutional/economic concepts, but reviewer provides no specific mention of explicit vocabulary instruction methods