Homeschooling has its own set of demands.  It can be extremely easily or highly challenging but still an adventure in itself nonetheless.  However, it does offer plenty of learning and research opportunities for students, particularly in the area of live sciences.  This subject is ripe for investigation and offers some of the best lessons a student can ever learn.

Microscopes are excellent tools for the adventures presented by homeschooling.  They represent a whole new area of exploration for many students and they encourage an interest in a variety of fields that are among the fastest growing in the world.  To help you choose the best microscope for homeschooling, here are some steps you should take:

Decide on the magnification power.
The homeschooling microscope is all about the optics.  Other than the quality of the system itself, probably the main consideration here is how well the microscope can enlarge images of objects.  After all, this is the basic function of microscopes.  Before buying a particular microscope, it is important to decide what type of magnification power will work for majority of the requirements in homeschooling.

Microscopes are capable of enlarging images from 10X to over 1000X their original size.  Although getting the microscope with the highest possible magnification power may seem like the obvious decision, this may not always be effective.  For most homeschooling needs, a median magnification power of 400X will usually suffice.  This is the magnification at which cells, microorganisms and minute lifeforms can be seen effectively, which should meet the requirements for subjects such as biology, chemistry and geology.

Determine the best source of illumination.
The source of illumination for a microscope will matter due to several things, including:

-    availability of a good source of lighting during use
-    availability of power in case of an electrically sourced illumination
-    heat from the light source
-    location of the light source

There are basically three ways a homeschooling microscope can be lighted: through reflected light from a substage mirror, a built-in lamp and an external illuminator.  Each one has its own set of advantages and limitations.  A built-in lamp, for example, can offer lighting with stronger intensity but depending on the type of lamp used, it can be an unnecessary source of heat which might affect the specimen.  An external illuminator can take the place of built-in lighting and can provide illumination for the specimen from locations that are not often possible with other illumination sources but it may not always be effective with a specific specimens.  The substage mirror, the oldest source of lighting for microscopy, can be a decent source of illumination but it is limited by the availability of light.  In bad weather, for example, it might be difficult to illuminate the specimen satisfactorily.

Try to consider different options for illumination for a homeschooling microscope.  The basic substage mirror style of lighting is usually the cheapest while electric- or battery-powered instruments will cost a bit more.  To avoid the scenarios presented by the limitations of the illumination sources, try to obtain a combination of two illumination styles for one unit.  That way, one source of lighting can be a supplement or an alternative.

Look for an ergonomic design.
Design is an important feature of the homeschool microscope.  Today, there is a strong emphasis on ergonomics, which means that the microscope itself must be user-friendly, with components that are designed to be easy to use, reach and manipulate.  The eyepiece must be designed at an angle, which allows the observer to view the specimen from a comfortable position.  Knobs for adjusting the lamp, objective lens and the focusing mechanism should be within easy reach.

Go digital?  Why not?
The digital homeschooling microscope is a bit more expensive than the traditional microscope.  However, it does present some advantages.  Digital microscopes allow for connectivity with accessories such as digital cameras, videocams and computers.  This is usually the realm of more serious microscopy users but in terms of image processing, the digital microscope is tops.  It is also more expensive.  Do not consider buying unless you foresee a use for it in college or if you are seriously pursuing a career related to medicine and live sciences, geology and research.

Should brand matter?
There are certain brands that have developed a reputation for offering high quality performance for their instruments.  Little wonder why people prefer to look at brands first and features next.  Other than assured quality, branded microscopes for homeschooling also set the standard in the industry, which probably means that the instrument bought today will remain competitive for many years to come.  Branded microscopes also assure the user of a good warranty coverage.  The only drawback here is that branded microscopes for homeschooling cost more than generic brands.

If cost is a deciding factor, branded scopes might be out of the question.  Don’t hesitate to consider generic brands because they, too, can have outstanding features, excellent functionality and reliability.  The trick is to arm yourself with the right information about what you need, what choices you have and what you’re willing to spend to get the perfect instrument.  It also wouldn’t hurt if you ask for recommendations and advice from knowledgeable parties. Article link