Proposal for a new HSC Physics course (1 Viewer)

[omegadot]

I would like to know what others think of the proposal currently being put forward by the Board for possible changes in the HSC physics course (see: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.a..._doc/physics-st6-draft-writing-brief-2015.pdf).

They are currently proposing 3 different Options. The first keeps the course unchanged, the second returns HSC physics to an actual physics course (a la pre-2001), while the third is a cut down version of the second with some latest educational fad called "Depth Studies" (read "busy work") inserted in.

I have always been deeply concerned with what currently passes for physics at the HSC. To my mind it does not serve well those students who are genuinely interested in learning physics. Since 2001 when the current syllabus came into effect one has been saddles with a survey course ABOUT physics rather than an actual course IN physics. Here large chunks of information need to be remember while any understanding of the material is simply passed over. Topics are no longer developed in a logical and consist manner. Rather one is presented with "stuff" (called themes) from all over the place. Conceptually physics is hard and in recent years we seem to have been afraid to teach these ideas and concepts to our students.

I do hope the Board finally see the damage they have done to a generation of students and returns to the teaching of a truly introductory, algebra-based, physics course at the secondary level and would be interested to hear others views on this matter.

BTW - Extension 1 courses in Physics and the other sciences are also being mooted and for those interested an online survey regarding the proposed changes can be taken at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BOSTESPhysicsSurveyDWB

 

[InteGrand]

I would like to know what others think of the proposal currently being put forward by the Board for possible changes in the HSC physics course (see: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.a..._doc/physics-st6-draft-writing-brief-2015.pdf).

They are currently proposing 3 different Options. The first keeps the course unchanged, the second returns HSC physics to an actual physics course (a la pre-2001), while the third is a cut down version of the second with some latest educational fad called "Depth Studies" (read "busy work") inserted in.

I have always been deeply concerned with what currently passes for physics at the HSC. To my mind it does not serve well those students who are genuinely interested in learning physics. Since 2001 when the current syllabus came into effect one has been saddles with a survey course ABOUT physics rather than an actual course IN physics. Here large chunks of information need to be remember while any understanding of the material is simply passed over. Topics are no longer developed in a logical and consist manner. Rather one is presented with "stuff" (called themes) from all over the place. Conceptually physics is hard and in recent years we seem to have been afraid to teach these ideas and concepts to our students.

I do hope the Board finally see the damage they have done to a generation of students and returns to the teaching of a truly introductory, algebra-based, physics course at the secondary level and would be interested to hear others views on this matter.

BTW - Extension 1 courses in Physics and the other sciences are also being mooted and for those interested an online survey regarding the proposed changes can be taken at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BOSTESPhysicsSurveyDWB

Wasn't part of the reason for dumbing down the science courses that there weren't enough qualified teachers to teach it? I have also heard that other reasons included that there was a steady decline in the number of students taking the science courses because they were "too hard", and also that there were too many more boys than girls doing the science courses and the Board wanted more girls doing sciences.

 

[keepLooking]

the Board wanted more girls doing sciences.

How exactly will they do this? I will continue wondering.

 

[InteGrand]

How exactly will they do this? I will continue wondering.

Well apparently that was part of the reason for the changing of the syllabus in 2001 to a history/social impact based syllabus.

 

[omegadot]

Wasn't part of the reason for dumbing down the science courses that there weren't enough qualified teachers to teach it? I have also heard that other reasons included that there was a steady decline in the number of students taking the science courses because they were "too hard", and also that there were too many more boys than girls doing the science courses and the Board wanted more girls doing sciences.

Agree that there are probably not enough qualified teachers readily avaiable to teach a real physics course in many of our schools but we at least should try. And as for wanting more students/girls to take the course, that is political. Not many students these days take Latin, but no one seems to mind. And those who do at least still get the opportunity to actually learn Latin. What's wrong with only having those who wish to take a particular course actually taking the course, even if the overall numbers are small? It is not like those who are not interested in studying physics don't have plenty of other options available to them. Remember students in NSW have already done 4 years of compulsory science so there is no reason to coerce the unwillingly into studying something they are simply not interested in doing.

 

[InteGrand]

Agree that there are probably not enough qualified teachers readily avaiable to teach a real physics course in many of our schools but we at least should try. And as for wanting more students/girls to take the course, that is political. Not many students these days take Latin, but no one seems to mind. And those who do at least still get the opportunity to actually learn Latin. What's wrong with only having those who wish to take a particular course actually taking the course, even if the overall numbers are small? It is not like those who are not interested in studying physics don't have plenty of other options available to them. Remember students in NSW have already done 4 years of compulsory science so there is no reason to coerce the unwillingly into studying something they are simply not interested in doing.

Those 4 years of compulsory science are also just rote learning.

And I don't know why the Board did what it did to the science courses; yes, if people find it too hard, they don't need to study it and have other options available. Maybe there was pressure from parents or other parties claiming the courses were too hard? Maybe they thought it was important to maintain an image that science is popular here, or wanted more people doing science. Or perhaps the main reason was the lack of teachers. Whatever the reason was, if they do bring back the old style of syllabus, they will just be admitting that they were wrong to remove it in the first place. Incidentally, last year there was an article in the SMH about less maths making HSC Physics 'dumb': http://smh.com.au/national/education/less-maths-makes-hsc-physics-dumb-20140103-309gh.html

According to that article,

'The president of the Board of Studies, Tom Alegounarias, said it was ''a substantial exaggeration'' to suggest HSC physics was more of a history than a science. But he conceded there was ''more language in it and less scientific and mathematical analysis''.'