The Issues in VCE Physics - The Great Debate

[paulsterio]

This is actually an issue I've been pondering over for a while now. Physics seems to be one of the most disliked subjects in VCE - but considering that enrollment numbers are quite high and that so many find out they dislike physics AFTER enrolling, it seems to me that the subject is not what many people expect.

So my questions to the members of ATARNotes who have an axe to grind with the VCE physics course are to talk about:

1) What exactly is it about physics which you dislike - and I mean proper reasons, not "because it's shit".

2) Why did you choose Physics then? What did you expect it to be?

3) If you could change the Physics course, what would you change? Keep in mind that we don't want it to become another maths subject.

I'll do a proper write-up of what I think of the VCE physics course after having a bit of a read of what everyone else says.

Have fun debating!

[pi]

There is no debate [Review] VCE Physics 3/4

This is an honest review of VCE Physics Units 3 and 4, with my trademark minimal bias and high accuracy.

Succinctly the subject and its contents can be summarised by this gif:

There are a number of reasons I chose that gif, and I don't think there's any need to go into all of them. So I'll go over the main issues.

The false lure...
If you asked a normal non-VCE-keen yr10 what they expected physics to be about, they would include: explosions, fire, calculus, black holes, and the list of exciting features goes on, culminating in what many would expect to be an exciting and challenging subject to get a 40+ raw in.

What they get in reality: 300kg cyclists, significant figures, counting squares, electric circuits that don't work all the time, a textbook with a skateboard on the front cover, and the list of disappointments goes on, culminating in what in reality is a dull and disappointing curriculum.

The fabled cheat cheat
This course is the only one in the VCE curriculum that has a cheat sheet. Now many would say in outrage: "BUT WHAT ABOUT THE BOUND REFERENCES AND STUFF, AREN'T THEY, LIKE, CHEAT SHEETS BUT BIGGER?", to which I would answer "no". This is because VCE Physics has a *lot* of theory compared to the VCE maths subjects and Further "Maths". Having said that, it has a *lot* less theory than Bio or Psych, and arguably Chem too.

Hence, the question needs to be asked: "Is there a need for a cheat sheet?". Again, my answer would be "no".

Not only does the cheat sheet make it very easy to hit a good study score (just dump all the theory, formulas, pics, examples on it with size 1.5 font and done!) but it also adds to the disappointment of the subject. I mean, what's the point learning so much theory when it's going to be chucked on a cheat sheet and copied off it word-for-word anyway if it comes on the exam?

An argument put forward against this might be: "the questions the majority of the cohort struggle with are conceptual, rather than calculator-based". Sure, I can't deny that and looking at the assessor's reports will tell you that's true. What does that mean? The majority of students aren't being taught how to make good cheat sheets with model answers. It's that simple.

Sure, if you're aiming to be in the top 2% of the state, having *some* understanding of what's going on is important to get those conceptual marks, but let's be honest, at least 90% of the state aren't aiming for 45+ raw, so that's not really an excuse to have the cheat sheet.

If VCAA wanted to give the subject some respect, they'd remove the cheat sheet. But clearly, they also think the subject is a bit of a joke.

Physics has loads of maths... Right..? >.>
Nope.

The only maths VCE physics has are:
- Rearranging formulas (which can all be pre-done on your cheat sheet)
- Converting units (which can all be pre-done on your cheat sheet)
- Counting squares
- Plugging numbers into formulas (aided by scientific calc)

Wikipedia says:
I wonder if those big names would be impressed to see what the highest level of physics VCAA has to offer in terms of maths.

But alas, the comment might come up: "VCE Physics is designed to ensure one does not need to take Methods or Spesh in order to go through the content". Sure, but then don't call it Physics. Physics has maths, do it properly or not at all imo.

So again, VCAA provides another disappointment. A distinct lack of maths.

Units 1 and 2 will surely be helpful for Units 3 and 4, that's the way VCE works right?
That's the way most subjects work, but again, VCE Physics fails here too.

Essentially everything your do in Units 1&2 that is relevant you do in Units 3&4 is covered again, and in largely the same pace too (much like Methods, but with no maths).

Some might argue that the role was to provide a "broad overview of all areas of physics". But in reality, does it actually do that? Most of the chapters are covered in next to no depth (in comparison to the supplementary material in Unit 1&2 Bio for example). How is a student supposed to get that broad grasp when they don't even know what they're doing half the time.

The "flow" between units is very poor in this regard.

The "plug and play" nature of the subject
To get a 40+ in this subject is simple, you need 1) a good cheat sheet 2) be handy with a calculator. That's it.

Calculation questions are usually very straightforward, with the majority of marks being lost on 1) units 2) plugging things in wrong. Now, again, some might say: "But isn't VCE Maths similar, careless errors blah blah blah?". Well, yes it is similar, but VCE Maths is far form plug-and-play. There is a lot of application of concepts, not just subbing things into V=IR or v=u+at to get an answer.

What's more, is that from most accounts, physics in uni is completely different. Good one VCE Physics!

The textbooks are huge, surely they're good quality?
Again, the subject disappoints.

The Heinemann text is a good 600-odd pages, and in all honesty, is best used as a paper-weight or a door-stopper. The texts did not at all prepare you for the exams, not in terms of questions or theory.

In the chance that your teacher wasn't great and you didn't have access to any help, you'd be in a fair bit of trouble with just the textbooks.



So there we go, some very unbiased points regarding the subject that is "VCE Physics".

If I were to provide an overall rating, I'd probably have to give it a lowly 0/5 for reasons that are aforementioned.

[paulsterio]

1) The false lure...

The issue here is that although Physics does seemingly go and explore things such as explosions and black holes, an understanding of the fundamentals of motion is required before being able to go into those areas. Bringing up black holes and explosions and fire...etc. - they are very specific areas of physics and I don't think that a VCE course is designed to give you in-depth knowledge of a very specific and detailed knowledge of what is essentially a very special field - i.e. there are people who have dedicated their lives to studying things such as black holes (Stephen Hawking).

It's similar to how I don't expect VCE chemistry to cover the nooks and crannies of pericyclic reactions. Physics at VCE is very similar to chemistry at VCE in that it is designed to give a good foundation of concepts which will help students gain a good foundation for further studies into physics. It's just like how chemistry goes through fundamentals such as industrial chem, electrochemistry, analytical chemistry and organic chemistry. To say that VCE physics should focus on explosions and black holes without any foundations is to say we should jump straight in and discuss pericyclic reactions in chemistry without first looking at the basics of organic chemistry.

Summary - this is because we are asking physics at VCE to be something that it is not - i.e. a specialised field of study which you can spend your life poring over.

2) The fabled cheat cheat

I agree with you, get rid of the cheat sheet

3) Physics has loads of maths... Right..? >.>

Again, it's an issue, but we have to make the decision whether to make Methods/Spesh a requirement for doing Physics. If yes, then that's another debate. If no, then there's not much we can do about it.

4) Units 1 and 2 will surely be helpful for Units 3 and 4, that's the way VCE works right?

Hmm good point, though I do think that Unit 1/2 provides a good foundation for Unit 3/4.

5) The "plug and play" nature of the subject

That's because of the cheat sheet.

6) The textbooks are huge, surely they're good quality?

That's the fault of textbook authors, not VCE physics, there are some good VCE physics authors out there, like, you know, I'm just gonna stand here and like, you know, point to my AN Physics book and all, cause yeah, it's cool


My main gripes with the course include:

1) The cheat sheet - get rid of it
2) Detailed Studies - get rid of them

[Bhootnike]

Because it's shit.
And what do you mean 'we'.

no need to be a smartarse, mate.

[paulsterio]

Because it's shit.
And what do you mean 'we'.

Saying something is shit "because it's shit" doesn't exactly provide any sort of information, like, you know, no shit it's shit otherwise you wouldn't say it's shit

I mean "we" for the sake of the discussion. Before we can even get started on the topic of whether VCE physics contains too little maths, we have to ask ourselves the question - do we want to make it compulsory to do Methods/Spesh to do physics. That's another debate altogether - I'm asking what we would change given the constraint that it can't include more maths.

[pi]

I don't mind it being a subject that needs methods as a prereq at all.

If that improves the massively flawed beast that is VCE Physics, then so be it.

[Robert123]

I haven't completed any units of physic yet but I'm doing all 4 this year

A problem with 'improving' physics is the restriction of school budget especially for public school. If they do try to improve the study design to focus on modern physics topic (relativity, quantum physics, astrophysics etc) would just turn the class into a note taking from the board with an ignorant belief in whatever the teacher says and remove all work with experiments which is the basis on what science is built on.

With the cheat sheet, it does take a dramatic chunk of work and knowledge require out of the course. From my angle though, this isn't too much compare to a further exam where you could bring in your textbook, rule book with as much notes and worked solution as you want plus all the previous years exams. However, it would be interesting to take a survey of physics students after the exam to see how many questions they relied on there cheat sheet for the correct answer. I  don't believe that it will be very high, anyway, it is only 4 pages under the new study design which could easily be all memorise within a week with the right techniques. So maybe the cheat sheet is to show that learning physics is about understanding key concepts instead of memorising pages of facts and formulas.

[pi]

this isn't too much compare to a further exam where you could bring in your textbook, rule book with as much notes and worked solution as you want plus all the previous years exams.

Yeah don't get me started on Further...

[Mao]

This is actually an issue I've been pondering over for a while now. Physics seems to be one of the most disliked subjects in VCE - but considering that enrollment numbers are quite high and that so many find out they dislike physics AFTER enrolling, it seems to me that the subject is not what many people expect.

It's not just VCE. It is everywhere. First year physics is without a doubt the most hated uni subject I've ever heard about.

[Starlight]

It's not just VCE. It is everywhere. First year physics is without a doubt the most hated uni subject I've ever heard about.

Can't wait for physics fundamentals this year! >.<

[Robert123]

Yeah don't get me started on Further...

But even then, with basically an unlimited amount of resources you can bring into the exam, they won't be able to help for the VCAA tricks they may pull where you would have to do problem solving with the knowledge you have acquire throughout the year. I don't think there would of been anyone who has scored 45+ while constantly using their rulebook. It just might come in handy if you have a mental blank on basic further jargon.

[b^3]

I haven't completed any units of physic yet but I'm doing all 4 this year

A problem with 'improving' physics is the restriction of school budget especially for public school. If they do try to improve the study design to focus on modern physics topic (relativity, quantum physics, astrophysics etc) would just turn the class into a note taking from the board with an ignorant belief in whatever the teacher says and remove all work with experiments which is the basis on what science is built on.

With the cheat sheet, it does take a dramatic chunk of work and knowledge require out of the course. From my angle though, this isn't too much compare to a further exam where you could bring in your textbook, rule book with as much notes and worked solution as you want plus all the previous years exams. However, it would be interesting to take a survey of physics students after the exam to see how many questions they relied on there cheat sheet for the correct answer. I  don't believe that it will be very high, anyway, it is only 4 pages under the new study design which could easily be all memorise within a week with the right techniques. So maybe the cheat sheet is to show that learning physics is about understanding key concepts instead of memorising pages of facts and formulas.

Yes but unlike Futher, Physics isn't a subject thats there for people who aren't good at maths but still want/need to do some. It is it's own subject in it's own right, the only subject representing physics in VCE. In later years you will need proper math to actually do any physics, so why aren't we starting earlier instead of stepping around it and only qualitatively looking at situations? When we could better understand if we used actual math instead of this plugging in numbers crap. If you're going to do physics, you're going to need math. They shouldn't have watered down the course as they did a couple of years ago (we used to have NAND Gates and stuff on the course).

EDIT: ok there was more to this post but I seem to have lost it... sigh... cbf typing it again

[pi]

Paul, a better question is, what do you like about it as it is now?

I'll buy that maybe the odd person here and there finds a few of the concepts conceptually interesting (eg. "relativity" probably is), but other than that, I can't see what else tbh.

[Robert123]

Yes but unlike Futher, Physics isn't a subject thats there for people who aren't good at maths but still want/need to do some. It is it's own subject in it's own right, the only subject representing physics in VCE. In later years you will need proper math to actually do any physics, so why aren't we starting earlier instead of stepping around it and only qualitatively looking at situations? When we could better understand if we used actual math instead of this plugging in numbers crap. If you're going to do physics, you're going to need math. They shouldn't have watered down the course as they did a couple of years ago (we used to have NAND Gates and stuff on the course).

EDIT: ok there was more to this post but I seem to have lost it... sigh... cbf typing it again

So it isn't design well to prepare students for future studying in engineering and university physics.  Only a small minority though would be wanting to end up in those proffessions and if they wants to do more difficult physics for VCE, there is always university enhance program's or open courses online.
 the community of ATAR notes doesn't show what an average student of physic opinion but rather very high achiever who wants to push to there limits. The physics course is design for an average student who just want a taste in the basic of physics in a fun manner (however that final part depends on the teacher). If any huge changes were made to the study to try and make it more 'academical' would only result in the drop out of more students.

[pi]

but rather very high achiever who wants to push to there limits.

I'd consider myself to be a below average physics student who didn't deserve the mark they got.