A-level Physics Students Being 'Short-Changed' at College

The issue of the UK's A-Level physics being dumbed down continues. This news article is the latest in a series of descriptions that have pointed to problems with the lowering of standards in the physics curriculum and requirements.

Speaking at a seminar at Cambridge University, Prof Jones said: "It seems that the shortage of specialist physics teachers with degrees in physics is greater in England and Wales than in other European countries. Also significant is that the physics school curriculum is more qualitative and less mathematical here than in other European countries."

A-level physics courses, he said, were increasingly expecting pupils simply to regurgitate information they had been told, rather than getting them to use their understanding to reason their way through problems themselves. They no longer required the teaching of calculus in any depth, he added.

As most of us are aware, that is the WORST way to teach physics. When it becomes nothing more than a series of disconnected information, it no longer become physics, but rather it becomes a Jeopardy TV game show.

This issue of the UK's new A-Level syllabus diluting physics has been brought up before on here. One can only hope that things get turned around very soon before it gets any worse.

Zz.