Distance Learning Physics Course with Lab Component?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the availability of online physics courses with lab components, particularly for individuals needing such courses for graduate school admission. Participants explore the feasibility and credibility of online labs compared to traditional in-person labs, as well as specific institutions offering relevant courses.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses concern that online labs cannot replicate the hands-on experience of traditional labs, suggesting that virtual labs lack the same educational value.
  • Another participant mentions finding articles that discuss online physics courses requiring a "lab kit" to complete experiments, but lacks information on specific schools offering these courses.
  • Questions are raised regarding the accreditation of online courses and whether they would be respected by universities for credit transfer.
  • A participant shares a link to Michigan State's online physics course, noting that it does not include a lab section and agrees with the sentiment that online labs may not be taken seriously by other institutions.
  • Discussion includes examples from other disciplines, suggesting that some online labs may work if combined with in-person assessments, allowing for flexibility for students living far from campus.
  • One participant emphasizes that a proper physics lab should teach both practical and mental skills, which cannot be effectively learned through online means alone.
  • Another participant inquires about the specific type of physics course needed (calculus-based or algebra/trig-based) and provides links to institutions offering both types of online courses.
  • A final contribution mentions a college that offers Physics I & II with lab via distance education, providing a resource for the original poster.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally express skepticism about the effectiveness of online labs compared to traditional labs, indicating a lack of consensus on the viability of online physics courses with lab components. Multiple competing views remain regarding the credibility and educational value of such courses.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include uncertainty about the accreditation status of various online programs and the specific requirements of graduate schools regarding lab courses. There is also a lack of clarity on the effectiveness of online lab kits versus traditional hands-on experiences.

justingd131
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Hello, I'm a recent college graduate and I am applying to grad school. In order to be permanently accepted into grad school I must have a physics class with lab. While the school does offer a physics course with lab, the university is located an hour and fifteen from the grad school and I don't want to have to drive back and forth 3 days a week. I was wondering if anyone knew of any schools that offer an online physics class with lab? Basically all I need is an intro to physics or above course. Thanks!
 
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justingd131 said:
Hello, I'm a recent college graduate and I am applying to grad school. In order to be permanently accepted into grad school I must have a physics class with lab. While the school does offer a physics course with lab, the university is located an hour and fifteen from the grad school and I don't want to have to drive back and forth 3 days a week. I was wondering if anyone knew of any schools that offer an online physics class with lab? Basically all I need is an intro to physics or above course. Thanks!

That's rather impossible, don't you think? The whole purpose of having a lab is actually to DO the experiment yourself. As advanced as the internet is, a "virtual" lab is no where near being the same as actually doing the experiment. I certainly haven't seen a physics course with a laboratory session allowing students to skip over the lab.

Zz.
 
Well that was my first reaction. After doing some research I found articles pertaining to online physics with lab. From what I understood you have to purchase a "lab kit" with the textbook in order to complete the labs. However, the article didn't give any information as to what schools offer the course.
 
Are these from an accredited institution and having an accredited program in physics?

Zz.
 
For what it's worth, Michigan State offers an http://online-contined.msu.edu/Courses.asp?Subject=PHY" , but I can't personally vouch for it. MSU only offers the class, not the lab section. I tend to agree with ZapperZ...doing a lab portion online will most likely not earn you any respect from the university you're trying to transfer the credit to.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
There are some things you could probably do online for a physics lab, but not all of it.

In our anatomy courses, we have an online lab that uses a lot of photographs, and another department does it by requiring students do take an actual practical exam in person with a few hours of review on campus. In that way, they mostly study online, but still have to show that they know the material as well as the traditional students...they do have to come to campus for the exams and reviews, but not the entire course, which works well for those who live some distance away and can arrange a few days of travel, just not a few days a week of travel.
 
The issue here is that a physics lab, if it is properly done, is supposed to not only present the physics, but also give students skills. These skills involve not only physical ability to actually use various instruments, but also mental skills to actually figure out the best way to do a particular measurement or task. Such skills can't be taught simply by reading something off a textbook or a computer screen, but instead, must be acquired. If not, that's no point in having a lab session at all.

In fact, in my philosophy of such lab session, I even consider learning the physics as being secondary. I'd rather the students do the measurement, and then figure out for themselves the relationships between the variables that they are measuring, without even bothering to tell them in advance what the physics behind it is.

Zz.
 
Are you looking for calc based physics for engineers and scientists or jus the algebra/trig based?

For calc based
Here is a link http://online.northcarolina.edu/course.php?id=12700

Herkimer county community college in NY offer the algebra/trig physics online

There are several that offer algebra based physics online in NY state. Go here:

http://sln.suny.edu/index.html

One of these schools in NY state also offer a calc based physics online for engineers and scientists but i don't think for this fall 09 semester.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Here is an RA college that provides Physics I & II w/lab via distance education.

http://www.ocean.edu/academics/distance_learning/DistanceLearningCoursesforFall2009.htm


Good luck!
 

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