Is studying physics by correspondence a viable option for high school students?

[Hollyhousewif]

My son is grade 11 and was not able to put physics 11 in his timetable but is going into grade 12 next year and with the course load next year I was wondering on how people would think of doing physics grade 11 by correspondence. I know there is a lot of help available on the net and through other books like The Key and that.

Would you suggest physics by correspondence?

Thank you for answering this

 

[Nalte]

Taking courses by correspondence isn't easy. Right now I'm taking Linear Algebra by correspondence, and I'm doing fine, but the classroom facilitates smooth learning. If your son is a motivated, independent learner, go for it, but proceed with caution.

 

[thegreenlaser]

I went to a very small school, so I took grade 11 and 12 physics by distance learning (in fact I was the only one taking grade 12 physics at my school in that particular semester). It's VERY easy to procrastinate on courses like that, so if at all possible make sure that he has some deadlines. For both of those courses, I was supposed to spend the entire second semester on them... I ended up starting in May and squishing the entire course into a month and a half to meet the final exam deadline. I did quite well, but it's definitely not recommended. :P I personally learn really well by reading things on my own, but that's a personal learning style of mine, and a lot of people learn best in different ways than that. It'll be harder than in a classroom, but it's nowhere near impossible. The hardest part is getting a source of motivation.

Also, if he has any friends that would be interested in taking physics with him, that would probably help a lot. If you work together with someone and say "let's get assignment _____ done by ______", you're a lot more likely to actually do it than if you're on your own.

 

[Caramon]

I would recommend doing this if it means that it opens his possibilities for taking Physics 30 (Grade 12) and higher level physics. People NEED to know physics, I just stress that. Scientific literacy is so important today in order to have responsible citizens with a cosmic perspective that have the capacity to embody environmental stewardship and keep the quality of life high.

If he has any questions post it in the homework section in a mature and descriptive way and I will ensure that I will help to answer if no one else responds (which they probably will).

 

[saneisjus]

He definitely needs to make a strict schedule of the curriculum and stick to it. When I was in high school, I was the only student who wanted to take AP Physics C, everyone else took AP Physics B, which only required algebra, instead of calculus. They basically just stuck me in a room with a completely different physics class, gave me a study guide for the test, and made it an independent study course. I just worked through the book for two semesters. I ended up spending too much time on the mechanics section, and had to cram all the E&M in at the end. So I aced the first part but barely passed the second, so make sure he gives himself plenty of time to get everything finished, or his comprehension could really suffer for it.

 

[Skrew]

Correspondence classes are superior IMO to in-person classes if taken from a well known university which has been doing them for a while.

Assuming he is indepedent it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[twofish-quant]

Also, if you can start a blog on your experiences studying physics by correspondence, I'd really be interested in what you find. Trying to make it easier for people to study/do physics is something I'm really interested in, and I'd like to learn from people that have tried to do it.

One thing that correspondence courses have lacked is a sense of community, but I think the internet can provide that.