Possible new online AP Physics class- meets two-year requirement

[MtnTeaching]

I received some information today that I thought I would pass on for anyone who might be interested.  This is regarding the possibility of a one-year accelerated AP Physics course that meets the 2-year requirement.

 

Earlier in the year I had inquired about an AP Physics course offered by Scholars Online.  At the time, I was told they usually alternate this class with AP Chemistry and would not be offering this class for the 2014-2015 school year.  Well, I just received this email.  Due to my ds' heavy senior year load with other AP courses, he had already decided to take a regular track physics class, but I though others might be interested,

 

Here is what Dr. Christe Ann McMenomy sent me:

 

I have had several inquiries as to whether it would be possible to offer the Scholars Online Physics course next year (2014-2015).  Normally this course alternates with the AP Chemistry course, which is already scheduled for the 2014-2015 year in the traditional upper division AP Science slot on Mondays and Thursdays.

 

I am writing to ask whether you might still be interested in an SO Physics AP course for 2014-2015.  If I do get sufficient interest, we will post the course for enrollment and work out a convenient chat times with the enrollees later this summer. 

 

Course text would be the Giancoli 7th edition instead of the 6th.  Tuition would remain the same and syllabus would be adjusted to meet the new AP Physics standards, which recommend a two-year approach but allow for teaching the entire preparation for AP Physics 1 and Physics 2 in one year.

 

Please let me know if you are interested.

 

I thought this looked very interesting and wanted people to know about it.  I am guessing the best way to reach her with any inquiries would be to go to the Scholars Online Teachers page and click on her name (Dr. Christe Ann McMenomy) to access her direct email address.

 

Hope this helps someone!

[In The Great White North]

What two year requirement?  Can't we just sign up for both tests?

[MtnTeaching]

What two year requirement?  Can't we just sign up for both tests?

 

Here is the info from the college board:

 

Guided by National Research Council and National Science Foundation recommendations, the AP Program spent several years collaborating with master AP teachers and faculty members from universities and colleges to evaluate and revise the AP Physics B course. This collaboration led to a decision to replace AP Physics B with two new courses, AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based and AP Physics 2: Algebra-Based. Higher education officials have endorsed the new courses enthusiastically. The courses will benefit all members of the AP community. AP will begin offering the courses in the 2014-15 academic year, and it will discontinue the AP Physics B program following the 2013-14 academic year.

 

Here is a link to the Overview of Revisions on the College Board website

 

Here is a very informative FAQS page regarding the new Physics 1 and Physics 2 courses -  This page has excellent information regarding the new direction the College Board has taken regarding physics.

[MtnTeaching]

What two year requirement?  Can't we just sign up for both tests?

 

 From the information on the FAQs page - it states you can just sign up for the two tests.  The "requirement" is for teachers who are teaching the two formal AP courses.  

[In The Great White North]

 

Here is a link to the Overview of Revisions on the College Board website

 

Here is a very informative FAQS page regarding the new Physics 1 and Physics 2 courses -  This page has excellent information regarding the new direction the College Board has taken regarding physics.

 

 

Looking through all that, I don't see any REQUIREMENT that it be two years - just lots of recommendations.    

 

You can still take both tests in one year (they are NOT on the same day).

 

The syllabus guidelines say you can organize it by unit, week or month, so you can even get an approved course. (A syllabus organized by unit wouldn't  indicate whether it was a semester or a year.)

 

ETA: We must have been typing at the same time!

 

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Looking through all that, I don't see any REQUIREMENT that it be two years - just lots of recommendations.    

 

You can still take both tests in one year (they are NOT on the same day).

 

The syllabus guidelines say you can organize it by unit, week or month, so you can even get an approved course. (A syllabus organized by unit wouldn't  indicate whether it was a semester or a year.)

 

ETA: We must have been typing at the same time!

 

I would look carefully at the syllabus guidelines for pacing. The government courses I submitted wanted to see how the course was weighted for each section. I had a friend who submitted a course (I think it was Art History) who had to edit and resubmit because she didn't have an indication of how many weeks or class periods were spent on each section.

 

I don't know that they would reject a course for taking one semester rather than a year. But they might send one back for having units indicated without pacing.

[MtnTeaching]

Looking through all that, I don't see any REQUIREMENT that it be two years - just lots of recommendations.    

 

You can still take both tests in one year (they are NOT on the same day).

 

The syllabus guidelines say you can organize it by unit, week or month, so you can even get an approved course. (A syllabus organized by unit wouldn't  indicate whether it was a semester or a year.)

 

OK - I am just passing the information onward.  Obviously the word "requirement" is a bit strong.  Obviously Dr. McMenomy would not be able to teach the class in one year if it were a "requirement" to make it into two classes - BUT it is the College Board who is setting the guidelines of what the public school teachers are going to have to follow to be able to get their courses OK'ed by their local school districts and the College Board to teach the classes.  They are recommending two courses and two tests.

 

Never once did I mention that you could not take both of the tests in one year.  This is what Dr. McMenomy is hoping to prepare her students for.

 

My post was for people who might be interested in taking an ONLINE class that would fulfill the learning requirements in order to take BOTH tests in one year.  Not if they wanted to do it on their own, which I am assuming you are planning on doing.

[MtnTeaching]

My post was for people who might be interested in taking an ONLINE class that would fulfill the learning requirements in order to take BOTH tests in one year.  Not if they wanted to do it on their own, which I am assuming you are planning on doing.

 

Sorry if I sounded snippy.  I haven't eaten lunch yet.

[Sweetpeach]

This is a related question to this thread . . . my oldest tried out public school this year and the pace is s-l-o-w.  He's in Physics 12 right now . . .our local high school does offer AP classes but with the format change, and b/c the guidance office didn't know about the change, they put ds in Physics 12 without knowing that the AP Physics had been split.  

 

If he wanted to self-study at home for the AP Physics 1 exam (the new format), what would you recommend?  If we wanted to go the online route (similar to AofPS for math, or Derek Owens), is there an online class that you could recommend?   (I would prefer a non-Christian element to an online hs science course.)