The HSC Physics syllabus is laughable (4 Viewers)

[C2H6O]

Are you saying we need like “standard physics” and “Advanced physics“ ? That would be so cool and actually make a lot of sense as well.

Was just thinking about this the other day and I would support this, but they could also just admit that physics is a maths subject and kids who don’t know calc should not do physics. Idrk what good a “standard physics” course would do career wise other than to get a taste for physics

 

[Trial&Error]

Was just thinking about this the other day and I would support this, but they could also just admit that physics is a maths subject and kids who don’t know calc should not do physics. Idrk what good a “standard physics” course would do career wise other than to get a taste for physics

Standard physics doesn't necessarily need to be "easy" or over-simplified I think. If they make standard the same syllabus as it is now with all the history stuff and then make advanced a bit more calculations and applications based, it'd be win-win. But in saying that advanced would have to learn all the standard stuff and then some which might add up to a lot. I think it only works for maths since we've been doing it since yr7.

 

[carrotsss]

I am against one size fit for all approach for any subject.

Everyone has different objectives and needs. Nevertheless, we need to give a decent understanding of the science and math knowledge to the general citizens.

Maybe we need to grade all science subjects as we do in math.

Specifically for math, there is a tendency to go away from the rigorous treatment of calculus for non-math students including engineers. The proofs and other rigorous treatment are left for the graduate studies or selective courses that the interested students can take. This way the teacher can concentrate more in explaining the concepts and the practical applications.

As an electrical engineer, I like this approach. Sometimes I ask my colleagues. Except one of them who is in CSIRO, none of us needed any math proof in their life. I believe they would all fail even Extension 1 exam…

cool idea but it’s unfortunately not practical, many schools barely have enough students/teachers for a physics class as is, let alone with the cohort split in 2.

 

[coolcat6778]

Are you saying we need like “standard physics” and “Advanced physics“ ? That would be so cool and actually make a lot of sense as well.

Even then, 19 marks of essays and experiment regurgitation does NOT belong in "standard physics" since essays regurgitating historical experiments is NOT physics .

Just have a look at the VCE (this is definitely not Advanced physics, in a sense we've already covered all the topics present in this exam). Yet the exam doesn't place a bizarre emphasis on regurgitation essays (19 marks in the 2025 hsc paper)

https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/sites/default/files/2025-03/2024physics-w.pdf

Standard physics should be like current day VCE physics - just cause something is standard, doesn't mean its useless.

 

[RedDragonStar1]

In my opinion, they should let the history/experimental evidence aspect of physics be more similar to how induction is to 3u and 4u math.

ie: 1 or 2 questions max in the whole paper that are each worth a substantial amount of marks (either like a single 7-9 marker or 2 smaller 4-6 markers)

Might be a warmer take tho

 

[coolcat6778]

In my opinion, they should let the history/experimental evidence aspect of physics be more similar to how induction is to 3u and 4u math.

ie: 1 or 2 questions max in the whole paper that are each worth a substantial amount of marks (either like a single 7-9 marker or 2 smaller 4-6 markers)

Might be a warmer take tho

It's already like this. However 2025 paper was an anomaly in the sense it had like 19 marks of pure essays, in addition to other experiment regurgitation questions. So basically 30% of the entire paper was dedicated to useless regurgitation and memory tests.

 

[coolcat6778]

https://www.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/noindex/2025-10/engineering-studies-11-12-draft-syllabus-for-have-your-say-october-2025.PDF

Oh my fucking god


This has fucking pissed me off so greatly I can't help but say the fucking truth

Aboriginals did not fucking have the intelligence nor knowledge to use engineering principles.

Fire starting and building burrows isn't fucking engineering. By this logic, ants and beavers are engineers???? NESA is so fucking out of touch with the world.


Genuinely what the fuck does NESA get with pushing this mother FUCKING useless agenda on us?

If anything I'm going to grow up hating fucking abos more than I already do since they are forcing this incredible bs on us

 

[coolcat6778]

Definition of engineer btw