Has anyone taken the SL physics course

[gryan665]

A couple of us are taking the physics course through Straighterline and are wondering if anyone else has taken the SL Physics course or are currently taking it. We are both having difficulties with the lesson plans not preparing you for the test and are wondering how others have approached the course. any help would be appreciated as this is the last of the pre reqs for our masters degree.
thanks

[Devanna]

What do you mean by lesson plans? Do you mean the in-course presentations? Do you have the textbook?

[gryan665]

What do you mean by lesson plans? Do you mean the in-course presentations? Do you have the textbook?

yes. the lesson plans are videos (with no textbook) and then you take practice quizzes as many times as you need. the problem is they are the same questions each time so no variety. then you take the tests which don't look at all like the practice quizzes and are confusing cause we only cot to see some of their practice questions.

we have supplemented with additional sources, but then we go to the tests and can't seem to understand the questions or the steps to get to the answers (and there is multiple steps with different variables needed to answer the questions. in short confusing.

we both are wondering if anyone is or has taken physics through SL before? If so any advice? we are planning to fail it and retake it again just to get an understanding of how they are approaching the problems. if it was just me i would think wow i am stupid try harder but its not there are a couple of us on here taking it. we have all been in contact with each other and we are all having the same difficulty. any help would be great and would help a few of us. thanks

[bricabrac]

You can complement by referring to a subject text. TESC uses the following text for Physics I: Conceptual Physics 10ed (2009) by Paul Hewitt. I've linked the syllabus you can compare if it's similar subject matter as SL's. Below find link for the 9th ed. The online text is complete.

online - Hewitt's Conceptual Physics, 9th Edition

If it doesn't match up just do a quick google search for physics textbooks. They are all usally quite similar with the basics; especially in science. You should be able find what you need easily.

Sorry, I don't have time to check through the free ebook links. The first two requested a donation. If you have time, I'm sure you'll find one.

Good luck in your course!

[stretcharmy]

I second bricabrac Physics is one of the harder sciences it's not something your just going to wing.

[Devanna]

yes. the lesson plans are videos (with no textbook) and then you take practice quizzes as many times as you need. the problem is they are the same questions each time so no variety. then you take the tests which don't look at all like the practice quizzes and are confusing cause we only cot to see some of their practice questions.

we have supplemented with additional sources, but then we go to the tests and can't seem to understand the questions or the steps to get to the answers (and there is multiple steps with different variables needed to answer the questions. in short confusing.

we both are wondering if anyone is or has taken physics through SL before? If so any advice? we are planning to fail it and retake it again just to get an understanding of how they are approaching the problems. if it was just me i would think wow i am stupid try harder but its not there are a couple of us on here taking it. we have all been in contact with each other and we are all having the same difficulty. any help would be great and would help a few of us. thanks

Oh okay, sorry I didn't realize there wasn't a textbook. My advice is to practice, practice, practice then. I had a friend who took an in-person Physics class at a community college last semester and I'm pretty sure he spent up to almost 40 hours per week studying because it was so difficult (and even then he still got stuff wrong and was really stressed). I would expect you to have to spend a lot of time working through practice problems.

My second piece of advice is to save the tests (copy and paste to a Word document) and then review the questions. Maybe google what they ask.

You might also want to email Straighterline and ask why the lesson plans do not sufficiently prepare you for the test.

[shanennoel]

I was wondering how your course turned out? I just started SL physics and find the website so hard to navigate and very confusing. I am worried about taking my tests because as you stated, there are very few practice questions and I'm not exactly sure what they are looking for. Did you end up locating a textbook that was helpful at all?