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Re: College Credit for AP Physics



Oooo... My hernia just swelled up... I have a small problem with granting
college credit for a calculus-based physics course by doing well on an
algebra-based exam. Heck, it ain't small, it's huge! Where is the
correlation between your calculus-based course and the kid's experience with
the algebra-based exam? I hate to bring up old wounds here, well maybe, but
it's akin to expecting a kid who did well in a Hewitt Conceptual Physics
final exam to have enough understanding of Physics to exempt out of Honors
or AP Physics in high school. (I know some of you think that is an
acceptable correlation. You are entitled to your wrong opinion.) Where is
this 'academic credit card' going to come due?

After teaching both 'B' and 'C' Physics for 20-sum years, it is NOT real
surprising to hear of this situation. I've actually heard worse. However,
the 'B' exam is essentially a first year physics course. It is
algebra-based. It is no different than the Honors Junior course I teach then
have the same kids the next year as Seniors for 'C'.

Suggestion: Give credit for your algebra-based college course for the
students who do well on the 'B', but certainly reserve the calculus-based
course credit raffle for the kids who do well on the 'C' exam. What justice
are we doing these kids if their first exposure to calc-based physics is
their 2nd year and they get crushed?

Daryl L. Taylor, Fizzix Guy
PAEMST '96
Internet Educator of the Year '03
Williamstown HS, NJ
Engineering Academy, Rowan University
www.DarylScience.com <http://www.DarylScience.com>
609.330.9571



-----Original Message-----
From: Forum for Physics Educators [mailto:PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu]On Behalf
Of STRatliff@NWC.EDU
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2003 4:17 PM
To: PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
Subject: College Credit for AP Physics


Dear Phys-L list,

This question is regarding college credit for advanced placement physics.

Background
At my college we give credit for the first semester of calculus-based
physics (4 semester credits) if the student has a score of 4 on the
Physics B exam. If they have a score of 5, we give them 8 semester
credits of calculus-based physics. They also get credit for the first
semester of calculus-based physics (4 semester credits) if they get a 3 or
higher on the Physics-C Mechanics exam. Note: the first semester of
calculus-based physics is mechanics.

Question
Should anything be changed if we are looking for equivalence with
algebra-based physics? We also have two semester courses of that type. In
other words, should "algebra-based" or "calculus-based" physics make any
difference in the equivalency?

Thank you for your help.

Regards,
Steven Ratliff





Steven T. Ratliff
Professor of Physics
Northwestern College
3003 Snelling Ave. N.
St. Paul, MN 55113-1598
U. S. A.

Internet: stratliff@nwc.edu