Physics Syllabus Classes XI-XII
The proposed syllabus for Physics at the Higher Secondary Stage has been developed with a view that this stage of school education is crucial and challenging as it is a transition from general science to discipline-based curriculum. The recommendations of National Curriculum Framework – 2005 have been followed, keeping the disciplinary approach with rigour and depth, appropriate to the comprehension level of learners. Due care has been taken that the syllabus is not heavy and at the same time it is comparable to the international standards. The syllabus provides logical sequencing of the subject matter with proper placement of concepts with their linkages for better understanding.
It is expected that the syllabus will help to develop an interest in the learners to study Physics as a discipline and inculcate in learners the abilities, useful concepts of Physics in real-life situations for making learning of Physics relevant, meaningful and interesting. The learner is expected to realize and appreciate the interface of Physics with other disciplines.
Rationale
The higher secondary stage is crucial and challenging stage of school education as it is a transition from general science to discipline-based curriculum. Physics is being offered as an elective subject at the higher secondary stage of school education. At this stage, the students take up Physics, as a discipline, with a purpose of pursuing their future careers in basic sciences or professional courses like medicine, engineering, technology and studying courses in applied areas of science and technology at tertiary level. There is a need to provide the learners with sufficient conceptual background of Physics which would eventually make them competent to meet the challenges ofacademic and professional courses after the higher secondary stage.
The present effort of reforming and updating the Physics curriculum is an exercise based on the feedback received from the school system about existing syllabus and curricular material, large expansion of Physics knowledge, and also the educational and curricular concerns and issues provided in the National Curriculum Framework – 2005.
The recommendations of National Curriculum Framework – 2005 have been followed, keeping the disciplinary approach with rigour and depth, appropriate to the comprehension level of learners. Due care has been taken that the syllabus is not heavy and at the same time, it is comparable to the international standards. Also, it is essential to develop linkages with other disciplines for better learning of Physics concepts and establishing relationship with daily-life situations and life-skills.
Salient Features
• Emphasis on basic conceptual understanding of content.
• Promoting process-skills, problem-solving abilities and applications of Physics concepts/content, useful in real-life situations for making Physics learning more relevant, meaningful and interesting.
• Emphasis on use of SI Units, Symbols, nomenclature of physical quantities and formulations as per international standards.
• Emphasis on Physics-related technological/industrial aspects to cope up with changing demand of society committed to the use of Physics, technology and informatics.
• Providing logical sequencing of the ‘Units’ of the subject matter and proper placement of concepts with their linkages for better learning and matching the concepts/content with comprehension level of the learners.
• Reducing the curriculum load by eliminating overlapping of concepts/content within the discipline of Physics or with other disciplines; reducing the descriptive portion and providing suitable formulation/depth of treatment appropriate to the comprehension level of learners, making room for contemporary core – topics and emerging curricular areas in Physics.
• The syllabus is arranged in Units spread over two years duration. The Units are so sequenced as to provide different dimensions of Physics as a discipline. The time allocation for learning Physics content per Unit in terms of instructional periods have been mentioned for each Unit to help the Textbook Development Team members to develop the instructional material so as to cover it within the time frame. Each Unit has been arranged with a topic, content
related practical work (one core experiment, two activities to be evaluated) and suggested investigatory projects (one project to be evaluated). There is an imperative need for evaluating the learners through Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation of various concepts covered in a Unit.
With this background, the Physics curriculum at the higher secondary stage attempts to :
• Strengthen the concepts developed at the secondary stage to provide firm ground work and foundation for further learning Physics at the tertiary level more effectively and learning the relationship with daily-life situations;
• Develop conceptual competence in the learners and make them realize and appreciate the interface of Physics with other disciplines;
• Expose the learners to different processes used in Physics-related industrial and technological applications;
• Develop process-skills and experimental, observational, manipulative, decision-making and investigatory skills in the learners;
• Promote problem-solving abilities and creative thinking to develop interest in the learners in the study of Physics as a discipline;
• Understand the relationship between nature and matter on scientific basis, develop positive scientific attitude, and appreciate the contribution of Physics towards the improvement of quality of life and human welfare;
• Physics teaching-learning at the higher secondary stage enables the learners to comprehend the contemporary knowledge and develop aesthetic sensibilities and process skills. The experimental skills and process-skills developed together with conceptual Physics knowledge prepare the learners for more meaningful learning experiences and contribute to the significant improvement of quality of life. The learners would also appreciate the role and impact of Physics and technology, and their linkages with overall national development.