Extension (4 Viewers)

[dance2urownbeat]

I didnt even think of that. Thats such a good idea!
But having extension history is unfair imo.
Few students do history compared to the 5 sciences, and lets face it, history isn't the most valuable course for pursuing tertiary education compared to the 5 sciences.

Ha! History extension is completely valuable if you are heading to uni to do extensive research based essays with independent development of questions, which a lot of uni subjects require! Not everyone wants to pursue science based or science related careers; surprising, I know.

 

[mitchy_boy]

Ha! History extension is completely valuable if you are heading to uni to do extensive research based essays with independent development of questions, which a lot of uni subjects require! Not everyone wants to pursue science based or science related careers; surprising, I know.

This is true, but I can't see why we can't have both options available to us.

 

[tku336]

There are already 5 (I think) sciences available.

English extension 2 is completely different from history extension, and both subjects teach things which no other subject can provide. I don't see the merits in a science extension which will just be a conglomorate of the techniques you learn in either sciences or maths.

 

[xMaFF]

Make cosmology available to everyone imo.

Yes please. Would have loved to study that or Philosophy T_T

 

[ajaxandacme]

Otherwise you could've done one of USyd's HSC Board Endorsed courses in Year 11. I did Mind and Morality, and its basically an introduction into University Philosophy (you can use the credit points for first year). Distinction Philosophy does go into much more detail than Mind and Morality, and I agree that I would limit it to those who have accelerated a course. Otherwise it wouldn't be a distinction course. The only reason why I didn't do it was because of units.

 

[wendybird]

But having extension history is unfair imo.
Few students do history compared to the 5 sciences, and lets face it, history isn't the most valuable course for pursuing tertiary education compared to the 5 sciences.

I can't believe I still have to defend the humanities

Have you taken the History Extension course? If you have, then you would know that its a TRUE extension. It's not a rehash of any other topics and it takes you MUCH further in terms of skills and level of analysis.

For example, in Modern History we might analyse an event - ie. "Evaluate the inevitability of communist victory in Vietnam", with reference to a few historians.

In History Extension, we analyse the craft of history itself - that is, why the historians have written what they have, why are there conflicting historical perspectives and approaches to the topic, and why a certain view has become the accepted one.

History extension in fact draws heavily from the philosophical area of Epistemology - the study of the nature of truth and knowledge and how we gain that knowledge.

It also takes on areas that are HOT academic issues right now, such as post-structuralism, subaltern studies, linguistic theory, gender studies, queer theory etc.

I'm discovering, particularly in the uni courses i want to do, that everything that History Extension introduces us to is extremely useful and relevant.

 

[cem]

I can't believe I still have to defend the humanities

Have you taken the History Extension course? If you have, then you would know that its a TRUE extension. It's not a rehash of any other topics and it takes you MUCH further in terms of skills and level of analysis.

For example, in Modern History we might analyse an event - ie. "Evaluate the inevitability of communist victory in Vietnam", with reference to a few historians.

In History Extension, we analyse the craft of history itself - that is, why the historians have written what they have, why are there conflicting historical perspectives and approaches to the topic, and why a certain view has become the accepted one.

History extension in fact draws heavily from the philosophical area of Epistemology - the study of the nature of truth and knowledge and how we gain that knowledge.

It also takes on areas that are HOT academic issues right now, such as post-structuralism, subaltern studies, linguistic theory, gender studies, queer theory etc.

I'm discovering, particularly in the uni courses i want to do, that everything that History Extension introduces us to is extremely useful and relevant.

I totally agree and will go even further.

I have done both a B.A and an M.A. in History and never done this level of original reseach as it was Honours level when I did my B.A. in the 1970s and again I didn't need to do original research for my M.A. in the 1990s (and I got As all the way through it).

It certainly takes History a long way beyond the standard history courses.

As for the comparison on figures doing the Histories compared to the Sciences here is the total and averages for 2009 - Sciences - 40,739 for 5 courses with an average of 8,248 per subject while the Histories had 23,905 for 3 courses at an average of 7,968 so the difference is about 300 students per course - not all that big a difference considering the number of students who do the HSC.

When the Extension courses were introduced replacing the 3 Unit courses there was originally no intention to have an Extension History course. It was just luck for History that Bob Carr was the Premier at the time and the HTA were able to lobby him to get History the Extension course, which was, and really is, designed for students who should be getting Band 6 or high Band 5 in the regular courses. It isn't just 'more of the same' as the old 3 Unit was but rather a totally different conceptual way to look at history - it is more the history of the writing of history and then applying this knowledge to interpreting events etc.

 

[Aerath]

Do you think I'm asian?

Yes. :mad1:

 

[horseluver29]

Extension ag would be great!
And I really think that they should have two levels of chemistry. That way the more able students arent held back by those who don't really understand the work and are just doing the course because saying they do chem makes them sound clever...

 

[ilikebeeef]

Extension ag would be great!
And I really think that they should have two levels of chemistry. That way the more able students arent held back by those who don't really understand the work and are just doing the course because saying they do chem makes them sound clever...

The students who can't do chem shouldn't do chem. Chem isn't that bad.

 

[adriano_negr0]

they only have an average of 300 more in the 5 sciences subs then the 3 history subs because no-one does senior science and EES.

 

[xNinjax]

Sorry but i'm a non-science person so i would like to see BOS bring back 3U economics and 3U business studies.

It would actually make those two subjects more interesting and plus it would be useful for those who wish to study Commerce/Economics degree (as its very related to 1st year uni , well i heard from my bro ) .

 

[kyokaku92]

The sciences are already tough without the need for extension, or otherwise there would be more morons with scaling in their minds doing it.

I thank BOS for having ext music to cater for the musicians who love to perform, compose or extend their musicology.

 

[alex.leon]

I was thinking, there's extension math, english, history and music, why not science? I think there should be an extension science course. We should start a petition.

But you already have Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Senior Science and Cosmology to choose from. Is that not enough?!

In comparison, you can only choose Music 1, Music 2 or Ext. Music // Modern History, Ancient History, History Extension.

With so much already taught in the field of science, what would an 'extension Science' even constitute? Just curious.

 

[ilikebeeef]

I think the option modules in Science are pretty much extensions for their relative subjects. No need for any more.

 

[menday]

There are so many science subjects it would be hard to put an extension on the subject as it would probably be covered in another of the science courses, otherwise I'm pretty sure they would have an extension science course.

 

[TeeJay 1993]

I would have chosen a science if they had of offered astronomy at my school.. it is the only science I would have done, I don't like science at all..

 

[ilikebeeef]

I would have chosen a science if they had of offered astronomy at my school.. it is the only science I would have done, I don't like science at all..

Astronomy = Science

 

[nutcracker]

Sorry but i'm a non-science person so i would like to see BOS bring back 3U economics and 3U business studies.

It would actually make those two subjects more interesting and plus it would be useful for those who wish to study Commerce/Economics degree (as its very related to 1st year uni , well i heard from my bro ) .

+1! Bring back 3U eco!

 

[xNinjax]

+1! Bring back 3U eco!

Yay someone agreeds with me