GCSE Science Course

A distance learning course is the ideal way to gain a Science GCSE.

Whether you're looking to go on to further education, improve your job prospects or expand your knowledge, distance learning GCSE Science is a flexible and convenient course, which allows you to comprehensively prepare for the GCSE Science exam through home study. What's more, because the distance learning GCSE Science Course is a fully comprehensive course, no prior knowledge is required.

GCSE Science course attempts to look at the way science affects your everyday life and how you can evaluate the scientific material that you come across in newspapers, magazines and on the television.

If you have some background in science, then you will find some of the lessons will touch upon things that you have met before, but the course is designed to be fully understandable with those who have little or no previous background in science.

FORMAT OF COURSE (Modules Overview)
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There are three modules that make up the GCSE Science.

Each lesson begins with a set of clearly stated objectives and an explanation of its place in the overall programme of study.

Module One - Biology
Module Two - Chemistry
Module Three - Physics

HOME STUDY SUPPORT 
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Effective learning is encouraged through frequent activities and self-assessment questions, and there is guidance for the preparation of coursework.

You will be provided with comprehensive materials designed to provide you with everything required to complete your course of study. You will have your own personal tutor helping you with your course work and with any questions you may have. Plus you can contact a Student Advisors by email or phone for all the practical advice you may need – so we really are with you 100%.

Your tutor will give you various resource sites to visit and there is extra material in the student support portal.

Internet Resources
In each lesson of the course, internet sites are given which have been carefully selected to illustrate points in the course and to provide additional activities. These are an important tool in your understanding of your science course and you should make every effort to view them and use the activities that they contain. If you do not have an internet connection at home, consider building in regular trips to a library or internet café as part of your study schedule.

You have a lot of resources to help you in your studies; your course file, textbook, internet resources and your tutor. You should make good use of your tutor to help you with any difficulties that you may have during the course.

COURSE ASSESSMENT
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For each module there are two or three formal tutor-marked assessments which, when completed, should be sent to your tutor, via e-mail or conventional post. All of the information within the units is written in line with the requirements of the examination board specification and the demands of the examination.

All units are broken down into clear subject topics, and students should spend the amount of time studying for each topic as advised by their course tutor. Each topic module has been written for ease of understanding and topic coverage may be of different length and difficulty depending on the level of detail and information required. You will need to study the modules in the sequence provided.

HOME STUDY ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
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This course is openly available to anyone wishing to learn more about Science and would like to take part in a highly rewarding home study course. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to expand their knowledge and study further, so we try to keep our entry requirements to a minimum.

You have the freedom to start the course at any time and continue your studies at your own pace for a period of up to 24 months from initial registration with full tutor support.

The GCSE Science course is divided into three  comprehensive modules:

Science GCSE module 1 - Biology

• How do human bodies respond to changes inside them and to their environment?
• What can we do to keep our bodies healthy?
• How do we use/abuse medical and recreational drugs?
• What causes infectious disease and how can our bodies defend themselves against them?
• What determines where particular species live and how many of them there are?
• Why are individuals of the same species different from each other?
• What new methods do we have for producing plants and animals with the characteristics we prefer?

Science GCSE module 2 - Chemistry

• How do rocks provide building materials?
• How do rocks provide metals and how are metals used?
• How do we get fuels from crude oil?
• How are polymers and ethanol made from oil?
• How can plant oils be used?
• What are the changes in the Earth and its atmosphere?
• Why have some species of plants and animals died out?
• How do new species of plants and animals develop?
• How do humans affect the environment?

Science GCSE module 3 – Physics

• How is heat (thermal energy) transferred and what factors affect the rate at which heat is transferred?
• What is meant by the efficient use of energy?
• Why are electrical devices so useful?
• How should we generate the electricity we need?
• What are the uses and hazards of the waves that form the electromagnetic spectrum?
• What are the uses and dangers of emissions from radioactive substances?
• What do we know about the universe and how it continues to change?

The Syllabus

Our GCSE Science course prepares students for AQA GCSE Combined Science syllabus 4462, for examination in 2011-12.We have chosen this syllabus as the most suited to distance learning.

Assesment is by is is by three written papers (75%) and coursework (25%).

Practical Skills/ Coursework

The Chemistry GCSE coursework has two elements:

1. The practical skills assessment (PSA) assesses the student’s ability to work in an organised and safe manner whilst working practically. It can be carried out at any time during the course.

2. The investigative skills assignment (ISA) assesses the student’s ability to undertake a task and collect, process and evaluate data. The ISA can be carried out at any time during the course. Students carry out the ISA set by AQA, they then take a written test under controlled conditions. The test asks questions concerning the data collected during the practical task as well as that provided as part of the test.

No prior knowledge or experience is required.