Is A Level Electronics Obselete?

Why do you think it is obsolete?

The material is very outdated. It has material that is worth studying if it were the 80s.

What material is outdated?

Some of the circuitry material is outdated, topics in the A levels for circuitry show values that aren't accurate to modern standards. Also, when it teaches about bits, it is also outdated because standards have changed.

Not sure which values aren't accurate so can't comment on that, but how have the standards for a bit changed...?

The standards have changed because of the evolution of technology and how circuits are more efficient and effective. The reason the A level syllabus and content hasn't been updated is because of funding, resources and educational bodies not really caring much has so few people take the subject. This can also be said about A level computer science as the students are still being taught about floppy discs.

I mean you've not actually said how the standards have changed for a bit. As far as I'm aware how it's defined has been pretty consistently used over the last 30-40 years?

Also being taught about the existence of floppy discs to enable students to understand how the field has changed and grown is not necessarily a bad thing. It's not the same as showing them how to physically use a floppy disc.

I'm not really convinced because you've not provided any concrete examples...

The standards have changed as the technology has changed and I did say how, circuits have become more efficient and effective. Unfortunately, due to the reasons I listed before, the syllabus for A level electronics and computer science haven't changed with the technology. The issue with students being taught about floppy discs is that it is no longer a useful method of storage, however, you are right in saying it enables students to understand the change in the field but, wouldn't it be better to update the course, so it teaches students about future methods of storage that are being developed as this would be far more beneficial to their education and the field as a whole?

How would the A-level syllabus be updated to cover "future methods of storage"? Even at the undergraduate level this changes frequently and quickly as research develops, too quickly to really be able to be covered outside of final year topics options. It would be impractical to update the A-level syllabus every few months when major new papers are published. It makes perfect sense to illustrate the principles behind the technology, and how it has changed, using fixed historical examples.

Circuits becoming more efficient and effective doesn't change the fundamental principles of circuit analysis or design though either, and the A-level aims to teach the latter.

I remain unconvinced.

Instead of having to change the syllabus every few months the syllabus should only be changed when certain methods of storage either become relevant or irrelevant, just like floppy disks are irrelevant now and should be removed from the syllabus. Students should be properly taught so they learn better, they shouldn’t be taught about outdated technology.

Except the field of electronics advances so quickly that's impractical. As noted even undergraduate degrees can't necessarily stay up to date on all the bleeding edge research. The point of A-levels in general is not to provide students with information on the latest research, but to teach them the basic principles of the field to enable them to later develop the knowledge necessary to keep up with that (If they wish). Part of that is contextualizing things in terms of the history of the field. Another example is the plum pudding model, which is not a current model of the atom, but is still taught in GCSE Chemistry to illustrate how our understanding of the atom evolved.

You make a valid point about the plum pudding model, however, chemistry does not evolve as fast as electronics. Would you say that it is better if the A level electronics is merged with the A level computer science to allow students to develop a deeper knowledge in both fields which would allow for better skills to be taught to these students, while the course would be difficult it would be more efficient and easier to run?

I don't think it makes much sense to combine them - although certainly complementary, there is a lot of content in each that is separate from the other and I don't think there is significant overlap (at least not more than with e.g. physics or something). I think it could be a sensible choice for an A-level student to take them together if they are interested in the full spectrum of things but I think each is achieving a separate aim. Much in the same way as at degree level you get electronic/electrical engineering and computer science as separate fields - although not infrequently offered as joint honours courses and with some overlapping courses.

What method would you suggest to improve the A level electronics syllabus to a relevant standard where students can be taught modern technology, future technology and the evolution/progress of technology?

I mean you are assuming that I think it needs to be improved - which I don't really? From what I can see of the syllabus they cover more or less what I would expect, and can't see any issues with what is covered. Seems to be a perfectly reasonable setup as is to me.