Although Biology is a scientific subject that usually involves laboratory work and exercises, that doesn’t mean it’s not possible to study A-Level Biology online. We’re going to look at exactly how distance learning students can successfully study A-Level Biology online from the comfort of their home.
So first things first, it’s important to mention that studying A-Level Biology from home doesn’t mean you’re going to have to set up your own personal lab in the kitchen or shed in order to be able to study it and complete the course.
How do I do the Practicals for A-Level Biology?
Fortunately, thanks to resources provided by YouTube and online course providers, it’s perfectly possible for students to actively learn the requirements of practicals throughout the course while learning by distance. As mentioned before, as you’re studying from home, the chances of you having a full lab to work in are very low, so when learning online you get to refer to the practical elements through tutorial videos and demonstrations.
These tutorials are not intended to replace you practicing the practicals, but to give you clear and definite method for how to carry them out and complete them before you attend your chosen examination centre to try them for real and to be assessed on them. The great advantage of having these tutorials online is that you can watch them over and over again to ensure you fully understand exactly what you need to do and prove when being assessed on them.
Once you are happy with the theory behind the needed practicals, then you can arrange with your chosen examination centre a time for you to attend and try them out for real. Don’t worry, you will get to have as many goes as you feel you need before you get assessed on the practicals by the centre. It’s important to note, unlike the written exams, you can carry out your practicals and be assessed for them at any point during your studies, you don’t need to cram them all in with your written examinations in the June period.
I am Re-sitting my A-Level Biology do I have to do the Practicals?
If this is your second time round at doing A-Level Biology and you are happy with the results you received for your practicals the first time round, then no, you don’t have to do the practical element of the course again. Although, it’s always worth revising the methods and techniques used in the tutorials to refresh your memory in case you get questions relating to this in your written exams.