Teaching (and Learning) with Peer Instruction

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TEACHING (AND LEARNING) WITH PEER INSTRUCTION

Peter Newbury, Ph.D. Center for Teaching Development,University of California, San Diego

[email protected] @polarisdotca

ctd.ucsd.edu #ctducsd

Monday, February 25, 2013Cal State LA

2 Teaching (and learning) with peer instruction

The traditional lecture is based on the transmissionist learning model

Teaching (and learning) with peer instruction3

(Image by um.dentistry on flickr CC)

Teaching (and learning) with peer instruction

Scientifically Outdated, a Known Failure

4

We must abandon the tabula rasa “blank slate” and

“students as empty vessels” models of teaching and

learning.


Let’s have a learning experience…

5

6

Here is an important new number system. Please learn it.


1 = 4 = 7 =

2 = 5 = 8 =

3 = 6 = 9 =

7

Test


What is this number?

8

New Number System


Here’s the structure of the “tic-tac-toe” code:

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

9

Test


What is this number?


Constructivist theory of learning

10

We know How People Learn [1]. There is research that informs us. Let’s exploit the patterns of learning to make instruction more effective.

What are the patterns

of how people learn?

(And how do we use them?)

(Image: entropy memory creativity by jef_safi on flickr CC)



Key Finding 1

12

Students come to the classroom with preconceptions about how the world works. If their initial understanding is not engaged, they may fail to grasp the new concepts and information that are taught, or they may learn them for the purposes of a test but revert to their preconceptions outside of the classroom.

(How People Learn, p. 14)Instructors

must draw out students’ pre-

existing understandings

.

Instruction must be student-centered.


Learning requires interaction [2]



% of class time NOT lecturing

Learning gain:

pre-test0

100%

post-test

0.50



1 2

3 4

good


Key Finding 2

16

To develop competence in an area, students must:

a) have a deep foundation of factual knowledge,

b) understand facts and ideas in the context of a conceptual framework, and

c) organize knowledge in ways that facilitate retrieval and application.

(How People Learn, p. 16)

These are characteristics

of

expertize.

There’s another…


Key Finding 3

17

A “metacognitive” approach to instruction can help students learn to take control of their own learning by defining learning goals and monitoring their progress in achieving them. (How People Learn, p. 18)

Aside: metacognition


Metacognition refers to one’s knowledge concerning one’s own cognitive processes or anything related to them…. For example, I am engaging in metacognition if I notice that I am having more trouble learning A than B.

(Flavell [3, 4], p. 232)


Key Finding 3

19

A “metacognitive” approach to instruction can help students learn to take control of their own learning by defining learning goals and monitoring their progress in achieving them. (How People Learn, p. 18)

Instructors need to provide opportunities for

students to practice being metacognitive –

thinking about their own thinking


(Image: stool II by tilaneseven on flickr CC)

evidence-based

me

t ac

og

ni t i o

nconstructivist

instruction

st u

de

nt -

ce

nt e

r ed

facts fra

mew

ork re

trieval


student-centered instruction

listening

interacting

engaged

learning

traditional lecture

listening


listening

interacting

engaged

learningpeer instruction w clickersworksheetsvideosinteractive demonstrationssurveys of opinionsreading quizzesdiscussions

student-centered instruction

Evolution of the Solar System


Today, we’ve been learning about the formation of the Solar System.

Just like a geologist studies the exposed layers on a cliff-face, we study landforms on other planets and moons to find the chronology (sequence) of processes.

(Image: NASA)


Clicker question

Are features X and Y ridges or valleys?A) X=ridge,

Y=valleyB) X=valley,

Y=ridgeC) both are ridgesD) both are valleys

X

Ycrater

(EOSC / CWSEI, UBC)


Typical episode of peer instruction

25

Alternating with 10-15 minute mini-lectures, 1. Instructor poses a conceptually-

challengingmultiple-choice question.

2. Students think about question on their own.

3. Students vote for an answer using clickers, colored/ABCD voting cards,...

4. The instructor reacts, based on the distribution of votes.


In effective peer instruction students teach each other while

they may still hold or remembertheir preconceptions

students discuss the concepts in theirown (novice) language

the instructor finds out what the students know (and don’t know) and reacts

students learn and practice how to think, communicate like experts


Effective peer instruction requires

27

1. identifying key concepts, misconceptions2. creating multiple-choice questions that

require deeper thinking and learning

3. facilitating peer instruction episodes thatspark student discussion

4. resolving the misconceptions

beforeclass

duringclass


t h e l e a r n i n g c y c l e

Clickers help students learn...

28

BEFORE DURING AFTER

setting upinstruction

developingknowledge

assessinglearning

Adapted from Rosie Piller, Ian Beatty, Stephanie Chasteen




29

BEFORE DURING AFTER


developingknowledge

assessinglearning

asse

ss p

rior

know

ledg

e

prov

oke

thin

king

pred

ict

mot

ivat

e

disc

ove

r



Clicker questionMelt chocolate over low heat. Remove the chocolate from the heat. What will happen to the chocolate?A) It will condense.B) It will evaporate.C) It will freeze.

(Question: Sujatha Raghu from Braincandy via LearningCatalytics)

(Image: CIM9926 by number657 on flickr CC)

assess prior knowledge


Clicker question

31

In your opinion, which had the most positive impact on the modern world?

A) coffeeB) teaC) chocolateD) spiceE) sugar

(Herbst, UCSD)

motivate


Clicker questionA leopard goes into a deep cavewhere there is no light. After anhour, can it see in the dark?

A) No because there is no light.B) No because its eyes have not had

enough time to adjust.C) Yes because its eyes have adjusted to the

darkness.D) Yes because leopards can see in the dark.(Question: Paul Simeon from Braincandy via

LearningCatalytics)(Image: Villy at the “door” of his cave by Tambako the Jaguar

on flickr CC)

provoke thinking


Clicker question

33

A ball is rolling around the inside of a circulartrack. The ballleaves the trackat point P.

Which pathdoes the ballfollow?

P

AB

CD

E

(Mazur)

predict




34

BEFORE DURING AFTER


developingknowledge

assessinglearning

asse

ss p

rior

know

ledg

e

prov

oke

thin

king

pred

ict

mot

ivat

e

disc

ove

rpr

obe

misc

once

ption sy

nthe

sis

exer

cise

skillev

alua

tio

n

analys

i

s

chec

k

know

ledg

e

real w

orld

appl

icat

ion



Clicker question

35

How many of these are reasons for the seasons?

the height of the Sun in the sky during the day

Earth’s distance from the Sun how many hours the Sun is up each day

A) none of themB) oneC) twoD) all three

probe misconception


Clicker question

36

Select the line that you feel has the strongest imagery in “Fast rode the knight” by Stephen Crane (1905).

analysis

Fast rode the knightWith spurs, hot and reeking,Ever waving an eager sword,"To save my lady!"Fast rode the knight,And leaped from saddle to war.Men of steel flickered and gleamedLike riot of silver lights,And the gold of the knight's good bannerStill waved on a castle wall.. . . . .A horse,Blowing, staggering, bloody thing,Forgotten at foot of castle wall.A horseDead at foot of castle wall.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP

(David Kurtz, via LearningCatalytics)


Clicker question

37

Which of the following is an incorrect step when using the substitution method to evaluate the definite integral

A)

B)

4

0

32 1 dxxx

31 xu

dxxdu 2

3

C. none of the above

4

03

1duu

(adapted from Bruff (2009))

evaluation


Clicker question

38

Susan throws a ball straight up into the air. It goes up and then falls back into her hand 2 seconds later.

Draw a graph showing the velocity of the ball from the moment it leaves her hand until she catches it again.

time

velocity

2 sec0

exercise skill

(CWSEI UBC)


time

velocity

2 sec0

Atime

velocity

2 sec0

B

time

velocity

2 sec0

Ctime

velocity

2 sec0

D

E) some other graph

Which one is the closest match to your graph?exercise skill

(CWSEI UBC)39


t h e l e a r n i n g c y c l e de

mon

stra

te

succ

ess


40

BEFORE DURING AFTER


developingknowledge

assessinglearning

asse

ss p

rior

know

ledg

e

prov

oke

thin

king

pred

ict

mot

ivat

e

disc

ove

rpr

obe

misc

once

ption sy

nthe

sis

exer

cise

skillev

alua

tio

nre

view

/

reca

p“b

ig p

ictu

re”

exit

poll

analys

i

s

chec

k

know

ledg

e

real w

orld

appl

icat

ion



Clicker questionWhich point on the phylogenetic tree represents the closest relative of the frog?

AB

CD

E

(UBC CWSEI)

demonstrate success


Clicker question

42

For the data set displayed in the following histogram, which would be larger, the mean or the median?

A) meanB) medianC) can’t tell from the given histogram

(Peck, mathquest.carroll.edu/resources.html)

review / recap


Clicker question

43

In your opinion, which had the most positive impact on the modern world?

A) coffeeB) teaC) chocolateD) spiceE) sugar

“big picture”

(Herbst, UCSD)


Clickers help teachers teach...

44

BEFORE DURING AFTER


developingknowledge

assessinglearning





45

BEFORE DURING AFTER


developingknowledge

assessinglearning

Do they care about this?

Are they ready for the next topic?

What DO they care about, anyway?

What do they already know?



Did they notice key idea X?

Where are they in the activity?


46

BEFORE DURING AFTER


developingknowledge

assessinglearning

Are they getting it?

Do I need to intervene?



How did I do?

Did they get it?


47

BEFORE DURING AFTER


developingknowledge

assessinglearning

Can I move to the next topic?

Did that activity work?


peer instr’n w clickers

evidence-based

st u

de

nt -

ce

nt e

r ed

facts fra

mew

ork re

trieval

me

t ac

og

ni t i o

nconstructivist

instruction

(Image: stool II by tilaneseven on flickr CC)

Peter Newbury, Ph.D. Center for Teaching Development,University of California, San Diego

[email protected]@polarisdotcactd.ucsd.edu


References1. National Research Council (2000). How People Learn:

Brain, Mind, Experience, and School: Expanded Edition. J.D. Bransford, A.L Brown & R.R. Cocking (Eds.),Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

2. Prather, E.E, Rudolph, A.L., Brissenden, G., & Schlingman, W.M. (2009). A national study assessing the teaching and learning of introductory astronomy. Part I. The effect of interactive instruction. Am. J. Phys. 66, 64-74.

3. Flavell, J. H. (1976). Metacognitive aspects of problem solving. In L. B. Resnick (Ed.), The nature of intelligence (pp.231-236). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

4. Brame, C. (2013) Thinking about metacognition. [blog] January, 2013, Available at: http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/2013/01/thinking-about-metacognition/ [Accessed: 14 Jan 2013].

Education

Teaching (and Learning) with Peer Instruction