We report data from ten years of teaching with Peer Instruction (PI) in the calculus- and algebra-based introductory physics courses for nonmajors; our results indicate increased student mastery of both conceptual reasoning and quantitative problem solving upon implementing PI. We also discuss ways we have improved our implementation of PI since introducing it in 1991. Most notably, we have replaced in-class reading quizzes with pre-class written responses to the reading, introduced a research-based mechanics textbook for portions of the course, and incorporated cooperative learning into the discussion sections as well as the lectures. These improvements are intended to help students learn more from pre-class reading and to increase student engagement in the discussion sections, and are accompanied by further increases in student understanding.
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September 2001
PAPERS|
September 01 2001
Peer Instruction: Ten years of experience and results
Catherine H. Crouch;
Catherine H. Crouch
Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
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Eric Mazur
Eric Mazur
Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
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Am. J. Phys. 69, 970–977 (2001)
Article history
Received:
April 21 2000
Accepted:
March 15 2001
Citation
Catherine H. Crouch, Eric Mazur; Peer Instruction: Ten years of experience and results. Am. J. Phys. 1 September 2001; 69 (9): 970–977. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.1374249
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