This video (shown in the CTL on April 23) from the Derek Bok School of Education at Harvard, presented a case study of a physics class using Active Learning. One method used that seemed quite effective was to have the students read the text chapters before class. Students were required to respond through an online program to two content questions (thus ensuring they did read the chapter), and then answer the question: what was the hardest point in the material, or what didn’t you understand? The professor reviewed the student responses before class, and then figured out the most commonly misunderstood points. He then based the class around those difficult points. In class, he used “clickers” to have students choose one of four answers he presented to a given physics problem. He states the best question is one where the class is divided between two of the four responses; in other words, when 50% think A and 50% think B is the right response. He then has the students pair up and convince his/her partner of their answer. Then has has the students revote on their answers. At that point, in most cases, the majority of students will choose the right answer. If they don’t, then he know he has to explain more or in a different way.

This is really a compelling method that is presented in this class. Plan to show this again in the Fall!