Peer Instruction for the Sciences: Why would I use it? What are the best practices? Beth Simon Computer Science and Engineering University of California, San Diego Formerly, Science Teaching and Learning Fellow Computer Science CWSEI UBC

By the end of today’s talk you should be able to… Learning Goal (LG) 1: Describe to a colleague the difference between “using clickers” in a classroom and implementing the Peer Instruction pedagogy LG2: Find references you may be interested in exploring further –Documenting research on the benefits of Peer Instruction –Hearing more about motivations for using Peer Instruction –Providing advice for making Peer Instruction work effectively LG3: Describe some of the possible benefits and concerns you might have in adopting Peer Instruction LG4: Decide if you are interested in attending one of the following workshops in the next 2 days: –Making Good Clicker Questions –Setting Yourself up for Success

Why do we lecture?

So why do we lecture? We do what we saw done…

What is Peer Instruction? A process of engaging students in constructing their own understanding of key concepts in lecture –In comparison to listening to someone explain knowledge to them

What is Peer Instruction? Before Class: Students read for “baseline” knowledge In Class (perhaps after a short mini-lecture): A challenging question on a topic is presented –Students engage by thinking about the question and answering it individually (using a clicker) –Students discuss the problem in peer teams Encouraging them to understand why the right answer is right and the wrong answers are wrong –Students reach consensus and answer again (using a clicker) Instructor leads review/analysis of question –Encouraging students to describe their rationale for choosing an answer (they’ve just done it, so they are prepared) –If needed, providing a better explanation/model for how to analyze the issue

What’s the difference between PI and “using clickers”? Clickers are a technology by which you can quickly gather simple information from students –You could ask “Who went out a bar last night?” and get results with clickers Doesn’t inform you (or students) much about the state of their learning Peer Instruction is a pedagogy by which students are engaged in taking responsibility for their own learning –Constructively build their own understanding via Personal engagement with a difficult question Discussion of the issues involved with their peers –In contrast to passively accepting and documenting (but perhaps never understanding) a description you provide

Why would I want to use Peer Instruction? In the beginning, you thought teaching would be a bit more fulfilling… –Helping students understand how to approach and solve a problem, not just “how to get the answer” –Helping students have an “aha” moment in understanding a concept –Engaging students in discussion of interesting questions –Knowing if your lecture had a positive impact on students

Why would I want to use Peer Instruction? Do your students ever: –Say “I studied and studied, but I didn’t expect what was on the exam” –Say “Could you provide more sample questions for practice” –Fall asleep or do other things ( , txt) in class Do you ever: –Feel like you’ve explained something so well, then one (or several) students ask a basic question on something that was necessary to know 20 minutes ago –Feel like students “doing very well” in the course still have a very naive grasp of key concepts –Experience shock (and disappointment) at exam scores –Wonder: “Why do they even BUY the textbook, clearly they never read it!” –Spend more time than you want developing exam questions

What evidence shows this is better than (traditional) lecture? Much in Physics –Learning Gains of near triple in introductory physics Across a range of classrooms (not just Eric Mazur and not just at Harvard) Documented through pre- and post- tests on the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) –Journal Science[1] – See for overview and more references [2] Also in Biology –Clickers in the Classroom: Current Research and Best-Practice Tips [3] Much more at (videos, research)

Question: How do you know the value of what you currently do? What evidence do you have of student understanding –At the beginning of a lecture period –At the end of a lecture period How could you get it? –Hand out paper with a question for students to ask at the beginning and then again at the end Takes time –Multiple choice question –Electronic gathering of information via…

Peer Instruction (with clickers) Gives you detailed information on what students know (and don’t) at a very fine-grained level –Even before the end of class you can see “I should really spend time on this issue, it’s something they are struggling with” Gives students feedback on their understanding (and what level/depth you expect) –They see the votes of others –They hear explanations of others And also yours (cognitive apprenticeship) –They learn not JUST the answer, but how to think about the problem

Concerns with Peer Instruction Before Class: Students read for “baseline” knowledge In Class (perhaps after a short mini-lecture): A challenging question on a topic is presented –Students engage by thinking about the question and answering it individually (using a clicker) –Students discuss the problem in peer teams Encouraging them to understand why the right answer is right and the wrong answers are wrong –Students reach consensus and answer again (using a clicker) Instructor leads review/analysis of question –Encouraging students to describe their rationale for choosing an answer (they’ve just done it, so they are prepared) –If needed, providing a better explanation/model for how to analyze the issue

Concerns with Peer Instruction Before Class: Students read for “baseline” knowledge In Class (perhaps after a short mini-lecture): A challenging question on a topic is presented –Students engage by thinking about the question and answering it individually (using a clicker) –Students discuss the problem in peer teams Encouraging them to understand why the right answer is right and the wrong answers are wrong –Students reach consensus and answer again (using a clicker) Instructor leads review/analysis of question –Encouraging students to describe their rationale for choosing an answer (they’ve just done it, so they are prepared) –If needed, providing a better explanation/model for how to analyze the issue That sounds very inefficient. I won’t have nearly as much time to cover my lecture materials.

You may be “covering” material, but… Much research shows the failure of transmissionist model for understanding –Students’ and Experts’ Understanding of Lecture [4] “a variety of misunderstandings occur during the lecture even if the conditions for learning are far better than in a typical classroom” –Novice/Expert literature shows: “experts in a subject have a mental organization structure for knowledge that novices lack” [5] It’s not your fault, it’s how humans learn

Let’s have a learning experience

Here is an important new number system. Please learn it.* *From video: Teaching Teaching and Understanding Understanding. Claus Brabrand and Jacob Andersen

So, you learned, right? Let’s check your learning What’s this number? *From video: Teaching Teaching and Understanding Understanding. Claus Brabrand and Jacob Andersen

ASIDE: But *I* learned and succeeded in lecture What worked for you may not be working for the majority of your students You have a PhD… –Less that X*% of university graduates go on to earn a PhD… –You may have figured out a way to construct your knowledge during lecture *Where X is a very small number

Concerns I can’t “cover” all the material I need to –What do you want? Them to be able to regurgitate information? Them to be able to reason about and analyze a situation? I’m afraid I’d lose control of the classroom –It’s really loud, what if they ask something I am not sure of You have more prestige than you think Students quickly come to value discussion WITH you This is not what the students are used to (they will complain) – and it’s not what *I* am used to –But you can educate them about why it is helpful to them!

Benefits They love it if… –You stick with it –Ask hard questions –Use clicker questions to focus on what you really want them to know –Let them TALK Lecture is less effort –You have “down time” –You get to TALK WITH and LISTEN TO students You get to help them have “aha” moments –And when they don’t, you KNOW they don’t and can provide further explanation They ask questions in class (and don’t fall asleep) You know what to ask on the exam

Do you want to know more? Workshop 1 (tomorrow): –I’m intrigued, but I’m not sure. –What would clicker questions look like in my class? How would I make them? How would I make sure mine are good? How would I engage students in this? Workshop 2 (Wednesday): –I’m ready to give this a try! Give me details on how to really make this go well

Best Practice Quick Sheet Give reading quizzes before each lecture Foster group discussion –Assign groups (and keep the same ones all term) –Require them to reach consensus and vote “the same” –(Rotate ownership of discussion within groups) Ask challenging questions –That make for meaningful discussion –35-75% solo -> >75% group Respond to student experience –Ask them to provide explanations first (then you can re-word) –If the group vote correctness is low Take time to review, explain, clarify Frequently (once a week, then often) remind students of the value of Peer Instruction

Questions? Discussion? [1] Mazur. Farewell, Lecture? Science. Vol 323: 50-51, [2] Crouch, Mazur. Peer Instruction: Ten years of experience. Am. J. Phys. 69 (9) [3] Caldwell. Clickers in the Large Classroom: Current Research and Best-Practice Tips. CBE-Life Sciences Education, 6 (1): 9-20, [4] Hrepic, Zollman, Rebello. Students’ and Experts’ Understanding of Lecture. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 16(3): , [5] Simon, Taylor. What is the Value of Course-Specific Learning Goals? Journal of College Science Teaching, November/December 2009.