Slides on Facilitation and Challenges of Peer Instruction Dr. Stephanie V. Chasteen Physics Department & Science Ed. Initiative University of Colorado – Boulder Co-presenters have included Steven Pollock, Jenny Knight, Trish Loeblein, and Kathy Perkins. Creative Commons – Attribution. Please attribute Stephanie Chasteen / Scince Education Initiative/ CU-Boulder

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About these slides We have created a variety of workshops on clickers and Peer Instruction for faculty and K12 teachers. These slides represent the presentations and activities that we have produced through this work. You are free to use this material with proper attribution (see previous slide). Not all slides or activities were used in every workshop. Activities are designated with a peach background to the slide You can find the full handouts and activity descriptions under Workshop Materials at do.edu

Creative Commons – Attribution. Please attribute Stephanie Chasteen / Science Education Initiative/ CU-Boulder These meta-slides provide a little bit of information for you about our presenter and what we are trying to do with our professional development workshops. Overview

Introducing Me 5 Applying scientific principles to improve science education – What are students learning, and which instructional approaches improve learning? Science Education Initiative Physics Education Research Group One of largest PER groups in nation, studying technology, attitudes, classroom practice, & institutional change. Blogger & Consultant Creative Commons – Attribution. Please attribute Stephanie Chasteen / Science Education Initiative/ CU-Boulder

U. Colorado clicker resources… 6 Videos of effective use of clickers Clicker resource page mins long Instructor’s Guide Question banks Workshops Literature / Articles Creative Commons – Attribution. Please attribute Stephanie Chasteen / Science Education Initiative/ CU-Boulder

“Clickers” are really just a focal point We aim to help instructors: Use student-centered, interactive teaching techniques By the use of a tool (clickers) which makes a transition to that pedagogy easier Our talks are “how people learn” talks in disguise. Bransford, Brown, Cocking (1999), How People Learn Creative Commons – Attribution. Please attribute Stephanie Chasteen / Science Education Initiative/ CU-Boulder 7

The typical pattern of professional development for faculty… (we) Tell them how to do it (they) Try it (they) Fail or fade (we) Repeat (louder!) In physics, half of faculty only use Peer Instruction for a single semester What’s missing? We need to help faculty anticipate challenges and difficulties with implementing peer instruction. Lose the rose-colored glasses! We also need to provide less prescriptive “do this, don’t do that” recommendations, which are hard to remember, and instead provide a pedagogical strategy which will naturally lead to those “best practices” These workshop materials are intended to help overcome some of the challenges to sustainable improvements in teaching, as based on the research on instructional change. Creative Commons – Attribution. Please attribute Stephanie Chasteen / Science Education Initiative/ CU-Boulder 8

How we try to accomplish goals: Give a clear introduction to peer instruction. What does it really look like? Give experience in peer instruction. How does it feel as a student? As an instructor? Provide disciplinary experience. Give examples from multiple disciplines; have instructors sit next to others who teach in their subject area Why does it work? The research. Respect their experience. Answer their questions/challenges, rather than being gung-ho salesman. Provide opportunity for practice and feedback. Especially in writing questions and facilitation. Practice what we preach. Do all this in a student-centered, interactive environment. Don’t lecture about how not to lecture. Creative Commons – Attribution. Please attribute Stephanie Chasteen / Science Education Initiative/ CU-Boulder 9

In this section of the workshop, we address best-practices in facilitation of Peer Instruction. In a workshop focused on facilitation, this forms about half the workshop. In a workshop focused on question-writing or an introduction to Peer Instruction, we must choose a small subset of these slides and activities to give an overview. We highlight best practices by explicitly addressing common challenges associated with the technique. There are several possible activities we have used. The Pedagogical Philosophies activity leads into best-practices through discussion of the underlying beliefs that would be required to facilitate Peer Instruction. The other “Challenges” activities get participants brainstorming about common hurdles and solutions. Common Challenges / Facilitation

Activity: Pedagogical Philosophy Creative Commons – Attribution. Please attribute Stephanie Chasteen / Science Education Initiative/ CU-Boulder Core Philosophies exercise What are the underlying principles that make this work? Why might this be an effective teaching strategy? What must the instructor believe? What must the students believe? Discuss in groups, and then share- out. Core Philosophies exercise What are the underlying principles that make this work? Why might this be an effective teaching strategy? What must the instructor believe? What must the students believe? Discuss in groups, and then share- out. 11

Some core philosophies of mine Students learn by … teaching each other … articulating their ideas It’s important for me to …. hear student ideas … know what my students understand I value and respect student ideas I want students to … know that I value student ideas … feel safe sharing their ideas Clicker questions are an integral part of my lecture

Activity: Challenges in the Classroom You ask students a question, and ask them to discuss. You then ask them to share their answers and reasoning in a whole-class discussion What could possibly go wrong? 13 In groups of 3-5 brainstorm some of the challenges you imagine in using this. Brainstorm some solutions that are in line with your core philosophies Write on your handout and then scribe on board In groups of 3-5 brainstorm some of the challenges you imagine in using this. Brainstorm some solutions that are in line with your core philosophies Write on your handout and then scribe on board 10 mins

What are the challenges? What do you think is the toughest thing about using Peer Instruction? A. Writing good questions B. Technical issues C. Tough to get students to discuss questions D. I have too much content to cover / takes too much time E. Something else Creative Commons – Attribution. Please attribute Stephanie Chasteen / Science Education Initiative/ CU-Boulder 14

15 1. Ask Question What are some challenges/ philosophies / solutions related to asking the question? Best practices Ask several times during lecture Ask challenging, meaningful questions Don’t post until ready & give time to read Best practices Ask several times during lecture Ask challenging, meaningful questions Don’t post until ready & give time to read Philosophies Questions are integral to lecture Students can learn by considering a question Philosophies Questions are integral to lecture Students can learn by considering a question

Question Cycle: Before / During / After Credit: Rosie Piller and Ian Beatty. 16 BEFORE Setting up instruction E.g.: Motivate Assess prior knowledge … (handout!) DURING Developing knowledge Application Elicit misconception … AFTER Assessing learning Relate to big picture Demonstrate success …

2. Peer Discussion 17 What are core philosophies in peer discussion? Philosophies: Students learn through discussion Students need to know that you value their ideas & that it’s safe to share Philosophies: Students learn through discussion Students need to know that you value their ideas & that it’s safe to share Solutions: Make it clear why you’re doing this Circulate and ask questions / model Use questions they want to discuss Allow enough time (2-5 mins) Focus on reasoning in wrap-up Solutions: Make it clear why you’re doing this Circulate and ask questions / model Use questions they want to discuss Allow enough time (2-5 mins) Focus on reasoning in wrap-up What are challenges / how can you help make it work?

Student buy-in is key! Here we show a portion of the video, “Tell Students Why” at This highlights the importance of student buy-in and gives an example of an instructor speech to a class on why he is using Peer Instruction

3. Wrap-Up Discussion 19 Philosophies? Challenges? What might you do to facilitate an effective wrap-up discussion? Solutions: Establish culture of respect Consider whether to show the histogram immediately Ask multiple students to defend their answers Emphasize reasoning: Why are wrong answers wrong and why right answer is right Solutions: Establish culture of respect Consider whether to show the histogram immediately Ask multiple students to defend their answers Emphasize reasoning: Why are wrong answers wrong and why right answer is right Philosophies: Student ideas are important Students need to feel safe Philosophies: Student ideas are important Students need to feel safe

20 Giving the answer stops student thinking!

Effects of increased wait time Changes in student behavior:  More students respond  More students respond without being asked (unsolicited)  Student responses are longer  More alternative explanations are offered  Student confidence increases  There are more speculative responses  Students ask more questions Other changes (on teacher!)  Quantity of questions decreased  Quality of questions increased  Expectations of slower students were revised  Teacher reactions to answers were more appropriate 21 Rowe, Mary Budd (1974) All from a few more seconds!

Other things we haven’t talked about? Other challenges / solutions / philosophies? 22