PER User's Guide Methods and Materials: Peer Instruction

Methods and Materials » Peer Instruction

Overview

Indicates a research-demonstrated benefit

Overview
Implementation Guide
Printable Overview (Beta)

Guide Name

Peer Instruction

Overview

Small group discussion of conceptual questions interspersed with lectures, increasing engagement and providing formative feedback on student thinking.

	Type of Method	Instructional strategy
	Level	Designed for: Intro College Calculus-based, Intro College Algebra-based Can be adapted for: High School, Intermediate, Upper-level Undergraduate, Teacher Prep Course, Teacher Professional Development, Intro College Conceptual, Graduate School
	Setting	Designed for: Lecture - Large (30+ students) Can be adapted for: Lecture - Small (<30 students), Recitation/Discussion Session, Studio
	Coverage	Many topics with less depth, Requires more in-depth coverage of individual topics than a traditional lecture, so lecture cannot cover as many topics, but it is still possible to cover a lot of material by assigning reading and/or homework on topics not covered in lecture.
	Topics	Mechanics, Electricity / Magnetism, Waves / Optics, Thermal / Statistical, Modern / Quantum, Mathematical, Astronomy, Other Science, Pedagogy
	Instructor Effort	Low, (If suitable ConcepTests are already available, "low" is appropriate; if the instructor needs to write his/her own ConcepTests, then it requires more effort. There are many databases of ConcepTests in a wide variety of subjects.)
	Resource Needs	Multiple choice questions and polling method. A projector, clickers, and TAs/LAs are helpful but not required.
	Skills	Designed for: Conceptual understanding Can be adapted for: Problem-solving skills, Making real-world connections, Using multiple representations, Metacognition
	Research Validation	Based on research into: theories of how students learn Demonstrated to improve: conceptual understanding, problem-solving skills, beliefs and attitudes, attendance, retention of students Studied using: student interviews, classroom observations, research at multiple institutions, research by multiple groups, peer-reviewed publication
	Compatible Methods	PhET, UW Tutorials, JiTT, Ranking Tasks, ILDs, CGPS, Physlets, Context-Rich Problems, RealTime Physics, TIPERs, ABP Tutorials, SCALE-UP, OSP, SDI Labs, OST Tutorials, Thinking Problems, Workbook for Introductory Physics, LA Program, CAE TPS, Lecture-Tutorials, Astro Ranking Tasks, MBL, New Model Course, CPU, SCL, TEFA, CU Modern, CU E&M, CU QM, QuILTs, IQP, Thermal Tutorials, Mechanics Tutorials, Paradigms, Tools for Scientific Thinking, PI QM, M&I, Tutorials, Clickers, MOP, Responsive Teaching
	Similar Methods	ILDs, Workbook for Introductory Physics, CAE TPS, TEFA, PI QM, Clickers
	Developer(s)	Eric Mazur, Catherine H. Crouch, and colleagues
	Website	http://www.peerinstruction.net/
	Intro Article	Peer Instruction: Engaging Students One-on-One, All at Once

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