Inquiry-Based, Cooperative Group Physics – Experience the Difference!

Most of us teach the way we were taught. Unfortunately, that means a lot of lecturing is going on, and lecturing is an inefficient way to help someone understand anything. A mountain of evidence demonstrates that cooperative group learning using guided-inquiry activities is far superior, easily producing twice the learning gains. But what is it like to learn this way? Now is your chance to find out! Chris will lead you through a brief introduction to his 100% lecture-free grade 11 and 12 physics courses. Then you will spend a solid hour working in groups, learning some new and challenging physics yourself so you can experience the difference first hand. After a final discussion, you will leave the workshop emboldened and carrying the materials you would need to teach this way yourself!

Chris Meyer completed a Specialist Degree in Physics at the University of Toronto, but didn’t really get this physics stuff until he began teaching. From his experiences “teaching” physics at A. Y. Jackson (North York), the Ontario Science Centre, Rosedale Heights (Toronto) and now York Mills C. I. (North York) he came to realize that the teaching techniques he was raised with were not adequate. After attending a lecture by Edward Redish at the University of Toronto, and becoming acquainted for the first time with Physics Education Research, things began to change. Now Chris gives presentations across southern Ontario encouraging teachers to stop teaching.