Session 01

Peer Instruction for a Diverse Audience

As physics teachers we may teach less-academic students differently than our more-academic students. If that improves their learning then it is the right thing to do. However, there are many techniques that improve conceptual understanding that we only tend to use with academic students.This is often based on incorrect assumptions about how these students best learn. Peer instruction, rich context problem solving and using multiple choice questions to improve conceptual understanding are all highly effective in improving student learning in all types of classrooms. In this workshop we will learn how to apply all of these teaching approaches in order to improve student learning.

Biography

I have been teaching high school science and math for 28 years. I love what I do and what I do is ever changing. My classroom is completely different now than it was when I started teaching. Peer instruction dominates and my students are much more engaged in their own learning.