1. Physics Education research Roberta Tevlin

2. What is your experience with Physics Education Research? a) This is the first time I have heard of it. b) I have heard of it but not used it. c) I have started using it in my class. d) I use it all the time in my class. Select the letter in your booklet that best matches your experience and show me.

3. What is Physics Education Research? Make a point form list on the whiteboard of what your group knows about PER.

4. PER is not another dubious education fad, it is based on solid research. Students were observed solving physics problems out loud in small groups. Hypotheses were made about how to improve learning. Hypotheses were tested using control groups and objective measuring tools.

5. Students come with preconceptions that interfere with learning. These are very resistant to change and must be confronted repeatedly by the student. Peer Instruction, Predict Explain Observe Explain, Elicit Confront Resolve, Think Pair Share, Interactive Lecture Demonstrations

6. Student Discourse • Students learn very little in a lecture or ina ‘Socratic’ lesson because only one student is talking at a time Whiteboards, Context-Rich Problem Solving, Guided Inquiry Worksheets

7. Teachers should be taught in the style in which they are expected to teach. This may not be the best match to your own personal learning style. Your experience is not a good guide to how most of your students learn.

8. Five Easy Lessons for Successful Physics Teaching by Randall Knight.

9. You have a light bulb, a battery and one wire. Draw a picture of how you can connect them to light up the bulb.

10. Discuss the following questions : 1) When should you use pictures and when should you use symbols? Why? 2) You were not given the materials until after the discussion. Why? 3) How would your students do at this task? 4) What key concept are they learning?

11. A B A circuit is set up with one battery and two light bulbs as shown below. How do they compare in brightness? a) A is brighter b) B is brighter c) They the same Most students get this wrong. Why?

12. This was an example of Peer Instruction Discuss the following with your group: What are the advantages of providing answers in addition to the question? We used paper booklets rather than electronic clickers. Which do you prefer? Why?

13. Circuits can be taught using computer simulations. They should be used ______________ the real thing. a) before b) after c) instead of Why?

14. A circuit is set up as shown. How do the bulbs compare in brightness? • a) They are equal • c) C is brighter • d) D is brighter • Explain your answer. C D

15. On the whiteboard, draw a ski resort with lifts and runs that is analogous and can justify your answer. C D • a) They are equal • c) C is brighter • d) D is brighter • Test your answer.

16. confront Preconceptionsencourage focused student discourse